8th Grade Science STAAR Practice Questions

Ocean currents and air masses determine where they form and how they travel by:

• influencing climate patterns and weather systems

• being unaffected by geographical features

• moving randomly without any specific pattern

• forming only in tropical regions

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What is the Coriolis effect?

• The deflection of moving air due to Earth's rotation.

• The heating of the atmosphere by greenhouse gases.

• The movement of ocean tides caused by the Moon.

• The warming of Earth's surface by solar energy.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

What causes tectonic plates to move?

• The gravitational pull of the Moon.

• Convection currents in the mantle.

• Strong winds in the atmosphere.

• The weight of ocean water.

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What type of weather is associated with high-pressure systems?

• Stormy and rainy

• Clear and dry

• Snowy and windy

• Always cold

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Choose a type of extreme weather (hurricane, tornado, blizzard, etc.). Explain how global atmospheric movement helps create this weather event. How does wind direction impact the path of these storms?

• Global atmospheric movement creates hurricanes by influencing wind patterns and ocean currents, which in turn affect the storm's development and path.

• Global atmospheric movement has no impact on the creation of extreme weather events like hurricanes.

• Wind direction does not impact the path of storms; they are solely determined by ocean temperatures.

• Extreme weather events are only influenced by local weather conditions, not global atmospheric movement.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

A tsunami is caused by:

• Volcanic eruptions

• Earthquakes

• Hurricanes

• Tornadoes

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Global wind patterns, such as the trade winds and jet streams, influence local weather. Which of the following is an example of how these winds affect storms or seasonal changes?

• They cause ocean currents to change direction.

• They lead to the formation of deserts.

• They influence the path and intensity of storms.

• They have no effect on local weather.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which statement best explains how volcanic islands like Hawaii are formed?

• By subduction zones at tectonic plate boundaries.

• By hotspots where magma rises through the crust.

• By erosion of continental plates.

• By earthquakes shifting land.

Solar energy drives the water cycle and affects precipitation. Predict how changes in solar energy might impact rainfall patterns.

• Solar energy evaporates water, leading to cloud formation and precipitation. Changes in solar energy can alter evaporation rates, affecting rainfall patterns.

• Solar energy directly causes rainfall without affecting evaporation.

• Changes in solar energy have no impact on the water cycle or rainfall patterns.

• Solar energy only affects the water cycle during the daytime.

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Why do hurricanes weaken when they move over land?

• They lose their source of warm, moist air.

• They gain more energy from the land.

• Air pressure increases, strengthening the storm.

• Wind speeds increase dramatically.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-5