Science Major 3.1 Review

Hey explorers! Liam and Faith are on a quest to discover which Texas ecoregions are most likely to be swept away by the mighty winds. Can you help them figure it out? (Select all that apply)

• Panhandle Plains because it is dry, mostly flat, and has limited vegetation.

• Big Bend Country because it is hot, dry, and has limited vegetation.

• Hill Country because it has rolling and hilly grasslands.

• Pineywoods because it is filled with many pines and oak trees.

Answer explanation

The Panhandle Plains and Big Bend Country are both dry and have limited vegetation, making them more susceptible to wind erosion. In contrast, the Hill Country and Pineywoods have more vegetation, which helps protect against erosion.

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Imagine you're on a treasure hunt with Korra and Nayah, searching for ancient secrets buried beneath the earth. What mysterious material, formed from dead plants and animals, do you uncover when you dig through layers of?

• salt water

• layers of sedimentary rock

• fossil fuels

• molten lava

Answer explanation

Coal is formed from dead plant and animal materials that have been buried and subjected to heat and pressure over time, typically under layers of sedimentary rock, which helps in the coal formation process.

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Grayson and Savannah are on a time-travel adventure! They want to witness the formation of fossil fuels. How far back in time should they travel?

• decades

• hundreds of years

• thousands of years

• millions of years

Answer explanation

Fossil fuels take millions of years to form from the remains of ancient plants and animals subjected to heat and pressure over geological time. This process is much longer than decades, hundreds, or thousands of years.

Join Ella, Matthew, and Alana on a time-traveling adventure to the ancient swamps! As they explore, they discover how fossil fuels like coal were formed. What magical ingredient needs to be present for coal to come into existence?

• Sand and small pieces of wood that will settle to the bottom due to deposition.

• Mostly decaying plants impacted by heat and pressure over a long period of time.

• Mostly lava and sedimentary rock as heat will turn the sedimentary rock to coal.

• Mostly minerals as they will be compacted by the mucky water.

Answer explanation

Coal forms primarily from mostly decaying plants that undergo heat and pressure over long periods, transforming organic material into coal. This process is essential for coal formation, unlike the other options.

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Imagine you're on a thrilling adventure with Tobin and Josun, exploring the mysteries of the ocean floor! Which type of rock do you think is formed by the accumulation of small particles and minerals or other organic particles in these watery depths?

• Igneous

• Metamorphic

• Sedimentary

• Diamonds

Answer explanation

Sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation of small particles, minerals, and organic materials on the floors of bodies of water, making them the correct choice. Igneous and metamorphic rocks form through different processes.

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Hasan and Grayson are on an adventurous hike through the mountains, exploring a river that flows through a steep and narrow valley. Over time, both the mountains and the river have transformed. The drawings show the same area at two different times. What magical changes have occurred?

• The rock in the mountain is eroded by the flowing river. The river carries the sediments downstream. The valley widens and becomes less steep.

• The rock in the mountain gets taller because the water washes away the trees.

• The water mixes with the rock sediments and causes compaction to increase the height of the mountain.

• The deposition of sediments carried down the mountain by the river causes a lake.

Answer explanation

The correct choice explains that the flowing river erodes the mountain rock, carrying sediments downstream, which leads to a widening and less steep valley over time. This accurately describes the changes observed.

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Favor and Eli are playing a game of hide and seek. Favor hides behind an opaque object. Which object is she hiding behind?

• Wood

• Air

• Water

• Glass

Answer explanation

Wood is opaque, meaning it does not allow light to pass through. In contrast, air is transparent, water is translucent, and glass is typically transparent, making wood the correct choice for an opaque object.

Imagine you're a detective like Adele, trying to solve the mystery of light! What is refraction?

• Refraction is the reflection of light off a surface.

• Refraction is the absorption of light in a medium.

• Refraction is the scattering of light in the atmosphere.

• Refraction is the bending of light when it enters a different medium.

Answer explanation

Refraction occurs when light travels from one medium to another, causing it to change speed and direction. This bending of light is distinct from reflection, absorption, or scattering, making the correct choice the bending of light.

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Elliot and Karma are curious about what happens to the particles in water when they heat up a tea kettle. Can you help them understand how steam forms?

• Particles in water lose energy and freeze into ice, packing the particles tightly together.

• Particles in water gain energy, move faster, and transition from liquid to gas as steam forms, allowing the particles to move apart.

• Particles in water remain stationary and do not change or move.

• Particles in water expand and turn into solid as steam forms.

Answer explanation

As water is heated, particles gain energy and move faster. This increased energy allows them to transition from liquid to gas, forming steam and causing the particles to move apart.

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Luis and Isaac are on a mission to discover the secrets of a mysterious plug! It's covered in plastic and has two shiny metal prongs sticking out. Can you help them figure out why it's built this way?

Select TWO correct answers to unlock the mystery!

• The metal prongs are conductors that transfer electrical energy from the outlet to the plug.

• The plastic covering is an insulator to prevent electrical shock and the metal prongs ensure a secure connection.

• The metal prongs are designed to be flexible for easy bending.

• The plastic covering is used to increase the weight of the plug.

Answer explanation

The metal prongs are conductors that transfer electrical energy from the outlet to the plug. The plastic covering acts as an insulator to prevent electrical shock, ensuring safety while the prongs provide a secure connection.