Unit 3 Practice Questions Review

Which combination of abiotic factors would most likely support a dense forest biome?

• High precipitation, moderate temperatures, and rich soil nutrients

• Low precipitation, high temperatures, and sandy soil.

• High altitude, low temperatures, and rocky soil

• Constant direct sunlight, low precipitation, and saline soil

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

A local pond ecosystem has experienced a significant decrease in water pH due to acid rain. Which of the following would most likely be a direct consequence of the change in pH on the biotic factors within the pond?

• Increased water temperature during summer months

• A decrease in the population of aquatic organisms that are sensitive to pH level.

• The introduction of a new species of fish from a nearby lake

• An increase in the clarity of the water, making it easier for sunlight to penetrate

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

If the pH changes to a level 5, what will most likely happen in this ecosystem?

• The crayfish population will increase.

• The mayfly population will increase.

• The snail population will decrease.

• The salamanders will decrease.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

In a forest ecosystem model, beavers have built several dams on a river. How does this action by the beavers primarily affect the abiotic factors in the forest ecosystem?

• The flow of the river increases, leading to less water available for plants downstream.

• The water temperature upstream of the dams decreases, affecting fish species adapted to warmer waters.

• Water is pooled in areas behind the dams, creating new wetland habitats and altering the distribution of nutrients in the soil.

• The pH level of the water downstream from the dams increases.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

In a coastal marine ecosystem, various processes contribute to the carbon cycle. Which of the following best describes the natural carbon cycling in a coastal marine ecosystem?

• The decomposition of dead marine animals adds carbon to the geosphere, and volcanic eruptions remove carbon from the atmosphere.

• Combustion of fossil fuels adds carbon to the atmosphere, and the formation of coral reefs removes carbon from the hydrosphere.

• Respiration by marine organisms adds carbon to the atmosphere, and photosynthesis by phytoplankton removes carbon from the atmosphere.

• Decomposition of plastic waste in the ocean adds carbon to the hydrosphere, and absorption of carbon dioxide by ocean water removes carbon from the geosphere.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which of the following is most likely to result from the rapid increase in deer population size?

• It will increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because there will be less photosynthesis due to reduced vegetation.

• It will decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because more deer respiration means more carbon dioxide is converted to oxygen.

• It will increase the effect on the carbon cycle because the increase in deer population is balanced by natural predators.

• It will decrease the amount of carbon stored in the geosphere because more plants are being consumed and less carbon is being sequestered in the soil.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Shell-forming organisms such as corals and mollusks trap CO₂ by forming their shells. A marine ecosystem study has observed a decline in corals and mollusks due to ocean acidification. When ocean acidification increases, what could be a potential long-term effect of their decline on carbon dioxide?

• Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere decreases the shell-forming organisms.

• Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increases the shell-forming organisms.

• Decreased carbon dioxide levels in the lithosphere turns fossil fuels into shells.

• Decreased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases photosynthetic plankton.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Greenland ice core samples were collected and the results of the atmospheric CO₂ levels were placed into a graph. What prediction about the future atmospheric conditions is supported by the data table?

• Global temperatures will increase if CO₂ levels decrease

• A decrease in global temperatures if CO₂ levels decrease

• No change in global temperatures, as CO₂ levels stabilize naturally

• A rapid shift to an ice age due to sudden increase in CO₂ levels

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-5

Recent studies of ice core samples have shown that during periods when the Earth's atmosphere contained higher concentrations of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄), the global temperatures were also elevated. This pattern suggests a strong relationship between greenhouse gas concentrations and Earth's climate. Which of the following conclusions can most accurately be drawn from the correlation between high concentrations of greenhouse gases and global temperatures?

• Higher greenhouse gas concentrations cause a decrease in global temperatures due to increased reflection of solar radiation.

• Higher greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere have no significant impact on global temperatures, suggesting other factors are more important.

• Higher greenhouse gas concentrations are associated with elevated global temperatures, likely due to a stronger greenhouse effect.

• The correlation between high greenhouse gas concentrations and elevated global temperatures is coincidental and unrelated to each other.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

Scientists use different ways to learn about Earth's past weather. These methods give special clues about old climates, helping us understand climate changes better. Which option best explains what these clues can tell us about how the weather was previously?

• Ice cores can reveal past atmospheric composition indicating greenhouse gas concentrations.

• Ice cores can reveal past atmospheric composition by showing the occurrence of hurricanes.

• Tree rings can indicate past climate conditions such as the presence of greenhouse gases.

• Tree rings can indicate past climate conditions by providing records of aquatic life.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5