Processes
Marsha places a sealed plastic bottle of water in a freezer. The next day she discovers that the water has frozen and split the sides of the bottle. What process does this phenomenon best represent?
A. chemical weathering
B. deposition
C. mountain building
D. physical weathering
D. Physical Weathering
Which statement best describes how landforms are created on Earth’s surface?
A. They form only from volcanic eruptions.
B. They form when weathering breaks rocks, erosion moves the pieces, and deposition drops them in new places.
C. They form only from tectonic plate movement.
D. They form when rocks melt and cool above ground.
B. They form when weathering breaks rocks, erosion moves the pieces, and deposition drops them in new places.
The state of Florida is a peninsula. What type of landform borders the Florida peninsula on three sides?
A. river
B. delta
C. coastline
D. mountain
C. coastline
22. Which process involves erosion?
A. A boulder expands during a forest fire.
B. A seedling sprouts inside a sidewalk seam.
C. A statue's features are worn away by acid rain.
D. A crack in a brick grows larger when water freezes inside.
C. A statue's features are worn away by acid rain.
Which of these investigations is most likely an experiment?
A. testing how far a marble will roll depending on ramp height
B. using a hand lens to examine four different rocks
C. measuring the width of a desk with a meter stick
D. observing cells under a microscope
A. testing how far a marble will roll depending on ramp height
Weathering and erosion are processes that constantly change Earth’s surface. How do weathering and erosion differ?
A. Weathering acts quickly; erosion acts slowly
B. Weathering acts underground; erosion acts above ground
C. Weathering breaks down materials; erosion moves materials
D. Weathering is caused by wind; erosion is caused by water
C. Weathering breaks down materials; erosion moves materials
A river carries sediment downstream and drops it at the mouth of the river, forming a delta. Which process is responsible for building this landform?
A. Weathering
B. Deposition
C. Melting
D. Evaporation
B. Deposition
A prairie is a type of plain. Which of the following best describes the features of a plain?
A. an area of land that is wide and flat
B. an area of land that is wide and hilly
C. an area of land having steep sides and a narrow top
D. an area of land having gently sloping sides and a narrow top
A. an area of land that is wide and flat
Erosion is the set of all processes by which sediment is transported. From which hillside will erosion be the greatest?
A. A bare hillside with no plant cover
B. A hillside covered by many plants with deep roots
C. A hillside covered by dense grass and shallow roots
D. A hillside covered by a mix of plants and grass
A. A bare hillside with no plant cover
To prepare for going into space, astronauts must spend many months training with simulator machines. Why are simulations important to the astronauts’ scientific experiments?
A. These machines allow for observation in the natural environment of space.
B. These machines report changes in outer space using control and experimental groups.
C. These machines collect data on the local population’s opinions on space travel.
D. These machines help astronauts develop necessary survival skills in safe environments
D. These machines help astronauts develop necessary survival skills in safe environments
Acid rain is a form of pollution. Acid rain can cause buildings and other structures made of limestone or marble to weaken and break apart. What process does this change represent?
A. Deposition
B. Mechanical erosion
C. Chemical weathering
D. Physical weathering
A. Deposition
Which of the following best describes how a delta and a dune are similar landforms?
A. They are both formed from wind depositing sediment.
B. They are both formed at the mouth of a river.
C. They are both formed from the movement of sand and sediment.
D. They are both formed exclusively by the action of glaciers.
C. They are both formed from the movement of sand and sediment
Earth's surface is constantly changing and new landforms are constantly taking shape due to natural processes. Which landform is most likely caused by deposition?
A. cave
B. lake
C. delta
D. valley
C. delta
Many parts of Florida are prone to sinkholes. Which process causes sinkholes to form?
A. Fast-moving water causes rocks to crumble.
B. Surface water dissolves and weakens rocks.
C. Oxygen reacts with rocks and causes them to rust.
D. Ocean waves move rocks from one place to another.
B. Surface water dissolves and weakens rocks.
Karen is a zookeeper who takes care of baboons. Each day, Karen writes down how the baboons eat, play, sleep, and wash. She reviews her notes every week to see if the animals are healthy and content. Which statement best explains why Karen's approach is an investigation instead of an experiment?
