A B C

The Midwestern United States is home to "Tornado Alley," a portion of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska commonly plagued with powerful and plentiful tornadoes. Tornado Alley is located at a point where the jet stream drives cool, dry, high-pressure air masses from the deserts and mountains of the West toward the East Coast. With which type of air mass do these high-pressure fronts collide to create so many tornadoes?

• Moist, warm, low-pressure air masses from the Gulf of Mexico

• Dry, warm, high-pressure air masses from the Atlantic Ocean

• Moist, cool, low-pressure air masses from Canada

• Dry, cool, high-pressure air masses from Alaska

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Maps of predicted weather conditions are shown for Day 1 and Day 2. Which answer choice best describes the weather at location X on Day 1 and Day 2?

• Day 1: warm and rainy / Day 2: cool with more rain

• Day 1: warm and windy / Day 2: cloudy and cold

• Day 1: clear and cool / Day 2: warm and rainy

• Day 1: cold and rainy / Day 2: clear and sunny

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The weather map shows the weather conditions for one day across the United States. Based on the weather map, which city will most likely experience decreasing temperatures during the next 24 hours?

• Denver, because it is raining there

• Minneapolis, because a cold front is approaching

• Atlanta, because a warm front is approaching

• Houston, because it is in a high-pressure area

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The weather map shows air pressures in millibars. Which set of conditions best describes the weather at the area of lowest air pressure?

• Bright sun with no wind

• Partly cloudy with no wind

• Mostly sunny with light winds

• Overcast skies with strong winds

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Sam creates a model of a natural phenomenon that occurs on Earth. What does the model most likely represent?

• The convection of ocean currents caused by Earth's rotation on its axis

• The conduction of ocean currents caused by water flowing into cooler depths as the sea floor spreads

• The conduction of ocean currents caused by water heating from volcanic eruptions

• The convection of ocean currents caused by the amount of radiant energy absorbed by the Sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

During an investigation in class, a student creates this model. Which of these statements best compares the locations of point A and point B?

• Point A is experiencing day while point B is experiencing night.

• Point A is experiencing night while point B is experiencing day.

• Point A is experiencing summer while point B is experiencing winter.

• Point A is experiencing winter while point B is experiencing summer.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The model shows Earth in four different positions in its orbit around the sun. Which statement correctly explains which position of Earth represents summer in the United States?

• Position 1, because the Western Hemisphere is facing the sun

• Position 2, because the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun

• Position 3, because Earth is at its closest point to the sun in its orbit

• Position 4, because Earth is traveling at its fastest rate in its orbit

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which statement best describes why Texas experiences more hurricanes in August than in January?

• Wind speeds are slower in August than in January.

• Wave heights are greater in August than in January.

• Rainfall amounts are lower in August than in January.

• Ocean temperatures are higher in August than in January.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Hurricanes and similar storm systems begin over oceans. The map below shows average surface temperatures of the oceans in the summer. Based on the map, which area probably produced the most violent storm systems?

• Area 1

• Area 2

• Area 3

• Area 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Heat energy causes there to be differences in temperature and pressure on Earth's surface. When water in Earth's oceans and atmosphere expands and rises, it —

• destroys heat by reversing winds and ocean currents

• reflects heat by increasing winds and ocean currents

• generates heat by reducing winds and ocean currents

• moves heat by creating winds and ocean currents

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6