Scientific Inquiry
What is a testable explanation for an observation called?
A hypothesis.
It rains Monday, is sunny Tuesday, and rains again Wednesday. What is being observed?
Weather.
What type of heat transfer occurs through electromagnetic waves?
Radiation.
What is the primary source of energy that drives Earth's weather systems?
The Sun.
What process changes liquid water into water vapor?
Evaporation.
What should a scientist do when repeated experimental results do not support a hypothesis?
Revise the hypothesis and test the new hypothesis.
What describes the average weather conditions of a region over a long period?
Climate.
What type of heat transfer occurs when two materials touch and transfer thermal energy?
Conduction.
What causes local and global wind patterns?
Unequal heating of Earth's surface.
What process changes water vapor into liquid droplets that can form clouds?
Condensation.
Why can a hypothesis never be considered permanently proven?
New scientific evidence may change or revise accepted explanations.
Why does a coastal city often have more consistent temperatures than an inland city?
Nearby ocean water heats and cools more slowly than land, moderating coastal temperatures.
What type of heat transfer causes warm air to rise and cool air to sink?
Convection.
During a daytime sea breeze, which rises: warm air over land or cool air over the ocean?
Warm air over land rises.
What happens to water vapor immediately after evaporation, according to the district assessment?
It rises until it meets cooler air.
Twenty-five students perform the same experiment. Many students collect data similar to yours. What does this suggest?
The similar results provide evidence that the findings may be valid.
Why might Gainesville, Florida, experience a greater temperature range than Miami, Florida?
Gainesville is farther north and farther inland, while Miami's proximity to the ocean helps moderate its temperatures.
Why does sand usually become warmer than ocean water on a sunny day?
Water requires more energy than land to reach the same temperature.
How can wind influence the temperature of a location?
Wind transports air and thermal energy from one location to another.
Which combination of water-cycle processes is most likely to cause flooding?
High runoff and high precipitation.
Your experimental results differ from those of most classmates. What two steps should you take before deciding what the data mean?
Check the procedure and measurements for errors, then repeat the experiment and compare the new results with the class data.
Two cities have similar latitudes, but one is coastal and the other is inland. Predict which city will likely have more moderate temperatures and explain why.
The coastal city, because ocean water changes temperature more slowly than land and helps moderate nearby air temperatures.
Explain how radiation, conduction, and convection work together to warm the air above a lake.
Solar radiation warms the water. Conduction transfers thermal energy from the water to the air touching it. Convection moves the warmed air upward.
Explain how unequal heating of Earth's surface creates wind.
Unequal heating creates temperature and density differences in the air. Warm air rises, and cooler air moves to replace it, producing air movement.
A light warms water in a covered aquarium, and droplets form on the inside of the cover. How does this model the water cycle?
The light represents solar energy warming the water. Water evaporates, then cools and condenses into droplets on the cover.