Earth Science MCAS Review
2012
Using the vocabulary on the last pages of this handout and match one set or
box to the correct State learning standards. There is only one box of
vocabulary per learning standard.
Then write a scientifically accurate sentence that uses as many of these words
as possible, and also links the words with a common concept.
Mapping the Earth
1. Recognize, interpret, and be able to create models of the Earth’s common
physical features in various mapping representations, including contour
maps.
Vocabulary:
Glacial landforms, topography, contour lines, contour intervals,
floodplain, delta
Sentence:
When mapping the Earth’s surface, you can map the topography of the landscape by
using contour lines. A contour map consists of multiple contour lines ( lines that
connect points of equal elevation) . The difference in elevation between two contour
lines is known as the contour interval. Topographical maps reveal the details of
many different landforms including glacial landforms – drumlins (mounds of rock
than gathered at the leading edge of a glacier), kettle holes (depressions created by
glaciers), valleys, mountains, floodplains and deltas.
Earth’s Structure
2. Describe the layers of the Earth, including the lithosphere, the hot convecting
mantle, and the dense metallic core.
Vocabulary:
Lithosphere, asthenosphere, mantle, outer core, inner core, magma, lava, crust
Sentence:
The Earth is made up of many layers including: the inner (solid iron) and outer core
(molten iron), the mantle (consisting of the asthenosphere – where convection
currents mix the magma- closest to the crust) and the outer most layer the crust
(also known as the lithosphere). Molten rock is known as magma in the mantle, but
when it reaches the Earth’s surface it is then called lava.
Heat Transfer in the Earth System
3. Differentiate among radiation, conduction and convection, the three
mechanisms by which heat is transferred through the Earth’s system.
Vocabulary:
Convection, uneven heating, atmosphere, hydrosphere
Sentence:
The three forms of energy transfer: radiation, convection and conduction all play a
role in heating the Earth. The Earth is heated by the Sun’s energy through the
transfer of energy by radiation. This radiant energy hits the Earth’s surface - the
surface water and land and warms it. Heat is transferred through the land by
conduction. The air that surrounds the Earth’s surface is heated by the land by
conduction. Energy is transferred through the atmosphere by convection currents.
Hot/warm air rises and cool air falls. The surface of the Earth is unevenly heated
because it does not receive exactly the same amount of radiation in all locations. The
poles radiation at an angle, so they are heated less and the tropics receive the most
direct radiation, so they are heated more.
4. Explain the relationship among the energy provided by the sun, the global
patterns of atmospheric movement, and the temperature differences among
water, land, and the atmosphere.
Vocabulary:
Uneven heating, atmosphere, seasons, precipitation
Condensation, water cycle
Sentence:
The uneven heating of the Earth by the Sun is due to the tilt of the Earth (23.5
degrees) in relation to the Sun. This tilt is responsible for the seasons on Earth. This
uneven heating leads to the creation of cold dense air masses in the polar regions
that have high pressure – because of their high density. At the tropics, air is less
dense, because it rises as it heats and so the air pressure is lower. This difference in
air pressure between the tropics and polar regions creates the global wind belts.
High pressure air moves toward lower pressure air. Low pressure air at the tropics
is humid and as it heats and rises it cools and water vapor condenses and clouds
form, leading to precipitation. In polar regions, the cool air sinks and is too cold to
hold water vapor.
Earth’s History
5. Describe how the movement of the Earth’s crustal plates causes both slow
changes on Earth’s surface (e.g., formation of mountains and ocean basins)
and rapid ones (e.g., volcanic eruptions and earthquakes).
Vocabulary:
Volcanoes, earthquakes, seismograph, sonar, Alfred Wegener, crustal/lithospheric
plates, asthenosphere, lithosphere, mantle, magna, lava, Ring of Fire, mid-ocean
ridge, sea floor spreading, plate boundaries, subduction, fault, hot spot
Sentence:
The movement of the Earths crust causes slow changes in the Earth’s surface by
allowing the continental and ocean plates to move relative to each other. Alfred
Wegener was responsible for this theory of plate tectonics. The solid crust of the
lithosphere is sits on top of the asthenosphere (part of the mantle) which contains
rocks that move below the surface, due to convection currents. These continental
plates move relative to each other at the plate boundaries. At the mid-ocean ridges,
these plates are moving away from each other, causing continents to move further
apart, this is know as sea floor spreading. Subduction occurs where oceanic plates
move under continental plates. At these areas volcanoes can form. Earthquakes
occur when plates move past each other. The changes caused by earthquakes and
volcanoes are relatively rapid compared to the movement of tectonic plates – which
occurs over many millions of years.
6. Describe and give examples of ways in which the Earth’s surface is built up
and torn down by natural processes, including deposition of sediments, rock
formation, erosion, and weathering.
