Science Quiz #12

The satellite image shows a portion of the Namib Desert in Africa. This is an ancient, sandy desert with dunes that can be up to 305 m tall. The Namib Desert extends inland from the Atlantic Ocean between 80 km and 200 km and receives only 5 mm to 76 mm of rain each year.

A satellite picture of this same area taken weeks before shows that the shape and location of some sand dunes have changed. Which of these most likely caused the changes in the dunes?

• Ocean waves

• Flowing rivers

• Blowing wind

• Crustal uplift

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The topographic map shows the location of a park ranger at Point X when a message is received that an injured hiker needs help at Point Z.

Which of these is closest to the difference in elevation between the locations of the ranger and the injured hiker?

• 2,050 m

• 450 m

• 910 m

• 3,650 m

This satellite photograph shows an area in Alaska after a fire occurred.

Which statement best describes the most likely effect the fire had on the river in the 12 months after it occurred?

• Less sediment flowed into the river because the fire heated up the soil and made it drier.

• The amount of vegetation increased and less sediment flowed into the river because the fire produced ash that mixed with the soil.

• More sediment flowed into the river because the fire destroyed most of the vegetation holding the sediment in place.

• More sediment flowed into the river because the fire disrupted animal habitats and caused animals to leave the area.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The satellite image shows a ship channel between South Padre Island and Boca Chica beach in South Texas.

Sand is sometimes removed from the ship channel through a process called dredging to make it easier for ships to travel through. Recently sand from the bottom of the channel was moved to area beaches. Without this transfer of sand, what would most likely occur in this area in the future?

• The ship channel would become deeper, and the island would move west toward the mainland.

• The ship channel would become shallower, and the beach would become narrower.

• The ship channel would become narrower, and the island would become completely covered with water.

• The ship channel would become wider, and the island would sink into the Gulf of Mexico.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

The satellite photo shows San Francisco, California, which has many miles of coastline and an inland bay.

Which area of the coastline has most likely experienced the greatest effect of erosion from waves over hundreds of years?

• Area N

• Area P

• Area S

• Area T

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The satellite photograph shows a large meteorite crater that is 1200 m in diameter and 170 m deep.This crater is located in a flat, arid part of north eastern Arizona.

How will this crater most likely change over time?

• It will get deeper as it fills with water.

• It will rise up like a volcanic crater.

• It will become less deep as the rim erodes.

• It will widen as it fills with lava.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The topographic map shows a section of a North American fault.

The dots that run down the middle of the map trace the path of a creek. Notice that the path of the creek shifts as it crosses the fault. What type of plate boundary is associated with this type of change in a geographic feature?

• divergent boundary

• transform boundary

• oceanic-continental convergent boundary

• continental-continental convergent boundary

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Which of the following best describes the impact that the formation of a reef usually has on an island beach?

• The reef increases erosion by trapping water close to the beach.

• The reef increases erosion by supporting organism growth near the beach.

• The reef decreases erosion by lowering the frequency of tides at the beach.

• The reef decreases erosion by lessening the force of waves on the beach.

Hawaii is composed mainly of volcanoes with gentle slopes and large surface areas. Which characteristics best describe the lava these volcanoes have released?

• relatively fluid and low viscosity

• highly viscous and relatively cool

• mix of hot gas and rock shards

• mainly water vapor and large boulders

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

The diagram shows a topographic map of the big island of Hawaii.

Which volcanic mountain is the highest?

• Kilauea

• Hualalai

• Mauna Kea

• Mauna Loa