Earth Science Leap

Which statement BEST describes the distribution of water on Earth?

• Most of Earth's water is stored in the oceans.

• Most of Earth's water is frozen in the polar ice caps.

• Most of Earth's water is flowing in streams and rivers.

• Most of Earth's water is trapped in underground aquifers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

A student reads the following information about smooth cordgrass in a science magazine. *It is one of the few plants that grow in the tidal zone of saltwater marshes. *It can grow to heights ranging from 6 inches to 7 feet tall. Figure 1 shows a cross section that compares cordgrass heights in the tidal zone of a saltwater marsh. The tidal zone moves water around. This removes some of the dangerous substances that can keep plants from growing. A student wants to know the ideal conditions for smooth cordgrass growth. Based on the information in Figure 1, which question is best for the student to investigate?

• Does cordgrass need a certain type of soil to grow taller?

• Does cordgrass need to have its seeds spread by a certain animal?

• Does cordgrass need to have a certain depth of water to grow leaves?

• Does cordgrass need a certain amount of salt in the water it grows in?

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

A student predicted that when the smooth cordgrass is planted in the berm, it will be ______________________ cordgrass planted in the high marsh. This is because compared to the high marsh, the berm ______________________.

• taller than, has less soil

• shorter than, has more salt in the water

• taller than, has more salt in the water

• shorter than, has less soil

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Big Sur, California, is located right next to the Pacific Ocean. The area of Big Sur has many steep cliffs and slopes. Major landslides happened there in 1998, 2000, and 2017. Landslides take place when rocks and soil move downward. Roads can be covered with rock, and parts of a road can fall into the ocean. People cannot drive through the area until soil and rocks are removed or the road is replaced. Landslides are less likely to happen on stable slopes. On stable slopes, the upper layers of rock are connected to and supported by the bottom layers of rock, as shown in Figure1. Slopes become unstable when layers of rock become separated from one another. This can happen when water fills the cracks between rocks. A student claims that landslides are caused by the downward force of gravity. Which statements provide evidence to support the student’s claim? Select the TWO correct answers.

• Big Sur has very steep cliffs.

• Falling rocks can cover a road.

• Rocks and soil can block traffic.

• Rock layers push against each other.

• Parts of a road may fall into the ocean.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

The branch of science involving the physical composition and history of the planet. 

• Geology 

• Biology 

• Math 

• Chemistry 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Earth Science is the study of (choose all that are correct)

• earthquakes and lava

• tornadoes and clouds

• study of the surface and interior of the earth

• birds

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Examine the image of a rock collected and studied by scientists. Which question can scientists answer by examining the composition of the rock?

• When will the next volcanic eruption occur in the region where the rock was collected?

• When will the next earthquake occur in the region where the rock was collected?

• How has Earth’s surface changed over time in the region where the rock was collected?

• How has Earth’s climate changed over time in the region where the rock was collected?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

What kind of data should the scientist collect to determine whether the ice sheet is changing size?

• Measure the depth of the ice sheet for several months.

• Measure the mass of the ice sheet for several weeks.

• Measure the area and thickness of the ice sheet for several years.

• Measure the width of the ice sheet from satellite images for several days.

A herring gull dies in the saltwater marsh. Put the following steps in the correct order to model how the matter from the dead herring gull is moved in a saltwater marsh.

• A, B, C, D

• D, C, B, A

• D, B, C, A

• B, C, A, D

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

A hiker kicks the loose rock and observes that, two minutes later, the rock has rolled to the bottom of the slope. Which statement best explains the hiker’s observations?

• Gravity pulled the rock downward only when the rock bounced over objects on the slope.

• Gravity pulled the rock straight down the entire time, which caused the rock to move downward

• Gravity pulled the rock at an angle along the ground some of the time to cause the rock to move on the slope

• Gravity pulled the rock in different directions at certain times, which caused the rock to move downward without getting stuck in the grass.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4