A. She is measuring variables.
B. She is testing a specific hypothesis.
C. She is not following the scientific method.
D. She is not attempting to change outcomes.
D. She is not attempting to change outcomes.
Which of the following is an example of physical (mechanical) weathering?
A. Acid rain dissolving rock
B. Water freezing and expanding in cracks of rocks
C. Iron rusting on a rock’s surface
D. Plants releasing chemicals into soil
B. Water freezing and expanding in cracks of rocks
Many thousands of years ago, glaciers covered large areas of Earth’s surface. Glaciers are large blocks of ice that flow slowly over the land. Which explanation best describes how glaciers contributed to the formation of coastal plains?
A. Glaciers created strong winds that shaped the coastline and formed plains.
B. Glaciers dug deep valleys that filled with ocean water, forming coastal plains.
C. Glaciers pushed rocks from the mountains into the sea, forming cliffs along the coast.
D. Glaciers melted and deposited large amounts of sediment, creating flat, low-lying areas along the coast.
D. Glaciers melted and deposited large amounts of sediment, creating flat, low-lying areas along the coast.
Which landform is MOST likely created by wind erosion?
A. Sand dunes
B. Volcanoes
C. Canyons
D. Glaciers
A. Sand Dunes
Early one spring, a river overflows its banks and floods the fields of several farmers. Which farmer best understands the positive, long-term effects of the flooding?
A. Farmer Babbs is upset because of the erosion of seeds he has planted.
B. Farmer Diaz is grateful because his fields will be well watered.
C. Farmer Martin is grateful because the floodwaters have deposited nutrients to her field.
D. Farmer Soto is upset because her field is too soggy for her tractor.
C. Farmer Martin is grateful because the floodwaters have deposited nutrients to her field.
Imagine that your school science fair requires you to do a controlled experiment. You decide to research the weathering of rocks. Which of the following scientific investigations would meet your school’s requirement?
A. using three samples of the same kind of rock, place one rock in lemon juice, one in vinegar, and one in orange juice to observe how different types of acids affect the speed of weathering
B. placing a rock in an acid such as lemon juice, developing a procedure for observing it, and carefully recording your findings over a period of time
C. placing a rock in an acid such as lemon juice and inferring, after a few days of careful observation, that rocks weather faster in an acid than they do in water
D. placing several different types of rocks in various types of acids and observing what changes take place in each type of rock
A. using three samples of the same kind of rock, place one rock in lemon juice, one in vinegar, and one in orange juice to observe how different types of acids affect the speed of weathering
What happens during deposition?
A. Sediments stop moving and settle
B. Rocks break apart
C. Rocks melt into magma
D. Plants grow in the soil
A. Sediments stop moving and settle
The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida. Silt piles up at the mouth of this river, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Which geological feature do these piles of sediment form?
A. delta
B. channel
C. dune
D. mountain
A. Delta
Barrier islands off the coast of Florida are created mainly by which process?
A. Earthquakes
B. Deposition of sand by waves and currents
C. Meteor impacts
D. Heat from the Sun
B. Deposition of sand by waves and currents
Based on the following reasons, which layer of mud has most likely been in the marsh the longest?
A. The top layer, because it was deposited last.
B. The top layer, because it is farthest from the underlying bedrock.
C. The middle layer, because the other layers were built up from below and added on to from
above.
D. The bottom layer because it was deposited first.
D. The bottom layer because it was deposited first.
A volcano is a complex and dangerous system. A scientist wants to study how the forces generated by an erupting volcano affect how far soot and ash are thrown from the volcano, without studying the system directly. What method should the scientist use to conduct the research?
A. Make observations of dormant volcanoes and the rocks surrounding them.
B. Construct a model of the volcano to scale and use it to conduct an experiment.
C. Conduct systematic observations of an extinct volcano and the rocks in the area.
D. Use a telescope to observe the activity of an erupting volcano from a distance over time.
B. Construct a model of the volcano to scale and use it to conduct an experiment.