Pre-Test: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

Energy from the sun is transferred

• directly to the air

• to the surface and then to the air

• directly to the water

• directly to the land

Answer explanation

Energy from the sun is transferred to the surface first and then to the air, not directly to the air, water, or land.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

a giant pattern of moving water that spans whole oceans and moves water from place to place in a circle

• Ocean current

• Gyre

• Prevailing Winds

• Equator

Answer explanation

A gyre is a giant pattern of moving water that spans whole oceans and moves water from place to place in a circle, making it the correct choice for this question.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The closer a location is to the equator

• the more energy it receives from the sun

• the less energy it receives from the sun

• does not affect how much energy it receives from the sun

• it is impossible to predict how much energy it receives from the sun

Answer explanation

The closer a location is to the equator, the more energy it receives from the sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The further a location is to the equator

• the more energy it receives from the sun

• the less energy it receives from the sun

• does not affect how much energy it receives from the sun

• it is impossible to predict how much energy it receives from the sun

Answer explanation

The further a location is from the equator, the less energy it receives from the sun, as the angle of sunlight decreases.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

When an ocean current comes from the equator it brings

• warmer than expected water

• cooler than expected water

• it is impossible to predict how warm or cold the water is

Answer explanation

When an ocean current comes from the equator, it brings warmer than expected water due to the higher temperatures near the equator.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

When an ocean current comes from a pole it brings

• warmer than expected water

• cooler than expected water

• it is impossible to predict how warm or cold the water is

Answer explanation

When an ocean current comes from a pole, it brings cooler than expected water, as it originates from colder regions.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

energy transfers

• from warmer to colder

• from colder to warmer

• it is impossible to predict how energy will move

Answer explanation

Energy transfers from warmer to colder due to the second law of thermodynamics, which states that heat naturally flows from higher temperature regions to lower temperature regions.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

What determines the movement of ocean currents?

• prevailing winds only

• continents only

• both prevailing winds and continents

• it is impossible to predict how ocean currents move

Answer explanation

Both prevailing winds and continents determine the movement of ocean currents.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Changes to prevailing winds

• affect ocean currents

• have no effect on ocean currents

Answer explanation

Changes to prevailing winds affect ocean currents because wind patterns play a significant role in driving the movement of ocean waters.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Ferris is 6ºC (43ºF) in the winter. What is the source for most of the energy that causes this temperature?

• The sun

• Trees

• Coal and Oil

• Volcanos

Answer explanation

The sun is the source for most of the energy that causes the temperature in Ferris to be 6ºC (43ºF) in the winter.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4