Vocabulary:
Rock cycle, igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic, erosion, deposition,
weathering, sediments, rock, mineral
Sentence:
Weathering such as rain, hail/wind can cause erosion of rocks. The sediments
created by weathering are carried by wind and water into rivers and oceans. Once in
a river sediments are carried to river deltas where they are deposited. These
sediments under pressure become sedimentary rocks. If these sedimentary rocks
are then subjected to the extreme pressures present below the Earth’s surface they
are transformed into metamorphic rocks. Sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that
reach the mantle of the Earth are exposed to intense heat and pressure and are
transformed into igneous rocks. Igneous rocks reach the surface of the Earth as a
result of earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. In this way the rock cycle is complex
and allows all rock types to be transformed into all other rock types, through the
processes of weathering, erosion, heat and pressure.
7. Explain and give examples of how physical evidence, such as fossils and
surface features of glaciation, supports the theories that the Earth has
evolved over geological time.
Vocabulary:
Glaciation, plate tectonics, Pangea, fossils, Continental Drift, geological time,
Contiguous mountain ranges
Sentence:
The theory that landmasses on Earth once existed as a single continent, called
Pangea, and evolved, following continental drift, over many hundreds of millions of
years to the Earth we know today, is supported by several pieces of evidence. This
evidence suggests that common land forms are found in different continents. The
presence of mountain ranges that contain identical rocks on different continents,
suggests that these formations may have been once joined, to form contiguous
mountain ranges. The presence of similar patterns of glacial striations on different
continents that may have been once joined is another piece of evidence. In addition,
the presence of coal deposits, with similar characteristics at the edges of continents
that look as though they may have been once joined, provides additional evidence.
The Earth in the Solar System
8. Recognize that gravity is a force that pulls all things on and near the Earth
toward the center of the Earth. Gravity plays a major role in the formation of
the planets, stars, and solar system and in determining their motion.
Vocabulary:
Rotate/spin, revolve/orbit, planet, star, moon, gravity
Sentence:
Throughout the universe there are many galaxies that contain many solar systems.
All of these solar systems and the galaxies are held together by gravity. The force of
gravity keeps planets in orbit around each other.
9. Describe lunar and solar eclipses, the observed moon phases, and tides.
Relate them to the relative positions of the Earth, moon and the sun.
Vocabulary:
Lunar cycle, lunar eclipse, solar eclipse, Full moon, new moon,
Neap (mild) tide, spring (extreme) tide, waning, waxing, lunar phases
Sentence:
Solar eclipse – when the moon blocks the sun light from reaching the Earth.
Lunar Eclipse – when the Earth blocks the sun light from reaching the moon.
Moon phase – The moon waxing and wanes as the amount of sunlight that reaches
the moon and is reflected to the Earth’s surface changes. When the moon is waning
the Moon is travelling closer to the sun and the moons reflection is getting smaller
each day, until the moon is at it’s closest point to the sun and it’s image can no
longer be seen in the night sky. As the moon is waxing the moon is moving further
away from the sun and the image of the moon on the Earth is becoming larger until a
full moon is produced when the moon is at it’s greatest distance from the Sun.
The gravitational pull of the moon, and Sun on the Earth creates the tides of the
Earth’s oceans. This gravitational pull is greatest when the Earth, moon and Sun are
all directly aligned during full moons and New moons. The tides are at their smallest
when the moon is half way between its closest and most distant point from the Sun.
10. Compare and contrast properties and conditions of objects in the solar
system (i.e., sun, planets, and moons) to those on Earth (i.e., gravitational
force, distance from the sun, speed, movement, temperature, and
atmospheric conditions).
Vocabulary:
Planetary year (other than Earth), planetary day/night (other than Earth),gravity
Sentence:
Earth – orbit around the Sun is 365 days. Planets closer to the Sun take less lime to
orbit the Sun and planets further away take longer. It takes Earth just under 24
hours to rotate on its axis. Other planets take short or longer depending on their
size. The gravitational force on each planet is determined by the mass of the planet,
- smaller planets like the moon the gravitational force is less than the force of
gravity on Earth. The force of gravity on Jupiter is many times greater than it is on
Earth.
11. Explain how the tilt of the Earth and its revolution around the sun result in
an uneven heating of the Earth, which in turn causes the seasons.
Vocabulary:
Axis tilt, polar latitude, temperate latitudes, Tropical latitudes, solstice,
equinox, equator, Hemisphere, season, daylight hours
Sentence:
The tilt of the Earth (23.5 degrees) leads to either the northern or southern
hemispheres being closer to the sun. This slight difference in position results in the
uneven heating of the Earth by the Sun. When the northern hemisphere is tilted
away from the Sun, it experiences the winter season, because the Sun reaching the
Earth is at a greater angle and the same amount of radiation is spread over a larger
area. At the same time the southern hemisphere receives more direct radiation, and
the same amount of radiation is spread over a smaller area.
12. Recognize that the universe contains many billions of galaxies, and that each
galaxy contains many billions of stars.
Vocabulary:
Solar system, galaxy, universe, light year, star
Sentence:
Just like many galaxies in the universe, our galaxy the Milky Way contains many
billions of stars. Each star and its associated planets are known as a solar system.
Since the distances between galaxies are enormous they are measured in light years.
A light year is the distance a beam of light can travel through space in one year. Our
universe is many millions of light years wide.