Earth Science Scientific Inquiry

A science teacher divided her class into four groups and asked each group to submit an idea for an experimental project in Earth science, complete with independent and dependent variables. The groups submitted their ideas with the following titles:

Group W: “The History of Solar Power in the State of Florida”

Group X: “A Model of the Hawaiian Volcano Mauna Loa”

Group Y: “The Effects of Plant Growth on the Amount of Soil Erosion”

Group Z: “How Many Types of Soil Are Present at Our School?”

Based on the titles, which group most likely designed an experimental project?

• Group W

• Group X

• Group Y

• Group Z

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NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

Why is a hypothesis important to a scientific investigation?

• Without a hypothesis, there is no way to tell if you did an experiment correctly.

• Without a hypothesis, you have no statement to tell you if your results are correct.

• Without a hypothesis, there is no way to tell if you have done enough research about the problem.

• Without a hypothesis, you have no statement to which you can compare your results to in order for you to determine what those results mean.

A science teacher asks his students to write a hypothesis, for an Earth science project, that clearly contains both an independent and dependent variable. Which statement meets these conditions?

• Water will erode the soil on a river bank.

• Sedimentary rocks will form around streams and rivers.

• Soil pH will increase as the amount of limestone in the soil increases.

• A rock that is mostly talc will have a low score on the Mohs hardness scale.

A science class puts a rain gauge outside of the classroom window to measure the amount of rain in centimeters (cm) that falls each month. The table shows the data the class collected. Which statement is a conclusion that can be drawn made based on this data?

• March is always the rainiest month.

• The rainfall in June will be greater than two inches.

• The winter months were more rainy than the spring months.

• Most likely a weather event in March caused a large amount of rain.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Scientific theories are the culmination of many different observations and tested hypotheses. Which of the following statements best describes the characteristics of a scientific theory?

• Galileo's experiment where he dropped balls from the leaning tower of Pisa was the benchmark for scientific work on gravity.

• Newton's findings expanded Galileo's ideas, eventually Newton's work was accepted then and now as the most complete work on gravity.

• Einstein's work on equivalence and gravitational forces represented the foremost work and remain the most current data regarding the theory of gravitation.

• The current research on the theory of gravitation is always evolving based on new observations that were not available to previous scientists, allowing theories to be modified.

The Big Bang Theory offers an explanation about the formation of the universe as we know it. Discoveries and the dialogue that follow continue to add more evidence supporting the theory. New evidence leads to logical reasoning about the details of the universe's beginning and adds more credibility to the theory. How does scientific theory relate to the scientific method of inquiry?

• Theory cannot be tested.

• Theory determines observations.

• Theory cannot be shared with others.

• Theory changes as new data is collected.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-2

The Alverez hypothesis suggests that a meteor impact that occurred about 65 million years ago caused a mass extinction of approximately 75% of life on Earth, including most of the dinosaurs. Support of the hypothesis stems from the high levels of the element iridium that are present around impact craters found around the world. Scientists have noted that iridium is usually rare in Earth’s crust, but it is present in high levels in meteors. Which of the following statements correctly identifies the role of the Alverez hypothesis in the study of Earth’s history?

• The Alverez hypothesis is not testable because scientists are not able to collect data about space objects.

• The Alverez hypothesis is currently supported due to data that geologists have collected from Earth’s crust.

• The Alverez hypothesis is not relevant because it does not provide a reasonable explanation for the mass extinction.

• The Alverez hypothesis was proven to be correct due to the presence of iridium in Earth’s crust around the impact crater.

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Recent scientific studies have shown that wind patterns and ocean storage of heat near Europe may be responsible for the mild winters of Western Europe. This contradicts the long accepted theory that the Gulf Stream ocean current is responsible for this phenomenon. What will be the consequences of this new evidence?

• This new evidence will immediately replace the original theory.

• This new evidence has no bearing on the well established theory.

• This new evidence will be ignored by the scientific community until it is proven by the original researchers.

• This new evidence will continue to be researched and the theory will change if this conclusion is repeatedly supported by evidence.

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NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

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In the late 19th century, Giovanni Schiaparelli observed the planet Mars with a telescope. He detected lines across the surface of Mars, which he called "channels." This word was translated into English as "canals." Then, the astronomer Percival Lowell drew maps depicting a fallacious Martian civilization. Later observations with better telescopes showed that there are no canals on Mars. How was scientific knowledge of Mars open to change?

• New evidence could also be interpreted as canals.

• New evidence showed Martian civilization was possible.

• New evidence did not support the earlier interpretations of observations.

• New evidence was insufficient to confirm or deny the earlier observations.

A classmate asserts that the continents and oceans have changed shape due to plate tectonics, which is a proven theory that cannot change. Why is this classmate incorrect?

• Plate tectonics is a hypothesis, not a theory.

• The theory of plate tectonics applies only to the continents.

• The theory of plate tectonics can change with the discovery of new evidence.

• The theory of plate tectonics is a new theory that has not been supported by evidence.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

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