Constructive and Destructive Processes Practice Questions

The picture shows a volcano erupting.

A student claims that the volcano is showing a constructive force.

Which argument BEST supports the student’s claim?

• The top of the volcano exploded, causing rocks to break apart.

• The lava damages the surrounding land so that plants can no longer grow.

• The flowing lava cools and creates a layer of volcanic rock.

• The lava pushes the soil down to the base of the volcano causing plants to grow only at the volcano’s base.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The Appalachian Mountains stretch from Mississippi up to Newfoundland, Canada.

What is the best explanation for how this mountain range formed?

• Wind has pushed rocks and soil into valleys that have built up over time.

• Volcanoes erupted for long periods of time and slowly built up the mountains.

• Rivers and streams flowing down from Canada deposited soil in large amounts until the mountains formed.

• Part of the Earth’s crust slowly collided until one part was on top of the other and pushed upward.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

A student developed a model to show the progression of a sea arch and the ocean waves using playdoh. Dates labeled below the image show a timelapse.

Four of the student’s classmates analyzed the student model on how the model shows constructive and destructive forces. Which of the following students made a correct conclusion based upon the model?

• Student A: A sea arch is formed by a destructive force. Evidence from the model is that waves carved out the land in a long period of time.

• Student B: A sea arch is formed by a constructive force. Evidence from the model is that waves build up land in another area in a long period of time.

• Student C: A sea arch is formed by a destructive force. Evidence from the model is that an earthquake caused the arch to fall down in a short period of time.

• Student D: A sea arch is formed by a constructive force. Evidence from the model exhibits deposition when the waves build up the land in a short period of time.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

A well-populated beachfront community in the Outer Banks of North Carolina is trying to decide whether or not to fund the construction of a seawall to protect their homes. To make their decision, they held a community meeting last week. Which of the following questions from the community meeting is most relevant to investigate in order to determine whether or not a seawall is needed?

• How do the heights of sand dunes compare across the beachfront?

• How many tourists have visited the beach over the last 5 years?

• What are the measures of the size of the shoreline over the past 10 years?

• What is the rainfall total that took place last month with Hurricane Matthew?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

A man notices that water is regularly flooding the street near the front of his house. The flooding is also ruining the grass in his front yard. He wants to contact the county to see if they can put in a storm drain on the street outside of his home. What would be the BEST question that the man should ask about storm drains as a solution to limit the flooding?

• Are storm drains safe for the animals that live nearby?

• Do storm drains cause flooding to occur somewhere else on the street?

• Would he have to pay for the storm drain to be put in front of his house?

• Would a storm drain help to control the road flooding outside of his house?

A well-populated beachfront community in Panama City Beach, Florida is trying to decide what to do after a large storm washed away a large portion of their beach. Some people suggested putting in a jetty to block large waves from their beach. To make their decision, they held a community meeting last week. Which of the following questions from the community meeting would be the most helpful in order to decide what they should do about restoring their beach?

• How difficult is it to build a jetty?

• How many tourists have visited the beach over the last 5 years?

• How does the installation of a jetty prevent waves from eroding away the beach?

• What is the cost to the people of the community for building this jetty?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

A family is planning a vacation to Florida in the fall. The family knows that this time of year, Florida experiences hurricanes and tropical storms. What question might the family ask to ensure it will be safe to go on their trip?

• What do the most recent seismograph reports say about the vacation destination in Florida?

• What systems are developing in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean according to satellite imagery?

• How do GIS maps help us understand the land in Florida better?

• What infrared images are available to help us see when hurricanes happened in previous years?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

A hurricane is approaching Florida with high speeds. Which question should meteorologists ask to help them plan and predict the destruction that could be caused?

• What is the most recent satellite image of the cities on the coast of Florida?

• What can GIS maps tell us about the expected flooding in Florida?

• Have the seismographs picked up any recent seismic activity?

• Have the infrared images located any high wind speeds?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

There has been frequent seismic activity in California. Which question should scientists ask to help them plan and predict when another earthquake may happen?

• What has the recent month of satellite imagery over California looked like?

• Have infrared images picked up the intensity of the vibrations of seismic activity?

• Has there been a pattern in the seismic activity read from the data on a seismograph?

• How does GIS maps help California understand how seismic activity relates to the elevation of the land?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2