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WorksheetsSSA Review (Earth's Systems & Patterns: Big Idea 7)
Total questions: 39
Worksheet time: 2hrs 59mins
The climate of an area can be different from its weather. Which of the following statements describes the climate of an area?
There should be heavy rains tomorrow morning.
The rains next week are expected to cause some flooding.
The average temperature from 1930–1996 was 23°C (74°F).
The high temperature on September 4, 2009, was 32°C (89°F).
The arrows in the picture show several ways heat is transferred from the Sun as it strikes sand on the surface of a beach.
Which arrow shows convection?
1
2
3
4
Some air movement in the atmosphere is local, with wind blowing over a short distance. The diagram below shows one pattern of local air movement in the atmosphere.
Which of the following statements best explains the movement of the air shown in the diagram?
A sea breeze forms at night because the ocean cools off faster than the land.
A land breeze forms at night because the ocean cools off faster than the land.
A sea breeze forms during the day because the land warms up faster than the ocean.
A land breeze forms during the day because the ocean warms up faster than the land.
Water on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean evaporates into the air above it. Which two Earth spheres are interacting during this event?
atmosphere and hydrosphere
biosphere and hydrosphere
geosphere and atmosphere
hydrosphere and geosphere
Florida's climate is not the same as its weather. Which of the following data would be more helpful in determining Florida's climate than its weather?
average temperature over 1 hour
average temperature over 10 hours
average temperature over 1 day
average temperature over 10 years
The arrows in the picture show several ways heat is transferred through Earth's system. Which arrow represents conduction?
1
2
3
4
Interactions between the geosphere and atmosphere can have an impact on Earth's weather. Which of the following is an example of an interaction between the geosphere and atmosphere?
eruption of lava, gases, and ash from a volcano
melting of ice from a glacier in a valley
evaporation of water from a large lake
falling of snow onto trees in a forest
The atmosphere helps organisms survive in many ways. Which of the following statements describes one way in which the troposphere helps organisms survive?
It contains a layer of ozone gas that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation.
It contains gases, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, that trap heat.
It causes meteors to burn up before they crash on Earth's surface.
It provides a layer of thin air in which satellites can orbit Earth.
Energy is needed to start global winds moving through the atmosphere. Which of the following is the source of energy that causes global winds?
the sun
local winds
warm oceans
ocean currents
Water evaporates from a lake into the air, forming clouds. The clouds eventually form rain and it falls to the ground. In which spheres does this cycle happen?
geosphere and cryosphere
cryosphere and hydrosphere
hydrosphere and atmosphere
thermosphere and atmosphere
The layers of Earth's atmosphere perform specific functions. Study the illustration, which shows the layers of the atmosphere. Which layer of the atmosphere absorbs solar radiation that would be harmful to certain elements of the biosphere?
troposphere
mesosphere
stratosphere
thermosphere
When animals breathe, they take in oxygen from the air. The oxygen is used to obtain energy from food. This example demonstrates interaction between which two spheres?
atmosphere and biosphere
cryosphere and atmosphere
biosphere and hydrosphere
hydrosphere and geosphere
Earth’s spheres interact in many ways. Which describes how the hydrosphere and atmosphere interact?
A heavy snowfall adds mass to a glacier.
Polluted air kills several animal species.
Magma erupts and releases trapped gases.
Ocean currents influence weather patterns.
Earth’s spheres interact in many ways. What is one way that the cryosphere and biosphere interact?
A glacier picks up rock and sediment as it moves down a valley.
Heavy rains bring an end to a dry period on the African savannah.
A volcanic eruption destroys the plants on an island.
A melting glacier provides fresh water for plants and animals in the valley below the glacier.
