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Unit 4: Investigating the Natural World

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Volcanoes create new land on the Earth’s surface when -

a)

lava flows cool and harden to form rock

b)

an eruption destroys the side of a mountain

c)

magma forms giant underground chambers

d)

saltwater touches lava and changes into steam

2.

Which of the following most likely caused the change to the Earth’s surface illustrated here?

a)

Landslide

b)

Thunderstorm

c)

Tornado

d)

Earthquake

3.

Which of these most likely caused the rapid change to the Earth’s surface illustrated here?

a)

Landslide

b)

Volcanic eruption

c)

Mountain building

d)

Sandstorm

4.

A landslide is most likely to be caused by -

a)

Strong winds

b)

Heavy rains

c)

Breaking rocks

d)

Cold weather

5.

Scientists measured the elevation (how high the land is above sea level) of a certain area every year for four years. Which of the following best explains the change in elevation in this area?

a)

Lava flows from a nearby volcano built up the land

b)

Heavy rains in this area washed away much of the soil

c)

Violent earthquakes opened up large cracks in the earth

d)

Extreme hot weather made the ground very dry

6.

A volcano can directly change Earth’s surface by

a)

adding heat the the atmosphere

b)

building up layers of hardened lava

c)

releasing water vapor into the air

d)

shooting out clouds of ash and smoke

7.

Which of the following is one way an earthquake affects the Earth?

a)

Large cracks suddenly form in the ground

b)

A big rock slowly moves across the land

c)

Hills of sand form as the wind blows

d)

A large amount of heat rises into the air

8.

A student gathered some rocks and soil to model the effects of a landslide. What is the best way to model how a landslide changes the Earth’s surface?

a)

Pack the materials into a closed container and shake them rapidly.

b)

Sift the materials through a strainer to separate the rocks and soil.

c)

Place the materials on a sloping surface and pour water on them.

d)

Spread the materials on a flat surface and blow them with a straw.

9.

Which would be an example of a rapid change to the Earth’s surface?

a)

A mountain forming due to volcanic eruptions.

b)

A valley getting deeper as a river runs through it.

c)

A plain forming cracks when hot weather makes it dry.

d)

A hill rising as the wind piles up loose sand.

10.

The picture shows an island in the middle of the ocean that increased in size in only a few weeks. Which of the following most likely caused this rapid change in the island?

a)

Weathering of rocks

b)

Movement of waves

c)

Eruptions of a volcano

d)

Piling up of sand

11.

Cotton is useful for making clothing because it-

a)

grows in soil

b)

is food for insects

c)

can be washed

d)

has no color

12.

Which of the following is a way that natural resources can be conserved?

a)

Recycling aluminum cans

b)

Making a new car

c)

Burning down forests

d)

Growing corn for food

13.

Metals conduct heat very well. This makes metal good for making -

a)

school buses

b)

door knobs

c)

soda cans

d)

cooking pots

14.

All of the following characteristics of wood make it a good resource to make furniture EXCEPT –

a)

easy to get and inexpensive

b)

burns at high temperatures

c)

can be cut into shapes

d)

relatively light in weight

15.

Electrical wires need to be made out of material that is not expensive and conducts electricity. Which of the materials below should be used to make electrical wires?

a)

Wood

b)

Silk

c)

Copper

d)

Gold

16.

Rocks near the ocean get broken into smaller pieces. What causes this change to these rocks?

a)

Leaves falling from trees

b)

Clouds forming in the sky

c)

Water crashing against the rocks

d)

Sal dissolving in the water

17.

Which of the following processes will most likely contribute to the development of soil?

a)

Volcanic eruptions that make new land

b)

Building up of snow in very cold areas

c)

Migration of animals to warmer climates

d)

Breaking down of rock by wind, water, and ice

18.

The organic matter in soil comes mostly from plants. Which of the following locations would most likely produce soil with the greatest amount of organic matter?

a)

A desert with very high temperatures

b)

A prairie with lots of grasses and flowers

c)

A mountain with extremely cold winds

d)

A river with quickly moving water

19.

Soil is composed of all of these natural materials EXCEPT -

a)

weathered rock

b)

plant matter

c)

plastic substances

d)

animal remains

20.

Students wanted to investigate soil formation by seeing how rocks are weathered. They shook rocks in a jar of water and measured their mass after every 20 shakes. Which of the following is a reasonable prediction for the mass of the rocks after 100 shakes?

a)

166 g

b)

157 g

c)

141 g

d)

100 g