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Practice Test 4 - Middle School Earth and Space Science

20 questions. Answer them in any order, then submit to see your score and every explanation.

  1. A map shows fossil type G on the west coast of Africa and the east coast of South America (continents separated today by the Atlantic Ocean). Another student argues: "This is just coincidence; the same fossil could show up anywhere." Based on the spatial pattern on the map, which statement best evaluates that argument?
  2. Map 1 shows a chain of volcano symbols (▲) on land and a nearby line of earthquake dots (●) just offshore. The arrows show that the ocean plate is moving toward the land over time. Plates move slowly and continuously. Based on the pattern of earthquakes, volcanoes, and arrows, which explanation best fits the evidence for how the plates are moving over time in this region?
  3. Refer to the map: Two cities, Bay City and Desert City, are both near 30°N. Bay City is on the coast next to a warm ocean. Desert City is inland on the leeward side of a mountain range. The map shows Bay City has higher average humidity and more precipitation than Desert City over many years. Choose ONE supported explanation based on the map (climate is long-term patterns, not daily weather).
  4. Two hazards affected a hillside community. Hazard A (wildfire): For 3 weeks, temperatures were high, humidity stayed low, and vegetation dried out. Fire danger alerts increased from "Moderate" to "Extreme." A fire started after a lightning storm. Hazard B (rockfall): A large rock broke loose from a cliff and fell onto a trail with no warning signs noticed by hikers. Which hazard would generally allow more preparation time based on the buildup indicators described?
  5. A top-down (North Pole) diagram shows Earth at the center and the Sun to the right. Sunlight arrows point from right to left. The Moon is shown on the left side of Earth. The diagram is NOT to scale. Which claim is contradicted by the model?
  6. A model shows how rocks break down on a hillside: Model (arrows show energy transfer): Sun's energy → warms the ground during the day → ground cools at night → repeated heating/cooling causes small cracks to grow → rock breaks into smaller pieces (physical weathering). Which statement is supported by the model?
  7. Map 5 shows a continent with a large desert highlighted. The map includes arrows showing prevailing winds that usually blow from land toward the ocean along that coast (a long-term pattern), and a cold ocean current offshore. The desert region is right along the coast. Which statement about the desert climate is supported by the map evidence? (Climate is long-term averages, not one heat wave.)
  8. The diagram is a space-view model (not to scale). Sunlight travels left to right. The Moon is shown at 4 labeled positions around Earth (P, Q, R, S). Each Moon drawing shows the illuminated half facing the Sun. At which position would an observer on Earth see a new moon (no lit portion visible from Earth)?
  9. Fossils were deposited when the layer formed. Use the diagram to determine which statement about fossil ages is supported. Stratigraphic diagram (top to bottom): - Layer 1: Fossil N (leaf imprint) - Layer 2: Fossil O (bone fragment) - Layer 3: Fossil P (spiral shell) - Layer 4: Fossil Q (coral-like branching) Which statement is supported by the evidence?
  10. A school cafeteria wants to reduce food waste sent to a landfill. They start a compost bin program. Evidence: - Before composting: 95 kg of food waste/week went to the landfill. - After composting: 38 kg/week went to the landfill, and 50 kg/week went to compost. Success criteria: reduce landfill food waste to 30 kg/week or less. Acknowledgment: solutions vary in effectiveness. How could the solution be improved to better meet the success criteria, based on the evidence?
  11. A scientist uses two spatial scales to study a landslide on the same hillside: • Close-up scale: a 10 m × 10 m area inside the landslide scar. • Hillside scale: the entire 2 km-long slope. The close-up view shows many fresh cracks and tilted plants. The hillside view shows that only one section of the slope failed, while nearby sections stayed in place. Which claim ignores the scale differences and is most likely to be misleading?
  12. Model A (local scale) shows the Moon orbiting Earth, and Model B (solar system scale) shows Earth orbiting the Sun. Both models represent gravity with arrows, where longer arrows mean a stronger gravitational pull. Based on these models, which statement about gravity across scales is supported?
  13. A puddle on a sidewalk gets smaller during a sunny afternoon. The air is warm and dry, and the Sun is heating the ground. Which labeled water-cycle process best explains the puddle changing state, and what happens to energy? Remember: this is a physical change (water is still water), not a chemical change.
  14. Map E includes two types of evidence: 1) Seafloor-age colors form bands that get older moving away from a central ridge line. 2) Earthquake dots form a thin line along the ridge. Arrows on both sides point away from the ridge. A note says: "Because plates move slowly and continuously, the age bands show how the seafloor changed over time." Which evidence best supports the idea that the plates have moved relative to each other over time (not just that earthquakes happened)?
  15. A simplified global wind-belt model on a world map shows three latitude bands (equatorial 0–30°, mid-latitude 30–60°, polar 60–90°). The arrows show: 0–30° = east→west, 30–60° = west→east, 60–90° = east→west (these are averages, not daily weather). Which comparison is supported by the model?
  16. Two different repeating cycles are modeled: Cycle X (Earth rotation): - Step 1: Morning - Step 2: Afternoon - Step 3: Night Cycle Y (Moon orbit): - Step 1: New Moon - Step 2: First Quarter - Step 3: Full Moon A student notices a repeating pattern of daylight changing to darkness and back again. Which cycle explains that repeating pattern?
  17. A model shows a skateboarder rolling off a smooth ramp and then moving through the air. The motion arrow at takeoff points up and to the right. Throughout the flight, the gravity arrow points straight down. The path is a curved arc. Which statement about gravity and motion is supported by the model?​
  18. Two models compare a moon orbiting a planet and a planet orbiting the Sun. In both models, the central object is labeled larger mass, the orbiting object is labeled smaller mass, gravity arrows point toward the central object, and a velocity arrow shows the orbiting object's motion. Which claim is best supported by these models about why objects remain bound in the solar system?
  19. A school wants to conserve water used for landscaping. Evidence: The water meter shows outdoor watering uses about 30,000 liters per week in September, and the grass turns brown when sprinklers are turned off for more than 5 days. Constraints: The school cannot remove the sports field, has only 2 volunteers for maintenance, and can spend up to $500. The goal is to reduce water use while keeping the field safe to play on. Trade-offs are required. Which claim ignores the limits in this situation?
  20. A community garden is trying to reduce food waste sent to a landfill. They started a compost bin for plant scraps. Evidence over 6 weeks: - Week 1–2: 2 bags of food waste went to the landfill each week. - Week 3–6 (after composting started): 1.5 bags per week went to the landfill. Success criteria: reduce landfill-bound food waste by at least 50% within 6 weeks. Solutions vary in effectiveness. Which improvement would most directly help the compost solution better meet the success criteria, based on the evidence?

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