Select the food web image below that correctly shows the flow of matter in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What are the primary colors?

• Red

• Blue

• Green

• Yellow

Answer explanation

Matter flows from producers like phytoplankton to consumers such as blue and horseshoe crabs. Additionally, decomposers break down organic matter, providing nutrients that flow to consumers, completing the cycle.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Savannah and Dezmond are working on a school project about hydroponics. Which statement best explains why this is an example of biotechnology?

• Hydroponics uses math to solve everyday problems.

• It is a technique that improves one of the human senses.

• Biology and engineering are connected to meet human food needs.

• The success of hydroponics is used to measure the success of all growing plants.

Answer explanation

The correct choice highlights the integration of biology and engineering in hydroponics, showcasing how this technique addresses human food needs, which is a key aspect of biotechnology.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

After participating in the “Deer Detectives” activity at Camp Schmidt, Iketomiwa and Serena read about the negative effects deer overpopulation has in certain areas in Maryland. The state started programs to decrease the deer population and reduce the negative effects that deer are having on people and the environment. Some of the solutions to decrease the deer populations are shown in the table below. Which pair of solutions have an environmental impact?

• Block and Barricade & Sprays

• Move Deer Out of Area & Increased Hunting

• Increased Hunting & Sprays

• Block and Barricade & Move Deer Out of Area

Answer explanation

Increased Hunting reduces deer numbers directly, impacting the ecosystem. Sprays deter deer from certain areas, affecting their behavior and habitat use. Both solutions have clear environmental impacts.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Ohemaa claims that potatoes can be successfully grown without soil. Based on the data in the table, which two statements best support this claim?

• The heaviest potatoes were grown in soil.

• The greatest number of potatoes were grown in air.

• Both soil and air produce plants with a greater total weight than water.

• Both water and air produced the same average weight per potato.

• Both soil and water produced the same average number of potatoes per plant.

Answer explanation

The statement 'The greatest number of potatoes were grown in air' directly supports the claim that potatoes can grow without soil. Additionally, 'Both water and air produced the same average weight per potato' indicates that air can be a viable growing medium.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The soil was weighed at the beginning and end of the investigation. The soil weight did not change. Which answer below identifies the best sources potato plants need for growth?

• soil only

• air and soil

• soil and water

• water and air

Answer explanation

Potato plants require air for respiration and soil for nutrients. Since the soil weight remained constant, it indicates that the soil provided essential nutrients, while air is crucial for growth, making 'air and soil' the best choice.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which two statements below correctly describe the movement of matter in Devin’s ecosystem model?

• The Sun provides matter that helps the algae grow.

• Algae, bacteria, and shrimp release gases into the ecosystem.

• Bacteria recycle waste materials in the ecosystem.

• Shrimp receive nutrients from the bacteria.

Answer explanation

Algae, bacteria, and shrimp release gases, contributing to the ecosystem's gas exchange. Additionally, bacteria play a crucial role in recycling waste materials, ensuring nutrients are reused within the ecosystem.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

During a science class, Courtney and Cameron are studying a diagram of a plant. What happens at “Step 4” in the picture with the arrow pointing towards and away from the leaf?

• Sugar is entering the leaf; water vapor is exiting.

• Carbon dioxide is entering the leaf; sugar and oxygen are exiting.

• Carbon dioxide is entering the leaf; water vapor and oxygen are exiting.

• Carbon dioxide and water vapor are entering the leaf, and oxygen is exiting.

Answer explanation

At Step 4, carbon dioxide enters the leaf through stomata, while water vapor and oxygen exit. This process is essential for photosynthesis, where plants convert CO2 and sunlight into energy, releasing O2 as a byproduct.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

During a science project, Tyler and Kaia learned about how decomposers help recycle nutrients. What else can decomposers break down to release nutrients into the soil?

• rocks buried in the Earth

• wastes released by living organisms

• light energy from the Sun

• water that falls from the sky

Answer explanation

Decomposers break down organic matter, including wastes released by living organisms, to recycle nutrients back into the soil. This process enriches the soil, supporting plant growth, unlike rocks, light energy, or water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which statement explains where the nutrients in the compost came from?

• The materials that Savannah put into the compost bin used nutrients to make their own food.

• The materials that Savannah put into the compost bin decomposed and released their nutrients.

• The materials that Savannah put into the compost bin made nutrients out of sunlight and water.

• The materials that Savannah put into the compost bin changed into living organisms that released nutrients.

Answer explanation

The correct choice explains that the materials decomposed, which is the process by which organic matter breaks down and releases nutrients back into the soil, making them available for plants.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4