WorksheetsUnit 8 Earth Science
Total questions: 24
Worksheet time: 12mins
Which catastrophic event would most likely result in trees being knocked over and the disappearance of most of the plants and animals along a narrow path in a forest ecosystem?
A Volcanic Eruption
An Earthquake
A Tornado
A Flash Flood
A forest fire can have which of the following positive effects?
Provides heat mammals need in colder seasons
Increases annual rainfall by forming more clouds
Clears underbrush to allow new plants to grow
Drives away predators that eat smaller animals
If a tornado uproots most of the trees in an ecosystem, it could be expected that, due to the loss of the trees, there will be a reduction in -
oxygen
precipitation
sunlight
soil
Tornadoes are catastrophic events that create change in ecosystems in which of the following ways?
Saltwater kills many ground-dwelling animals.
Wildfires started by lightning reduce carbon dioxide
Heavy flooding increases areas where trees can grow.
High winds damage areas of important plant life.
Tornadoes can negatively affect an ecosystem when -
the saltwater they bring kills off burrowing insects.
their strong winds uproot many of the important plants.
the rise in water level they produce introduces harmful salt.
they bring higher temperatures favored by birds.
A flood will have a greater effect on a habitat than a heavy rainfall event because a flood -
is followed by strong winds that greatly affect a habitat.
brings salt and other substances that harm plants.
strikes more quickly, not allowing organisms to migrate.
happens more often and lasts much longer.
Weathering of Earth's surface can have which of the following effects?
Breaking down rocks.
Creating hurricanes.
Building mountains
Causing lava flow
Canyons are formed by -
earthquakes breaking rock layers apart.
wind smoothing out rock formations.
lava flowing from nearby volcanoes.
rivers carrying sediments that erode land.
Sand dunes are large piles of sand that can be found in the desert. What causes these sand dunes to form?
Wind
Water
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
The Rolling Plains region of Texas has a number of deep canyons. One would expect this region to have -
moving glaciers
deep lakes
flowing rivers
high winds
Sediments, which are deposited at the mouth of a river, create a -
Lake
Volcano
Delta
Canyon
A student builds a model to show how pollutants move through an ecosystem. In a plastic tub, the student places a layer of small marbles, covers it with a thick cloth, and then adds a layer of sand. The student sprinkles red powdered paint on top of the sand.
When the student sprays water on the model, the red color appears in the cloth and in the water in the marble layer. Which part of the model represents pollutants introduced by humans?
Red powdered paint
Layers of Sand
The thick cloth
The marbles
Subsidence, the sinking of the surface of Earth, would most likely be caused by which of the following human activities?
Storing drinking water in small above ground basins
Using toxic chemicals in the manufacturing of goods
Excess removal of water from underground reserves
Filtering out pollutants at a water treatment plant
How might runoff from farms adding fertilizer to a pond have a negative effect?
Increased volume in the pond will make it harder for fish to find food.
Rapid growth of algae could cover the pond, cutting off sunlight to other organisms.
Fertilizers could speed the rate of deposition of sediments in the pond.
Chemicals in the fertilizer could enter the soil around the pond and be trapped there.
Overflow during a heavy rainstorm from a wastewater treatment plant would result in -
weakened housing foundations.
flooding in the local aquifer.
flooding in the local aquifer.
polluted runoff into nearby ponds.
Fertilizers added to crops on farms can collect in runoff and enter the watershed. This problem would be reduced in areas where -
an extended drought leads to little or no rain.
the growing season of the crops is longer.
crops are grown for animals as well as humans.
farms are situated on the sides of mountains.
The illustration shows a river and four cities on that river.
When the water from the river was sampled at location X, it was found to be polluted with various chemicals. What would be the most likely source for this pollution?
City 2 and city 3
City 3 and city 4
City 1 and city 4
City 1 and city 2
A paper company wants to build a paper mill in the watershed where a village exists. In order to minimize potential pollution to the village, which of the following locations is the best to build the mill?
At the highest point in the watershed
Downstream from the village
Closest to a freshwater stream or river
Nearest to the main street of the village
Pollutants from a factory that enter the water in a watershed will have a negative effect on which of the following?
Direction of river flow
Available space for crops
Rainfall rates
Local pond life
An area experiences a long period of drought forcing towns to pump out almost all of the water held in aquifers. What is the most likely result of this over pumping?
Rainfall levels will increase and fill the aquifer.
A dead zone will be created in the watershed.
Stability of underground rock layers will be weakened.
Excessive growth of plants will occur in local lakes.
Runoff from agricultural land carries chemicals from fertilizers that collect in a lake. The buildup of chemicals can eventually cause-
aquatic life, such as fish and turtles, to die from a lack of oxygen.
excess water to fill the aquifer, resulting in pore shrinkage and subsidence.
river tributaries to reroute, changing the flow of natural waterways.
rainfall levels to drop causing drought and a shorter growing season.
Rapid growth of algae in a pond is often the result of -
loss of habitat due to commercial building.
flooding that causes water levels to rise.
excess nutrients from fertilizer runoff.
clogged river tributaries entering a lake.
The map shows the various ecoregions of Texas. Which ecoregion is most vulnerable to wind erosion from hurricanes originating in the Gulf of Mexico?
Post Oak Savannah
Blackland Prairies
Edwards Plateau
Gulf Prairies and Marshes
Sand bars are large deposits of sand that appear close to the shoreline of a beach. Which of the following processes is responsible for creating sand bars?
Wave action and currents
Constant light breezes
Hurricane precipitation
Aquatic organism activity
