Earth & Space Science

Many interactions occur between the biosphere and the atmosphere.

One of these interactions results in changes in atmospheric carbon

dioxide (CO2) levels. The graph to the left shows these changes over a two-year period.

Which of the following changes in the biosphere most likely caused

these changes in the atmospheric CO2 levels?

• Streams froze in the winter and melted in the spring.

• Plants grew leaves in the spring and lost leaves in the fall.

• Offspring were born in the summer and matured in the fall.

• Soil dried out in the summer and absorbed moisture in the winter.

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NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

An astronomer observes a sunspot. Which of the following describes this

feature of the Sun?

• a location where heat rises to the Sun’s surface

• a location that produces most of the Sun’s heat energy

• a location that is cooler than other parts of the Sun’s surface

• a location where energy and matter leave the Sun’s atmosphere

The diagram shows two hypotheses for the same process that occurs

beneath Earth’s surface.

Which of the following processes is represented by these hypotheses?

• convection current movement in Earth’s mantle

• plate movements in Earth’s outer core

• layer separation in Earth’s inner core

• rock formation in Earth’s lithosphere

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Nancy observes the Moon from the same location outside each night for

one week. She notices that when it first appears each night, the Moon is

a little farther east than it was the night before. Which of the following is

one explanation for her observation?

• The Moon’s speed of rotation changes as it revolves around Earth.

• The Moon revolves around Earth as Earth revolves around the Sun.

• The Moon and Earth take the same amount of time to complete

  one rotation.

• The Moon completes one rotation each time Earth completes

  one revolution.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

At a mid-ocean ridge, plates are pulled apart. Fracturing in the sea floor

allows magma to move up from the mantle. The diagram below shows

two plates that are moving apart

Which process in the rock cycle does this diagram best represent?

• chemical weathering of rocks

• erosion of sedimentary rocks

• compaction of melted rock

• formation of igneous rock

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Wanda lists some heat transfers that can occur in an ocean, as shown below.

1. Warm water moves upward, and cold water moves downward.

2. Energy from the Sun heats the ocean’s surface.

3. Warm air transfers heat to the ocean as it blows across the ocean’s surface.

4. A stream of hot water from an opening on the ocean floor heats the water that touches the stream.

Which description from Wanda’s list best represents radiation?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

The Andromeda Galaxy was previously called the Great Andromeda

Nebula because astronomers thought this patch of light was composed

of glowing gases. In the 1900s, scientists determined the nebula was

actually a spiral galaxy. Which of the following describes the relationship

between this galaxy and other astronomical bodies?

• This galaxy is the largest star and is found in the universe.

• This galaxy is surrounded by thousands of stars in the universe.

• This galaxy includes a universe that is composed of millions of stars.

• This galaxy is one of billions of galaxies in the universe and contains

  billions of stars.

A student claims that studying rock layers on the side of a mountain

would show that Earth has changed over geologic time. Which type of

evidence from the rock layers best supports this claim?

• Some rock layers are solid, and other rock layers have holes that

  store water.

• Rock layers that are composed of sand and silt are found in

  different locations.

• Rock layers that are thick and smooth are deeper than rock layers

  that are thin and rough.

• Some rock layers contain fossils of plants, and other rock layers

  contain fossils of marine animals.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

The planet Saturn takes 10,747 Earth days to complete one orbit around

the Sun. Why does Saturn take longer to complete one orbit around the

Sun than Earth does?

• Saturn has stronger gravity.

• Saturn is farther from the Sun.

• Saturn has a thicker atmosphere.

• Saturn is the only planet with rings.

Earth’s atmosphere is important to the living organisms of the biosphere.

Which of the following describes how the atmosphere best protects

living organisms?

• by providing enough carbon dioxide in the ocean to support

  sea animals

• by changing oxygen into nitrogen, which can be used as a

  nutrient for animals

• by refracting visible light, allowing certain animals to see and

  capture their prey

• by trapping electromagnetic radiation, keeping temperatures

  within a range best suited for animal life