Energy and Earth's Systems

Marcus is giving a presentation on Earth's energy flow at Science Night. His poster includes this model, which shows Earth's crust, mantle and core. Which sentence can he include as a caption that correctly describes how energy flows in this system?

• Energy flows from the cooler rock at Earth's crust toward Earth's core.

• Energy flows from the warmer rock at Earth's crust toward Earth core.

• Energy flows from the warmer rock at Earth's core towards Earth's crust.

• Energy flows from the cooler rock at the Earth's core towards Earth's crust.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

Amy is trying to explain the differences between conduction, convection, and radiation to her family. She knows what each term means.

• “Conduction” is the transfer of energy between objects that are touching.

• “Convection” is the transfer of energy caused by the circulation of matter due to differences in density.

• “Radiation” is the transfer of energy as light through space or transparent substances.

Which of the following phenomena should she use as an example of conduction?

• If you hold a hot cup of tea, your hand will warm up.

• If you heat the air inside a hot air balloon, the balloon will rise.

• If you leave a chocolate bar in a hot car, the chocolate will melt.

• If you leave a glass of water on the counter, the water in the class will evaporate.

Brianna goes for a swim in the ocean. She swims away from shore, and as she begins treading the deeper water, she notices that the water on the surface is much warmer than the water touching her toes. What Earth process explains how the surface water was heated?

• gravity

• convection cells in the ocean

• radiation from the sun

• conduction of heat from Earth's crust

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Devin is preparing a science fair presentation about weather patterns in desert climates. He is using this photograph as a model of an atmospheric convection cell. Which statement is the best label for his model?

• The increased density of the heated air causes it to rise.

• The decreased density of the heated air causes it to rise.

• The increased density of the heated air causes it to sink to the ground.

• The decreased density of the heated air causes it to sink to the ground.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Joanna knows that energy is transferred in all four of Earth’s systems: the atmosphere, the biosphere, the geosphere, and the hydrosphere. Which three of Earth’s systems transfer energy primarily through convection cells?

• atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere

• biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere

• atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere

• atmosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

A group of students receives an exciting assignment: to design a new model biosphere. According to the criteria and constraints for the project, the biosphere must replicate Earth’s spheres as closely as possible, and it must be able to support life—but it may not use any resources that are located beyond the boundaries of the model.

The students design a model biosphere under a large clear plastic dome with doors and windows opening wide onto the surrounding land to let in the fresh air. Inside there are rocks, soil, a small saltwater lake, a freshwater pond, fish, mammals, birds, insects, and even two humans.

The next step is to determine if the model is ready for construction and testing. Their teacher tells them that theirs is considered a failure because they did not fully meet the criteria and constraints of the project. Which change in the design of the model will fix the problem so that the model can go forward with testing?

• The scientists should remove all of the soil because a working biosphere should not include the geosphere.

• The doors and windows to the biosphere should be closed because a working biosphere must be a closed system.

• The scientists should remove the oxygen from the model because a working biosphere does not require an atmosphere

• Either the pond or the ocean should be removed because a working biosphere cannot have a hydrosphere with both fresh water and salt water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

Think Like a Scientist

Read about this scientific investigation. Then answer the questions that follow the investigation by selecting the letter next to the best answer.

Investigation

Mateo got a pet leopard gecko. The leopard gecko’s tank needs to be kept at a steady temperature between 30–32°C. Mateo wants to figure out the best way to heat the tank quickly, so he set up three models to test ways to transfer energy.

Which energy transfer system is represented by the heating of the thermometer in model 2?

• evaporation, the change in state from a liquid to a gas

• conduction, the transfer of energy between objects that are touching.

• radiation, the transfer of energy as light through space or transparent substances

• convection, the transfer of energy caused by the circulation of matter due to differences in density

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

According to the data in the table, which statement is correct?

• The heating process for Model 1 showed the greatest increase in temperature.

• The heating process for Model 1 showed the greatest decrease in temperature.

• The heating process for Model 2 showed the greatest increase in temperature.

• The heating process for Model 3 showed the greatest decrease in temperature.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Based on the results of this experiment and the criterion that the tank needs to be at a specific temperature for the gecko, which model will allow Mateo to heat the tank at the fastest rate?

• Wrap towels around the tank.

• Line the bottom of the tank with a heating pad.

• Suspend a heat lamp directly over the top of the tank.

• Place the tank next to a space heater that will blow hot air toward the tank.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

You have learned that convection currents form in the atmosphere as heat is absorbed.

What process is happening in portion "A" of the model?

• Conduction

• Radiation

• Convection

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6