Science Midterm Study Guide
Topics: Chapters 1-6 & Chapter 7.1-7.3*
*Chapter 7 will only appear on your midterm if we have time to cover these
concepts in class before the midterm exam.
Format: Vocabulary (fill in the blank or matching), Multiple Choice, Short Answer,
Label the Diagrams
Study Tips: Review notes, Quizlet, End of Chapter Study Guides, Review Textbook
*Chapter 7 will only appear on your midterm if we have time to cover these
concepts in class before the midterm exam.
Here is what you should know from each chapter:
Chapter 1
 Identify and explain the skills that scientists use to learn about the world:
o Observing
o Classifying
o Making Models
o Inferring
o Predicting
o Analyzing
 Explain what scientific investigations involve
 Explain the difference between scientific and nonscientific thinking
(including pseudoscience)
 Explain what scientific inquiry is and how it involves posing questions and
developing hypotheses
 Explain how to design and conduct an experiment so that it uses sound
scientific principles (ex: controlled experiments, repeated trials, etc.)
 Identify dependent and independent variables in scientific investigations
 Identify sources of error in scientific investigations
 Important Vocabulary:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Science
Observation
Quantitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Inferring
Predicting
Analyzing
Pseudoscience
Scientific Inquiry
o
o
o
o
o
o
Hypothesis
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Controlled Experiment
Bias
Replication
Chapter 2
 Explain what the SI system is and why scientists use it
 Know the SI units for length, mass, weight, volume, density, time and
temperature
 Be able to convert between SI units and compare the size of units (there will
not be a unit ladder on the exam!)
 Know the formula for density and use it to calculate the density or mass or
volume of an object
 Know how to use math tools including mean, median, mode, range and
percent error
 Know the difference between accuracy and precision
 Know what significant figures are and be able to use correct significant
figures in addition/subtraction and multiplication/division
 Use graphs to identify trends, make predictions and recognize anomalous
data
 Review the laboratory safety rules from the beginning of the year
 Important Vocabulary:
o Metric System
o International System of Units (SI)
o Mass
o Weight
o Volume
o Meniscus
o Density
o Estimate
o Significant Figures
o Mean
o Median
o Mode
o Range
o Anomalous Data
o Percent Error
o Graph
o Linear Graph
o Nonlinear Graph
o Outlier
Chapter 3
 Know the 4 main spheres of the Earth: atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere
and biosphere) and be able to give examples of each
 Know that sun is the main source of energy for all of the spheres
 Explain that lands are constantly being created and destroyed by competing
forces
 Explain what constructive forces are and give examples
 Explain what destructive forces are and give examples
 Know what weathering and erosion are and how these forces shape the
Earth’s surface
 Know the layers of the Earth and be able to label them on a diagram
 Describe how pressure and temperature change between each layer of the
Earth
 Describe the composition of the main layers of the Earth
 Explain the 3 types of heat transfer
 Know how temperature affects a liquid’s density
 Know what convection currents are and be able to explain how they work in
the Earth
 Important Vocabulary:
o Atmosphere
o Geosphere
o Hydrosphere
o Biosphere
o Constructive Force
o Destructive Force
o Crust
o Basalt
o Granite
o Mantle
o Lithosphere
o Asthenosphere
o Outer Core
o Inner Core
Chapter 4
 Explain Wegener’s hypothesis about the continents
 Explain what mid-ocean ridges are and how they are formed
 Explain the process of sea-floor spreading
 Explain what happens at deep ocean trenches
 Know the theory of plate tectonics
 Explain the motion of the tectonic plates and why they move
 Know the three types of plate boundaries
 Explain how different landforms result from different plate boundaries
 Important Vocabulary:
o Continental Drift
o Pangaea
o Fossil
o Mid Ocean Ridge
o Sea Floor Spreading
o Deep Ocean Trench
o Subduction
o Plate
o Divergent Boundary
o Transform Boundary
o Divergent Boundary
o Plate Tectonics
o Fault
o Rift Valley
Chapter 5
 Explain the 3 forces in the earth’s crust that change the shape and volume of
rock over millions of years
 Know what a fault is and how it forms
 Know the 3 different types of faults and be ale to explain the movement that
occurs at each fault
 Be able to identify faults based on diagrams
 Know how anticlines and synclines are formed
 Know how fold mountains and fault block mountains are formed
 Know the types of seismic waves
 Describe at least one of the scales used to measure earthquakes
 Explain what an earthquake’s focus and epicenter is
 Important Vocabulary:
o Stress
o Tension
o Compression
o Shearing
o Normal Fault
o Reverse Fault
o Strike-Slip Fault
o Earthquake
o Focus
o Epicenter
o P Wave
o S Wave
Chapter 6
 Explain how volcanoes form at boundaries of tectonic plates
 Know which boundaries can lead to the formation of volcanoes
 Know what a hot spot is and where it is located
 Know the parts of a volcano (be able to label a diagram of a volcano)
 Know the difference between quiet and explosive eruptions
 Know the 3 stages of a volcano’s activity
 Know what a pyroclastic flow is and why it causes destruction
 Know the landforms that result from lava
 Know the landforms that result from magma
 Important Vocabulary:
o Volcano
o Ring of Fire
o Magma
o Lava
o Hot Spot
o Magma Chamber
o Pipe
o Vent
o Lava Flow
o Crater
o Silica
o Pyroclastic Flow
o Dormant
o Extinct
o Caldera
o Cinder Cone
o Composite Volcano
o Shield Volcano
o Volcanic Neck
o Dike
o Sill
o Batholith
Chapter 7
**This is new material. These topics will appear on your midterm exam only if we
have time to cover them in class.**
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Explain how fossils form
Describe the different types of fossils
Explain why scientists research fossils
Explain how the age of rock changes in each layer of rock
Explain how layers can change order
 Explain radioactive decay
 Calculate the age of rocks using an element’s half life
 Explain how scientists use radioactive dating to determine the ages of
materials
 Important Vocabulary:
o Fossil
o Mold
o Cast
o Petrified Fossil
o Carbon Film
o Trace Fossil
o Paleontologist
o Evolution
o Extinct
o Relative Age
o Absolute Age
o Law of Superposition
o Extrusion
o Intrusion
o Fault
o Index Fossil
o Unconformity
o Radioactive Decay
o Half-Life