Energy & Matter
This type of energy is stored and can become kinetic when an object moves.
Potential Energy
What instrument measures air temperature?
Thermometer
What are the three parts of the equation "SOLUTE + SOLVENT = ______"?
SOLUTION
Which factor is abiotic: soil or a tree?
Soil
Which two inner planets have no moons?
Mercury and Venus
Name three nonrenewable fossil fuels
Coal, oil, and natural gas
What are the three most abundant gases in Earth's atmosphere?
Nitrogen, oxygen, argon
Name two renewable energy sources.
Solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass (any two).
Give two examples of biotic interactions.
Competition, predation, symbiosis (mutualism, parasitism)
Where is the asteroid belt located?
Between Mars and Jupiter
This is the chemical formula for water and what it is comprised of.
H2O: H2 = two hydrogen atoms; O = one oxygen atom
How does a cold front affect warm air? Describe the weather that usually follows.
Cold front pushes under warm air, forcing it up; causes rising, cooling, condensation and often storms and precipitation.
Describe the steps of cloud formation leading to precipitation.
1) Sun heats surface → evaporation; 2) vapor rises and cools → condensation; 3) particles clump to form clouds; 4) clouds saturate; 5) precipitation falls.
Explain why decomposers are important in nutrient cycles.
Decomposers break down dead matter, returning nutrients to soil/water so producers can use them.
What causes seasons on Earth? Include the Earth's tilt in your answer.
Earth's axial tilt (23.5°) makes different hemispheres receive more direct sunlight at different times of year, producing seasons.
Give two examples that show a chemical change and two that show a physical change
Chemical change examples: iron rusting, gasoline burning.
Physical change examples: boiling water, dissolving sugar
List the five layers of the atmosphere in order from lowest to highest.
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere
Define watershed and divide.
A watershed is an area draining to a body of water. A divide is a ridge separating watersheds.
Name three types of wetlands
Bog (acidic, plant material), Swamp (woody vegetation), Marsh (grassy, shallow water).
Describe the difference between a lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse using positions of Sun, Earth, and Moon.
Lunar eclipse: Earth between Sun and Moon; Moon moves into Earth's shadow. Solar eclipse: Moon between Sun and Earth; Moon's shadow falls on Earth.
Explain why most energy on Earth ultimately comes from the Sun and name two energy processes or cycles driven by solar energy.
Because sunlight provides the energy that drives photosynthesis and heats Earth’s surface, powering weather and the water cycle (examples: photosynthesis, evaporation/precipitation).
How does unequal heating of Earth lead to global wind or weather patterns?
Unequal heating causes air to rise and sink; rising warm air and sinking cool air create pressure differences and wind patterns that move weather systems.
Contrast physical weathering and chemical weathering and give one example of each.
Physical: mechanical break-up (freeze-thaw forming sand). Chemical: minerals altered by acids (acid rain reacting with limestone).
Name the largest watershed in the state of Virginia and one body of water that Virginia watersheds drain into.
James River watershed; drains to Chesapeake Bay (also North Carolina sounds or Gulf of Mexico depending on region).
Explain spring tides and neap tides in terms of the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
Spring tides: Sun and Moon aligned with Earth (combined gravitational pull → higher high tides). Neap tides: Sun and Moon at right angles → weaker tidal range.