Earth's Systems
What process in the water cycle happens when water changes from a gas back into a liquid, forming clouds?
Condensation
When water evaporates from a puddle and becomes water vapor, what type of change is happening?
physical change
In a food chain, which type of organism gets its energy directly from the Sun?
producer
What force pulls all objects toward the center of the Earth?
Gravity
What motion of the Earth causes day and night?
The Earth has four main layers: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. Which layer is the thickest and is made of hot, semi-solid rock that moves slowly?
Mantle
If you cut a wooden block in half, its mass is reduced, but its density stays the same. Why?
Density is a property that does not change no matter how much of a substance you have.
A hawk and a snake both eat small rodents. What is the term for their relationship, and why?
Competition, because both animals are fighting for the same food source.
If two people push on opposite sides of a box with equal force and the box does not move, what type of force is acting on it?
balanced force
The moon appears to change shape over the course of about a month. What causes these phases?
The way sunlight reflects off the moon as it orbits Earth
If a scientist says, “It rained 2 inches in Newark today,” are they describing weather or climate? Explain your reasoning.
Weather, because weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate refers to long-term patterns.
A toaster takes in electrical energy and transforms it into two other types of energy. What are they?
heat energy and light energ
A rabbit living in the Arctic has white fur in the winter and brown fur in the summer. Why is this an important adaptation?
Camouflage - It helps the rabbit blend in with its surroundings to avoid predators.
According to Newton’s First Law of Motion, what will happen to a moving object if no outside force acts on it?
It will continue moving at the same speed and direction
Question: How long does it take Earth to complete one full revolution around the Sun?
365 days
A volcanic eruption affects all four of Earth’s systems. Name one way it impacts the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
Atmosphere: Releases ash and gases into the air.
Biosphere: Can harm or displace animals and plants.
Hydrosphere: Can heat nearby water and cause acid rain.
Geosphere: Changes landforms by creating new rock and land.
You touch a metal spoon that’s been sitting in a pot of boiling water, and it feels hot. What type of heat transfer is this, and how does it work?
Conduction. Heat moves through direct contact from the hotter object (the water) to the cooler object (the spoon) and then to your hand.
If a new predator is introduced into an ecosystem and starts hunting rabbits, what might happen to the rabbit population over time?
The rabbit population will decrease because predators reduce the number of prey over time.
A car travels 150 miles in 3 hours. What is its average speed?
50 miles per hour
(Speed = distance ÷ time → 150 ÷ 3 = 50 mph)
During which type of eclipse does the Moon block sunlight from reaching Earth, casting a shadow?
solar eclipse
The Himalayan Mountains are still growing taller every year. What type of plate boundary caused them to form, and how does it work?
Convergent boundary - Two continental plates push against each other, causing the land to fold and create mountains.
A roller coaster is at the top of a tall hill, about to go down. Explain what kind of energy it has at that moment and what happens to that energy as it starts moving.
Potential energy at the top. As it starts moving, the potential energy transforms into kinetic energy as the coaster gains speed.
A bird called an oxpecker sits on a rhinoceros and eats ticks off its skin. The oxpecker gets food, and the rhinoceros stays tick-free. What type of symbiotic relationship is this?
Mutualism because both organisms benefit from the relationship.
A soccer ball rolling on grass slows down and eventually stops. What force is acting against the motion of the ball?
friction
Why do we have seasons on Earth, and why are they opposite in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
Earth's axis is tilted as it orbits the Sun. Different parts of Earth receive more direct sunlight at different times of the year.