Fssa Earth Science Review

Plants and animals require large amounts of water in order to survive. Although vast numbers of plants and animals have lived throughout time, the amount of water in our environment has remained relatively constant. Which of the following statements explains why this occurs?

• Water continually flows from the center of Earth.

• Vast quantities of water are created by lightning in clouds.

• Organisms return water to the environment after they use it.

• Organisms combine hydrogen and oxygen to make their own water.

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Trade winds blow in a curved path toward the equator in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. How do normal trade wind patterns change the weather of islands near the equator?

• Trade winds blow cooler, gentler winds toward the islands.

• Trade winds blow colder, heavier winds toward the islands.

• Trade winds blow drier, more constant winds toward the islands.

• Trade winds blow warmer, more unpredictable winds toward the islands.

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The picture below shows warm air over land and cool air over water.

Air currents form due to the uneven heating of Earth. According to the picture above, what direction will the air currents most likely move?

• straight down over the land

• straight up above the water

• from the water toward the land

• from the land toward the water

Answer explanation

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Zach invited his friend Sydney to a pool party over the weekend. Sydney informed Zach that the climate was supposed to be rainy over the weekend and suggested that he change his plans. Zach explained to Sydney that she had misused the word “climate” and she should have used the word “weather” instead. Which of the following statements accurately clarifies the confusion between Zach and Sydney?

• Zach is correct; the weather for this area is typically tropical and wet.

• Sydney is correct; there has been an abundance of rainfall within the last month, changing the climate of this particular area.

• Zach is correct; the climate of an environment is determined by patterns in weather conditions over an extended period of time.

• Sydney is correct; the climate of an environment can change constantly based on weather, wind, and front patterns in the area

Jada often visits a beach near her home. She notices that some areas of the beach are shrinking while other areas are growing. Which statement best explains the cause of these changes?

• Both processes are due to erosion.

• Both processes are due to deposition.

• Some areas are shrinking due to erosion and other areas are growing due to deposition.

• Some areas are shrinking due to deposition and other areas are growing due to erosion.

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Shoals are raised landforms made of sand and gravel that are commonly found in Florida. They are often called sandbars and are located in and round bodies of water such as oceans, rivers, and lakes. Which factor most commonly causes shoals to form or change shape?

• the motion of glaciers

• the motion of large boats

• the motion of wind and waves

• the motion of Earth’s mantle and crust

One type of lake that can be found in Florida is round in shape. These lakes are formed when the acid in groundwater dissolves limestone underground, forming a cave. Eventually, the cave roof weakens and collapses causing the cave to fill with water. What type of lake is caused by the collapse of these caves?

• a glacial lake

• an oxbow lake

• a sinkhole lake

• an artificial lake

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Fossilized teeth from an extinct shark were found embedded in a rock layer at the base of a mountain, several hundred kilometers (km) from the nearest ocean. Which of the following statements best explains why the rock layer cannot be igneous rock?

• The melting process would have destroyed the fossil.

• Weathering and erosion would have broken up the fossil.

• The rock was found at an inland location away from heat and pressure.

• Repeated volcanic eruptions would have buried the fossil too deeply to be found.

A geologist wants to determine the age of rock formations. In which of these locations would it NOT be helpful to use the law of superposition to date a rock formation?

• on a wall of limestone in Florida because the chemical weathering would change the composition of the layers of sediment

• on the walls of the Grand Canyon above the Colorado River because the process of erosion would have worn away the layers

• in a subsurface canyon off the coastline of Cuba because the ocean current would smooth the surface making the layers hard to see

• on a mountain formed by the upthrust of magma in California because the mountain building process would have disturbed the rock layers

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Which of the following examples best describes an effect of urbanization?

• More land is available in large cities to grow crops.

• Wildlife diversity increases due to more open spaces within the city.

• Emissions from motor vehicles increase smog in the air that can block radiation.

• The greater concentration of people in large cities reduces overall waste production and accumulation on Earth.

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