Which set of the spheres on Earth would BEST represent animal species in a forest?
atmosphere, geosphere, cryosphere
geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere
biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere
cryosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere
Samal read a story about transforming a planet so that it resembles Earth and can sustain life. The characters in the story wanted to create an artificial atmosphere on Mars that closely resembled Earth’s atmosphere. Most of the story was fiction, but there was one detail about Earth’s atmosphere that Samal recognized as true. Which detail about Earth’s atmosphere is true?
It has no effect on surface temperatures.
It shields life forms on the surface from radiation.
It allows meteors to strike the surface.
It is thicker over places where there are high elevations.
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is high energy and can damage cells. Earth’s ozone layer blocks a lot of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. In the past, some products used by people contained a chemical that destroyed the ozone layer. These chemicals have been banned in an attempt to preserve the ozone layer. What would happen to life on Earth if the ozone layer disappeared?
Some animals would develop skin and eye damage
Fish would grow to increasingly larger sizes.
Many plant species would grow out of control and deplete soils of nutrients.
Lakes and rivers would experience an increase in algal growth, which would deplete oxygen in the water.
The surface of the moon, which is rocky, is covered with craters that were formed when meteorites struck its surface. Earth’s surface, which is also rocky, shows fewer meteorite impacts. Which statement below explains why there are so few meteorite craters on Earth?
There is more weathering and erosion on the moon’s surface than on Earth’s surface.
The moon's gravity shields Earth from most of the meteoroids on a path for Earth.
Earth’s atmosphere causes most meteoroids to burn up before they impact.
Earth’s crust is rockier than the moon’s, so meteorite impacts rarely make craters.
Maggie is comparing the characteristics of Mercury and Earth. She notes that there is a large range between the daytime and nighttime temperatures on Mercury. In comparison, temperatures in Florida do not vary as much, as shown in the table. What condition best explains the larger temperature range on Mercury than on Earth?
length of Mercury’s year
absence of liquid water on Mercury
presence of ice on Mercury
presence of very thin atmosphere on Mercury
You have learned that the ozone layer protects Earth by absorbing some harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Which layer of the atmosphere absorbs harmful X-rays and gamma rays from the sun?
stratosphere
mesosphere
thermosphere
exosphere
The illustration shows four layers of Earth’s atmosphere. Each layer serves as a filter, blocking some radiation from outer space while allowing other radiation to pass through. Which layer of the atmosphere receives the least amount of radiation?
the exosphere
the ionosphere
the stratosphere
the troposphere
Areas along coastlines, such as Florida, often do not experience winters as severe as areas inland – even though some of these coastal areas lie further north. Why do coastal areas tend to have more mild winter weather patterns?
Cold ocean currents only flow east to west and cannot reach inland areas.
Warm ocean currents only flow east to west and cannot reach inland areas.
Cold ocean waters cool the air above them, the cool air flows over coastal areas, but cannot reach the areas inland.
Warm ocean waters heat the air above them, the warm air flows over coastal areas, but cannot reach areas inland.
Amy and Scott are preparing a presentation on climate in Florida. Which of the following statements would BEST support the idea that Florida has a subtropical climate?
Florida had record high temperatures this past summer.
Florida received 35 inches of rain this past year.
Florida’s location near the equator makes it cooler than most of the United States.
Florida has a long pattern of experiencing hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters.
During the spring, Florida’s weather becomes rainy and warm. Florida’s spring rains are an example of which part of the water cycle?
condensation
evaporation
precipitation
runoff
The surface of the oceans are warmer than deeper ocean waters. Which of these is a direct result of uneven heating of water in the oceans due to solar energy?
ocean currents
salt in the ocean
icebergs in the ocean
ocean tides
Solar energy does not warm Earth’s surface evenly. For example, during the day, land areas warm up faster than nearby bodies of water. How does this uneven warming affect the movement of air over land and water?
The cooler, denser air above the water flows toward the warmer, less dense air above the land, causing a sea breeze.
The warmer, less dense air above the land flows toward the cooler, denser air above the water, causing a land breeze.
