Weathering & Erosion
Which observation best shows weathering has happened to a rock?
A. The rock has deep cracks and pieces flake off.
B. The rock is found near a volcano.
C. The rock reflects light when wet.
D. The rock is buried under soil.
A. The rock has deep cracks and pieces flake off.
A map shows many mountaintop symbols forming a long line along a continent edge. What pattern does this map most likely show?
A. Locations where rivers always begin
B. Places where fossils cannot be found
C. Areas that never get rain
D. Mountain ranges that formed along plate boundaries
D. Mountain ranges that formed along plate boundaries
Which statement gives evidence that an area’s landscape changed over a long time?
A. Fossils of sea creatures are found in rock layers high on land.
B. The same tree has been growing in one yard for 10 years.
C. A road was built through a hill last month.
D. A house was painted a different color.
A. Fossils of sea creatures are found in rock layers high on land.
Which is a renewable natural resource that can be used to produce energy?
A. Oil pumped from deep underground
B. Coal mined from rock layers
C. Natural gas trapped under rocks
D. Trees grown and harvested on a farm
D. Trees grown and harvested on a farm
Which solution would best reduce erosion on a steep, bare hillside near houses?
A. Plant deep-rooted grasses and shrubs to hold soil
B. Pave the hillside with concrete to make it smooth
C. Remove all rocks from the slope and store them nearby
D. Build short fences only at the bottom of the hill
A. Plant deep-rooted grasses and shrubs to hold soil
You measure how much soil washes away from two garden slopes after a rain. Which is the best reason to make this measurement?
A. To provide evidence of the rate of erosion by water
B. To predict when the plants will bloom
C. To find out the soil color for art projects
D. To count the number of worms in the soil
A. To provide evidence of the rate of erosion by water
A topographic map shows closely spaced contour lines on one side of a hill and widely spaced lines on the other. What does this pattern mean?
A. One side is steeper than the other
B. The hill is made of different colored rocks
C. There is a river on the hilltop
D. The hill has many trees on both sides
A. One side is steeper than the other
Using fossil patterns and rock layers, scientists can most directly explain:
A. The brand of tools people used in the past
B. How the order of events changed a landscape over time
C. The exact temperature on Earth millions of years ago
D. Why current weather today is sunny
B. How the order of events changed a landscape over time
Which fuel is NOT renewable and can affect the environment when used?
A. Coal mined from deep underground
B. Wind energy captured by turbines
C. Sunlight used by solar panels
D. Wood from trees that are replanted
A. Coal mined from deep underground
When testing materials to protect a riverbank from floods, which step best follows generating multiple solutions?
A. Compare how well each solution reduces bank loss during simulated floods
B. Choose the solution that looks the most expensive
C. Use only the first idea without testing
D. Ask students which color the materials should be
A. Compare how well each solution reduces bank loss during simulated floods
Which action shows how vegetation can slow erosion?
A. Cutting all plants from a slope to make mowing easier
B. Planting shrubs with deep roots along a slope
C. Painting rocks to make them look prettier
D. Adding sand to the top of a hill
B. Planting shrubs with deep roots along a slope
A beach map from 1900 shows the shoreline farther out than a beach map from 2020. Which pattern does this support?
A. The shoreline moved inland over time, likely from erosion and sea-level change
B. The map from 1900 used a different paper type
C. People built taller buildings near the shore
D. Fewer boats were present in 1900
A. The shoreline moved inland over time, likely from erosion and sea-level change
Which piece of evidence from rock layers supports that a flood once covered an area?
A. Scattered leaves on the current soil surface
B. A single animal burrow in the top layer
C. A thick layer of fine sediment deposited across many rock layers
D. Shallow cracks in the topsoil from drying
C. A thick layer of fine sediment deposited across many rock layers
Which human action best reduces the use of nonrenewable fuels and lowers environmental impact?
A. Choosing to use public transportation and conserve energy
B. Clearing forests to build more coal plants
C. Burning extra gasoline for short trips
D. Dumping household chemicals into rivers
A. Choosing to use public transportation and conserve energy
When comparing solutions to protect a town from river flooding, which criterion is most important to include?
A. How well the solution reduces flood damage to homes
B. Whether the solution uses the town’s favorite color
C. How many workers will wear matching hats
D. If the solution looks the same as one in another town
A. How well the solution reduces flood damage to homes
A student studies two shoreline maps from different years and sees the coastline moved inland. Which is the most likely cause?
A. More trees growing along the shore
B. The map was printed with a darker ink
C. Erosion by waves and rising water levels
D. Birds nesting on the beach
C. Erosion by waves and rising water levels
A student studies two shoreline maps from different years and sees the coastline moved inland. Which is the most likely cause?
A. Erosion by waves and rising water levels
B. More trees growing along the shore
C. The map was printed with a darker ink
D. Birds nesting on the beach
A. Erosion by waves and rising water levels
Which fossil pattern in rock layers gives clues about how environments changed long ago?
A. Older rock layers contain different kinds of fossils than newer layers
B. All rock layers have the same kinds of fossils
C. Fossils are only found in the topmost soil layer
D. Fossils always show complete skeletons in every layer
A. Older rock layers contain different kinds of fossils than newer layers
Which measurement would best help a scientist determine the rate of erosion on a riverbank?
A. The number of fish caught in the river last year
B. The color of water at sunrise
C. How many birds rest on nearby trees
D. The amount of soil lost from the bank after each rain event
D. The amount of soil lost from the bank after each rain event
Which finding from rock layers would most strongly support that an area used to be underwater?
A. Layers with shells and marine fossils between rock beds
B. A single layer of dark soil on the surface
C. A hill made mostly of loose sand dunes
D. Small animal footprints in recent mud
A. Layers with shells and marine fossils between rock beds