Earth Science Test Review

Deposition of sediments can change the depth of a lake over time. A student wants to make a model that shows how this process takes place. Which model would provide data about changes in the depth of a lake caused by deposition?

• Fill a beaker with water. Slowly allow the water to evaporate from the beaker. Measure the change in the depth of the water.

• Fill a beaker with water. Slowly drop sand, gravel, and dead plant material into the beaker. Measure the change in the depth of the water.

• Fill a plastic box with water. Put a hose in the water on one end of the box and turn the water on to a slow flow. Measure the depth of the water when the box is full.

• Fill a plastic box with sand, gravel, and dead plant material. Put a hose in the middle of the box and turn the water on to a slow flow. Measure the depth of the water when the box is full.

Answer explanation

The correct answer is choice (B) Fill a beaker with water. Slowly drop sand, gravel, and dead plant material into the beaker. Measure the change in the depth of the water. Choice (A) is incorrect because there are no sediments being added to the water; the change in water level is due to evaporation. Choice (C) is incorrect because this would demonstrate increased water from runoff, not deposition. Choice (D) is incorrect because this would demonstrate increased rainfall and erosion as the sediments are redistributed by the water flow.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

The picture shows two steep valleys and two rivers that join together and become one larger river in a wider valley. A student claims that both valleys have been formed by the same process over a long period of time. Which argument BEST explains why the student’s claim is correct or incorrect?

• The student’s claim is correct; the evidence in the picture shows that both valleys were formed by the constructive force of deposition because flowing water carries large rocks from far away and drops them along a river, making the banks taller.

• The student’s claim is correct; the evidence in the picture shows that both valleys were formed by the destructive forces of weathering and erosion because flowing water breaks down rock and carries the small pieces downstream.

• The student’s claim is not correct; the evidence in the picture shows that valley 1 was formed by the destructive forces of weathering and erosion because flowing water breaks down rock and carries the small pieces downstream, but valley 2 was formed by the constructive force of deposition because flowing water carries large rocks from far away and drops them along a river, making the banks taller

• The student’s claim is not correct; the evidence in the picture shows that valley 1 was formed by the constructive force of deposition because flowing water carries large rocks from far away and drops them along a river, making the banks taller, but valley 2 was formed by the destructive forces of weathering and erosion because flowing water breaks down rock and carries the small pieces downstream.

Answer explanation

The correct answer is choice (B) The student’s claim is correct; the evidence in the picture shows that both valleys were formed by the destructive forces of weathering and erosion because flowing water breaks down rock and carries the small pieces downstream. Choice (A) is incorrect because water depositing rocks in the river did not form the valleys. Choice (C) is incorrect because the student’s claim is correct, and the same evidence of weathering and erosion is found in both valleys. Choice (D) is incorrect because the student’s claim is correct, and the same evidence of weathering and erosion is found in both valleys.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The picture shows the surface feature named Azure Window as it looked before and after March 8, 2017.

Complete the sentence that explains the changes in the Azure Window.

The changes in the Azure Window were caused by ____________ process of erosion.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

A student observes a large rock at the base of a volcano in a river valley that gets a lot of snow in the winter and floods in the spring. The student claims that the large crack in the rock was caused by a destructive process called weathering.

Which argument BEST describes the student’s claim?

• The student’s claim is correct because water fills small cracks in rocks, freezes, and expands, making the cracks larger over time.

• The student’s claim is correct because the rock was carried from the top of the volcano to its base by a glacier, creating many cracks over time.

• The student’s claim is not correct because the rock was picked up by moving water and rolled against other rocks, smoothing its surface and causing cracks in a short period of time.

• The student’s claim is not correct because large cracks in rocks are caused when lava from a volcano covers the rock so its temperature rises and falls in a short period of time, causing it to break.

Answer explanation

The correct answer is choice (A) The student’s claim is correct because water fills small cracks in rocks, freezes, and expands, making the cracks larger over time. Choice (B) is incorrect because movement of rock to another location is erosion not weathering. Choice (C) is incorrect because erosion in a river tends to smooth the surface of rocks not crack them as shown. Choice (D) is incorrect because the heating and cooling of rocks by lava is not an example of weathering.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

A student wants to model how arches form in a desert. The students finds a diagram from the website. The student designs a procedure to model the formation of an arch.

PROCEDURE

1. Mix clay, sand, and water in a shoebox and let harden into a block.

2. Drop the block on the ground to form cracks in the surface.

3. Use a watering can to sprinkle 15 liters of water over the block every day until fins form from the cracks.

4. ?

