Oceans and Rivers

A student observes a diagram of the ocean floor showing a mid-ocean ridge and a deep-sea trench. What is the main difference between these two features?

• A mid-ocean ridge is a flat area, while a trench is a raised area.

• A mid-ocean ridge is an underwater mountain range, while a trench is a deep, narrow valley.

• Both are flat areas on the ocean floor.

• Both are deep valleys in the ocean.

Which of the following best explains why the Chesapeake Bay is considered an estuary?

• It is a large lake with only freshwater.

• It is a body of water where freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

• It is a river that flows directly into the Atlantic Ocean.

• It is a mountain stream.

A scientist is studying the relationship between the amount of sunlight and the growth of algae in the Atlantic Ocean. What is the independent variable in this experiment?

• The amount of sunlight

• The growth of algae

• The type of algae

• The temperature of the water

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Which of the following best describes a watershed?

• An area of land where all the water drains into a single body of water

• A place where only saltwater is found

• A mountain range that separates two oceans

• A type of ocean current

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

If a river in Virginia becomes polluted, which of the following is most likely to happen to the Chesapeake Bay?

• The pollution will stay only in the river.

• The pollution can travel through the watershed and affect the Chesapeake Bay.

• The pollution will disappear before reaching the bay.

• The pollution will only affect the Atlantic Ocean.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

A student wants to find out how temperature affects the movement of ocean currents off the coast of Virginia. Which variable should the student keep constant to make the experiment fair?

• The temperature of the water

• The type of water (salt or fresh)

• The amount of water used

• The speed of the wind

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Why do many fish and crabs live near the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay?

• The water is warmer at the bottom.

• There is more food and shelter available near the bottom.

• The water is saltier at the bottom.

• There is more sunlight at the bottom.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Which feature would you most likely find at the edge of a continental shelf in the Atlantic Ocean?

• A deep-sea trench

• A mid-ocean ridge

• A steep drop-off called the continental slope

• A sandy beach

A group of students is investigating how the amount of rainfall affects the flow of water in a local stream. What is the dependent variable in their experiment?

• The amount of rainfall

• The flow of water in the stream

• The type of soil in the area

• The temperature of the water

If the salinity (saltiness) of ocean water increases, what is most likely to happen to the density of the water?

• The density will decrease.

• The density will stay the same.

• The density will increase.

• The density will disappear.