Which of the following is a biotic factor in a forest ecosystem?

• The rock formations that make up the forest floor.

• The mosses that cover sides of tree trunks.

• The average temperature in the winter.

• The amount of sunlight that reaches the forest floor.

Oceans help to moderate the temperature of lands around them because they

• keep surface currents from moving too close to the land.

• lead to heavy snowfall over the water instead of the land.

• cause strong winds near the surface.

• absorb and release heat more slowly than the land does.

An example of a biotic factor in a freshwater lake is

• the amount of sunlight that passes through the water..

• the temperature of the water.

• the depth of the water.

• the fish that live in the lake.

Which of the following are driven by energy from the sun?

• the water cycle

• ocean currents

• winds

• all of the above

The sun's rays strike Earth's surface at different angles in different laces. This phenomenon occurs because

• Earth is tilted.

• Earth's surface is curved.

• Earth is the correct distance from the sun.

• Earth's surface is rough and uneven.

Which of these organisms is located at the base of the energy pyramid?

• oak tree

• bat

• squirrel

• earthworm

Which alignment describes the position of the sun, the moon, and Earth during a new moon?

• The moon is located between the sun and Earth.

• The Earth is located between the sun and the moon.

• The moon is located 90 degrees from a line between the sun and Earth.

• the Earth is located 90 degrees from a line between the sun and the moon.

Herbivores, carnivores, and scavengers are all examples of

• producers.

• decomposers.

• consumers.

• omnivores.

An engineer is designing a new kind of bridge to cross a wide river. Which of the steps of the design process would occur earliest in the design process?

• decide how strong the cables need to be

• start manufacturing the deck for the bridge

• build a model of the bridge

• determine the length of the bridge needed to cross the river

By which method does most thermal energy in the atmosphere circulate?

• conduction

• convection

• condensation

• transpiration