ESS-1

A group of students is investigating how Earth’s internal and surface processes make many of Earth’s features. They decide to focus on the movement of tectonic plates for their investigation. The students use a sandbox model to mimic certain movements of continental plates that help shape Earth’s geologic features. Use the menus to complete the sentence about the geologic feature formed in the model. The feature shown is a ___ and is formed when two tectonic plates ___.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

Based on the model, ocean acidification occurs because there is

• less CO₂ in the atmosphere than in the ocean.

• more CO₂ in the atmosphere than in the ocean.

• less CO₂ leaving the ocean than entering the ocean.

• more CO₂ leaving the ocean than entering the ocean.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

Based on the graph, which method of obtaining copper is likely the most cost-effective?

• Using smelting has lower cleanup costs than bioleaching.

• Using smelting is cheaper and generates more profit than bioleaching.

• Bioleaching harvests the copper in a shorter time period than smelting.

• Bioleaching is more expensive at first but the returns are much higher than smelting.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-2

NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

To determine the property of water that is mostly responsible for the formation of cracks in rocks by ice, the student should measure the change in [dropdown options: mass; volume; temperature] that occurs when water freezes. To better simulate the conditions under which the cracks form in the nearby rocks, the student should use [dropdown options: rainwater; distilled water; salt water] instead of tap water.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-5

Which improvement to plastic composite roads would have the most positive environmental impact on Earth systems?

• producing new plastic from fossil fuels to make new roads

• using recycled plastics to prevent them from reaching landfills

• designing plastic composite roads using sand instead of gravel

• substituting natural gas for coal to process the plastic to pave roads

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-1

NGSS.HS-ESS3-4

NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

NGSS.HS-LS2-7

Scientists are studying rock samples from the two locations shown on the map. Which two statements best explain why the rocks found at Location 1 are older than the rocks found at Location 2?

• Location 1 is farther from the tectonic plate boundary than Location 2.

• Continental crust forms at higher temperatures than oceanic crust.

• Rocks at Location 2 were found near where new crust is formed.

• Rocks at Location 1 were eroded by ocean waves.

• Continental crust is younger than oceanic crust.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

A scientist claims that the pH of ocean water is decreasing as a result of increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Is the information in the graph consistent with the claim and why?

• No, because an increase in atmospheric concentration of CO₂ would result in an increase in pH.

• No, because an increase in atmospheric CO₂ would result in a decrease of ocean CO₂.

• Yes, because when atmospheric CO₂ increases, more CO₂ will dissolve in ocean water, forming carbonic acid which can cause a decrease in pH.

• Yes, because the pH is a measure of the ratio of the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere to the concentration of CO₂ in the ocean.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

The formation of Earth’s Moon is best explained by the theory based on the data gathered from Earth and the Moon.

Students were asked to use a beaker and water to model how thermal convection cycles material below Earth’s crust. Which situation best models thermal convection?

• When water is left in an open beaker for days, it will completely evaporate.

• When water in a beaker is warmed in sunlight on a windowsill, water evaporates slowly on one side and quickly on the other side.

• When water in a beaker is warmed in a microwave oven for too long, it will boil and eventually vaporize completely.

• When water in a beaker is warmed over a small flame, uneven heating causes warmer water near the bottom to rise and replace cooler water near the surface, which then sinks.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-3

Based on Graphs 1 and 2, coal power plants cost [dropdown options: more; less] per kilowatt to build but are [dropdown options: more; less] reliable than wind.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-2

NGSS.HS-ETS1-3