5. Repeat Step 4 every day until a hole forms and grows large, creating an arch.

Select the TWO actions that should be used to complete Step 4 to BEST model the formation of the arch.

• Place the block in the oven on low heat overnight.

• Sprinkle water over the block and place in a freezer overnight.

• use a fan to blow air over the block to thaw and dry the block

• let the sun shine on the block to thaw and dry the block

Answer explanation

“Sprinkle water over the block and place it in the freezer overnight” and “let the sun shine on the block to thaw and dry the block” are the correct responses for the because these steps will model frost wedging in nature

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Some people who live in coastal areas along cliffs are using drones to take pictures of their neighborhoods. A drone is a flying vehicle without a pilot on board. The two pictures show changes in the cliff near a building on two days in December.

Which question can be studied by using a drone to observe recent changes in Earth’s surface along coastal areas?

• How fast are the cliffs eroding?

• How many people live near cliffs?

• How old are rock layers at the bottom of the cliff?

• How can people stop the erosion of cliffs near the coast?

Answer explanation

The correct answer is choice (A) How fast are the cliffs eroding? Choice (B) is incorrect because drones cannot see into the houses to count people. Choice (C) is incorrect because knowing the age of the rocks does not address the recent change in Earth’s surface. Choice (D) is incorrect because drones can be used to document erosion but not to prevent it.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

A student is studying the formation of the Himalayas. The student finds a picture and learns that the mountain range formed when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate. The student uses the picture to design a model that will show classmates how the Himalayas formed.

Based on the picture, which steps would produce the BEST model of how the Himalayas formed over time?

• step 1: Label one cardboard box as the Eurasian Plate. step 2: Label another cardboard box as the Indian Plate. step 3: Slowly push both plates toward each other. step 4: Observe and record how the sizes of both plates change when the edges push against each other.

• step 1: Label one cardboard box as the Eurasian Plate. step 2: Label another cardboard box as the Indian Plate. step 3: Slowly push the Indian Plate toward the Eurasian Plate. step 4: Observe and record how the size of the Indian Plate changes when it touches the edge of the Eurasian Plate.

• step 1: Use light-colored clay to make the shape of the Eurasian Plate. step 2: Use dark-colored clay to make the shape of the Indian Plate. step 3: Slowly push the dark-colored plate toward the light-colored plate. step 4: Observe and record how the shapes of both plates change when the edges push against each other.

• step 1: Use light-colored clay to make the shape of the Eurasian Plate. step 2: Use dark-colored clay to make the shape of the Indian Plate. step 3: Slowly push the light-colored plate toward the dark-colored plate. step 4: Observe and record how the shape of the Eurasian Plate changes when it touches the edge of the Indian Plate.

Answer explanation

The correct answer is choice (C). Choices (A) and (B) are incorrect because cardboard boxes are not going to change size when they are pushed together. Choice (D) is incorrect because the Indian Plate should move toward the Eurasian Plate.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

A student is studying the formation of the Himalayas. The student finds a picture and learns that the mountain range formed when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate. The student uses the picture to design a model that will show classmates how the Himalayas formed.

Which data could the student collect using the BEST model?

• the changing distance between the two plates

• the time it takes for the two plates to collide

• the mass of the materials used to make the two plates

• the changing height of the edge where the two plates collide

Answer explanation

The correct answer is choice (D) the changing height of the edge where the two plates collide. Choice (A) is incorrect because measuring the distance between the two plates does not help the student understand how the Himalayas formed. Choice (B) is incorrect because the time it took to form the Himalayas is not being demonstrated by this model. Choice (C) is incorrect because the mass of the materials does not help the student to understand how the Himalayas formed.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

An oxbow lake is a lake that is usually located near a river. An oxbow lake is often shaped like the letter C. An oxbow lake forms with a curve of a river gets cut off the main river channel.

A student decides to make a model of an oxbow lake in some sand in the yard. Select the answer choice to show the CORRECT SECOND step to make the model.

OXBOW MODEL PROCEDURE

1. Make a curved path in sand that water can flow through to represent a river channel.

2.

3.

4.

• put a water hose at one end of the curved path

• turn the water from low to high to represent a flooded river

• turn the water hose on low and let the water flow slowly to fill the curved river.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

An oxbow lake is a lake that is usually located near a river. An oxbow lake is often shaped like the letter C. An oxbow lake forms with a curve of a river gets cut off the main river channel.

Select all the terms that describe how the CHANNEL is formed.

• erosion

• deposition

• constructive

• destructive

Answer explanation

the channel is formed by erosion, which is a destructive process

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2