The cooler air over the water would absorb water vapor and rise, resulting in rainy conditions over the shoreline.
The warmer air over the land would transfer energy to the cooler air by conduction, leading to a uniform air temperature.
During a summer day on the beach, the sand on the beach and the air temperature feel hot, but the ocean water feels cold. At night, why would the ocean water be warmer than the air?
As a cool breeze blows off the water onto the land, the water warms up.
The heat from the air transfers to the water during the night, making the water warmer than it was during the day.
Air changes temperature faster than water, so the water is warmer and the air is much cooler than it was during the day.
Air stays warmer longer than water so your body is warm when you jump into the water.
El Niño is a weather event that causes great changes in weather worldwide. During an El Niño event, the polar jet stream shifts northward. Which change will an El Niño event most likely cause?
colder temperatures in the southern United States
drier than usual weather in the northern United States
drier than usual weather in the southern United States
warmer than usual temperatures in the northern United States
throughout Earth’s atmosphere. Which statement below is the best example of energy transferred by convection?
energy transfer from lower levels of the atmosphere to higher levels of the atmosphere
energy transfer from the surface of soil to the air molecules in contact with the soil
energy transfer from the water in the oceans to the sand on beaches
energy transfer from the Sun to Earth through space
The diagram shows how air near Earth's surface is warmed when it comes in contact with the warm surface of Earth. Which mechanism shows the transfer of thermal energy from Earth's surface to the air as shown by the label A?
convection
conduction
reflection
diffraction
Plants play a vital role in the water cycle. Which part of the water cycle is most dependent upon the action of plants?
condensation
evaporation
runoff
transpiration
Desertification leads to desert-like conditions of the landscape. Which of the following human activities would best prevent desertification?
Build more roads
Allow animals to graze in deforested areas
Manage water supplies and usage
Practice deforestation
In some parts of the world, yearly flooding is expected. Floods also occur unexpectedly during severe weather and can cause great damage. What changes in the water cycle would most likely result in severe flooding?
decreased evaporation and decreased condensation
increased evaporation and increased condensation
decreased precipitation and decreased runoff
increased precipitation and increased runoff
Convection is one way in which energy is transferred in the form of heat throughout Earth’s atmosphere. Which statement below is the best example of energy transfer by convection?
energy transfer from the sun to Earth
energy transfer from the surface of soil to the air molecules in contact with the soil
energy transfer from the water in the oceans to the sand on beaches
energy transfer from lower levels of the atmosphere to higher levels of the atmosphere
Energy in the form of heat is transferred through solids, liquids, and gases. How is energy as heat transferred throughout the world’s oceans?
Sunlight penetrates the ocean’s waters, evenly distributing energy as heat from the surface to the ocean floor
Convection currents are driven by sunlight warming surface waters, which flow throughout the oceans, distributing energy as heat.
The warmed atmosphere transfers energy as heat to the surface waters and the energy is distributed by conduction to deeper waters.
Energy in the form of heat is transferred throughout the ocean by waves and surface currents.
The map below shows the paths of some of Earth's ocean currents. Which of the following is most likely an effect of the Gulf Stream on the east coast of Florida?
cooler water temperatures
warmer air temperatures
higher air pressure
lower humidity
The geosphere is one of Earth's many parts. Which of the following statements describes part of the geosphere?
Sediment includes the sand and pebbles found on a beach.
Horses and earthworms are many-celled organisms.
Nitrogen gas is the most common substance in air.
Glaciers are huge sheets of ice that move slowly.
The interaction between the atmosphere and the hydrosphere can affect weather in and around Florida. Which term describes water moving from the atmosphere into the Gulf of Mexico?
groundwater
precipitation
runoff
transpiration
The sun's energy heats Earth's surface unevenly, resulting in convection currents in the atmosphere. Which of the following result from these convection currents?
global winds and local winds
land breezes but not sea breezes
global winds but not local winds
local winds but not global winds
