6th Grade Science Benchmark

How is the sun the driving force in the water cycle?

• Its heat causes water in the atmosphere to condense.

• Its heat causes water droplets in the clouds to fall back to the ground.

• Its heat causes surface water to evaporate.

• Its heat causes the ground to absorb water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Condensation in the water cycle can best be described as the result of water vapor ___________.

• rising into the atmosphere, cooling and changing into a liquid form.

• rising into the atmosphere, warming and changing into a gaseous form.

• changing from a liquid form into a solid and forming snow.

• changing from a gas form into a solid and forming hail.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

After a rainfall, which process in the water cycle draws the water back up into the air?

• condensation

• evaporation

• circulation

• precipitation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which gas is represented by Gas #1?

• carbon dioxide

• hydrogen

• nitrogen

• oxygen

How is the stratosphere different from the troposphere?

• The clouds in the stratosphere produce more rain.

• The air in the stratosphere has a greater density.

• The composition of the stratosphere lacks ozone.

• The temperature of the stratosphere warms at higher altitude.

Which layer of the atmosphere contains the greatest amount of water vapor?

• thermosphere

• mesosphere

• stratosphere

• troposphere

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Order the layers of the Earth from outside to inside.

• Crust, inner core, mantle, outer core

• mantle, crust, outer core, inner core

• crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

• inner core, outer core, mantle, crust

The continental crust floats on top of the mantle because the crust is ___________________.

• less dense than the mantle.

• made of a liquid material.

• made up of oxygen which is a light element.

• separated from the mantle by a layer of water.

How does this system compare to the way heat from the core of Earth reaches the surface?

• The heater uses convection currents to transfer heat, and Earth's interior uses radiation.

• The heater uses radiation to transfer heat, and Earth’s interior uses conduction.

• Both systems use convection currents to transfer heat.

• Both systems use conduction to transfer heat.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

The sudden movement along the boundaries of tectonic plates on Earth results in earthquakes. What is one cause within Earth of such movements?

• fossil fuel formations in Earth’s crust

• thermal (heat) energy from Earth's core

• erosion on Earth's surface

• waves from Earth's oceans

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3