Milestones Practice: Earth Science Part 2

Which of the following is a way that humans can prevent erosion?

• Planting new plants and trees

• Making new buildings

• Building highways

• Paving land

A geographic information system (GIS) is used to collect, analyze, and store large amounts of useful data. For example, a GIS can store data about the height of different points on the ground. Using a GIS, scientists can create flood forecast maps that predict how likely an area is to flood because of a storm.

Without GIS data, flood forecast maps can only predict flooding at a few places along a waterway. But, GIS data gives scientists information about many data points. So, flood forecast maps made with GIS data can be used to predict flooding for an entire region, not just at certain places along a waterway.

Why is it important for flood forecast maps to be able to be used to predict flooding in an entire region?

• To measure the total rainfall in a region during a year

• To allow people to take proper measures to prepare for a flood

• To determine the cost to repair dams and levees after a flood

• To decide how to control fishing along the waterway

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Wetlands are shallow areas covered by water. Wetlands are able to absorb a tremendous amount of water. Wetlands could reduce the effects of which of the following weather hazards?

• Tornadoes

• Blizzards

• Floods

• Earthquakes

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Many houses along the Gulf Coast are built on stilts. What purpose does this design most likely serve?

• It provides protection during blizzards

• It prevents the occurrence of a fire

• It prevents hurricane wind damage

• It protects the house from flooding

The ocean floor accounts for 70 percent of the Earth's surface area, yet it is largely unexplored and unmapped. However, a new technology called swath bathymetry has enabled scientists to produce detailed sea floor maps using sound waves. With this technique, a multibeam echo sounder produces 120 sound waves that are projected toward the seafloor to map an area of up to 15 kilometers wide at a time.

Undersea volcanoes can lead to tsunamis. By studying undersea volcanoes, scientists are better able to predict where tsunamis might occur. This gives coastal communities advanced warning to prepare for a tsunami. How might swath bathymetry aid scientists in studying undersea volcanoes?

• By measuring the water temperature around undersea volcanoes

• By identifying any ecosystem present near undersea volcanoes

• By revealing the location of undersea volcanoes

• By determining the activity of undersea volcanoes

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Some buildings are designed so that their bases are not directly connected to the ground. Instead, isolation bearings at such a building's base allow it to slightly move relative to the ground it rests on

Using isolation bearings is one way that engineers protect a building from:

• erosion

• Tsunamis

• Earthquakes

• Flooding

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A seismological study finds that there will likely be a large increase in the number of earthquakes occurring in a certain area.

What action would most likely be taken to control the damage that could occur?

• Buildings in the area would be designed to withstand the earthqaukes

• Action would be taken to prevent the earthquakes from occurring

• People would not be allowed to live in the area or enter the area

• Roads in the area would be altered so people travel around the area

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

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A levee is a kind of thick wall. It is often made of dirt. Levees are used to protect towns from floods. The picture shows how a levee works.

This levee was designed to protect a town from only so much flood water. How could the levee be changed so that it would protect a town from flood waters that rose even higher?

• The levee could be made out of waterproof materials

• The levee could be made of stronger materials

• The levee could be designed to be wider

• The levee could be designed to be taller

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Scientists use satellite images to provide greater details of atmospheric conditions. The image was taken by a satellite, using infrared satellite imagery. The colors in the image represent varying cloud height. Because tall clouds often indicate possible precipitation, scientists can use these types of images to predict future weather conditions.

This type of technology can create images based on heat given off by the clouds. Visible light is not required for these kinds of images to be created. Which of the following describes the greatest benefit of this type of technology?

• It can be used to prevent cold fronts from forming and moving into a particular area

• It can be used to change the direction of hurricanes so that they do not hit large cities

• It can be used whether it is day or night to locate storm activity and give people time to prepare for severe weather

• It can be used to provide instant information about general climate patterns of a particular area

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Technological advancements, such as the wind vane, barometer, and thermometer were invented to help people forecast the weather. Many other instruments, such as weather satellites and radar, have also been created to help with weather forecasting.

Advances in weather forecasting techniques contribute many important things such as:

• The ability to make storms change direction

• The ability to change the weather

• The ability to prevent storms

• The ability to predict storms

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-2