MCAS Review

Suppose 20 g of liquid hydrogen peroxide is heated so it completely breaks down into liquid water and oxygen gas. Which best describes the total mass of the water and oxygen that was produced?

a. more than 20 g because of the addition of heatb. more than 20 g because there are now two substancesc. less than 20 g because oxygen gas is

very lightd. 20 g because no matter is added or removed

A container is filled with 100 mL of water and placed in a freezer. The water in the container freezes at 0C. A second container filled with 90 mL of water is placed in a second freezer. At what temperature does this second container of water freeze?

a. 10Cb. 1Cc. 0C d. 10C

Because sulfur cannot be decomposed by simple chemical methods into two or more different substances, it is classified as

a. an element.b. a compoundc. a mixture.d. a molecule

Which of the following is a characteristic of elements?

a. They break down when reacting with acidsb. They can be altered with an electric current.c. They are always metals.d. They cannot be divided into smaller substances.

The periodic table of the elements is systematically organized according to the

a. rate at which the elements chemically reactb. hardness of the elements.c. structure of the atoms of the elements.d. radioactivity of the atoms of the

elements.

Formation & Composition of Minerals

O Minerals are naturally occurring elements or compoundsO Most result from the chemical combination of two or

more elementsO Ex.- oxygen & silicon combine to form quartz

O Native elements- mineral made of only one type of elements O Found uncombined in natureO Ex.- gold, silver, copper, & sulfur

O Many minerals form from MagmaO Mineral crystals form when magma coolsO How and where the magma cools determines the size of the crystals

O Mineral crystals may also form from compounds dissolved in a liquid such as water

copper

Identifying MineralsO Minerals have certain physical properties

that can be used to identify themO Some properties can be observed just by

looking at the mineralO ColorO LusterO Crystal shapeO How it breaks

O Certain properties can only be determined by testing

O HardnessO StreakO Specific GravityO Acid test

From Minerals to RocksO “Minerals are to rocks as letters are to

words” (Quote from Professor R. Lingner, WSC)

O Rocks- Hard substances composed of one or more minerals

O Usually made of more than one type of mineral

O May contain naturally occurring substances that would not be considered a mineral

O Are grouped according to how they form as either igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic

The Rock CycleO Rock Cycle- Diagram

used to illustrate how and why the three types of rocks are related to each other

O Summarizes the processes responsible for the formation and breakdown of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks

O Rocks go through changes due to cooling, weathering, compaction, heat & pressure, and melting

Rocks found on Earth are classified as sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous based on

a. where the rocks were found.b. how the rocks were formed.c. the composition of the rocks.d. the color and shape of the rocks.

When igneous rock is changed into metamorphic rock, which form of energy is this process?

a. heatb. chemicalc. magneticd. light

Typically, sedimentary rocks are formed

a. only in erupting volcanoes.b. only under great pressure and high temperatures.c. below Earths surface as magma

cools and crystallizes.d. from materials that settle.

Composition of the Atmosphere

The atmosphere is a mixture of gases, liquids, and suspended solids that

surrounds our planetO Gases- include nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide,

water vapor and trace gasesO Mostly nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)

O Water vapor- enters the air by evaporation from the ocean & other water sourcesO Clouds, fog, and dew are caused by water vapor

in the airO Suspended solids- include dust, sea-salt, smoke,

pollen, bacteria, and chemicals from industry & transportation

Structure of the Atmosphere

The atmosphere is divided into layers based on changes in temperatureO Troposphere- Begins at sea level and extends

approximately 8 to 18 kilometers depending on location and season

O Stratosphere- Extends from the tropopause to an altitude of about 50 Km O Mesosphere- Extends from the stratopause to about 80 Km above the Earth’s surfaceO Thermosphere- Begins after the mesopause, but has no definite upper limit

Harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun are primarily absorbed by

a. dustb. ozonec. land massesd. water vapor

Large amounts of industrial gases are released into the atmosphere every day. What happens to those gases?

a. They are broken down by ultraviolet light from the Sun.b. They are converted into nitrogen and

oxygen.c. They rise through the atmosphere and go into outer space.d. They remain in the atmosphere for long

periods of time.

Heating the AtmosphereO Almost all of the energy heating our atmosphere comes from the sun (called radiant energy)O Not all of the sun’s radiant energy reaches Earth’s

surface; some is reflected back into

space, scattered, or absorbed by

gases and clouds in the

atmosphereO Solar energy which

reaches the Earth’s surface heats the atmosphere in one of three ways: radiation, conduction, or convection

Heating the AtmosphereO Radiation- The transfer of energy by electromagnetic

waves such as light

O Conduction- The direct transfer of heat energy from one substance to another

1. Earth’s surface is warmed by radiant energy2. Air coming in contact with Earth’s warm surface is heated by

conduction

O Convection- The transfer of heat energy in a fluid ( gas or liquid)

1. Causes warmer fluids to rise in colder ones2. Convection currents in the atmosphere are caused by the

unequal heating of the Earth by the sun3. Most of the heat energy in the atmosphere is transferred by

convection currents

Global Temperature Variations

O The temperature of the air can be affected by many factors

O Amount of sunlight

O Wind

O Latitude

O Altitude

O Proximity to oceans and other water bodies

Why do areas in the middle of a large continent generally have more extreme differences in temperature than areas near the coastline?

a. There are generally more clouds near the oceans.b. Landlocked areas are usually at a lower

altitude than coastline areas.c. Coastlines are usually surrounded by

mountains that block air masses.d. Oceans change temperature slowly and

regulate the temperature of nearby land.

Seasons on EarthO The different seasons are caused by the Earth

being tilted 23 ½ degrees on its axisO The tilt of the Earth on its axis, in conjunction

with it’s rotational path around the sun, causes an unequal distribution of light and

heat at the surface

Which of the following is most important in producing the seasons on Earth?

a. Earths gravitational attraction to the Sunb. the Moon’s revolution around Earth

c. the distance of Earth from the Sund. the tilt of Earths axis as it revolves around the Sun

Atmospheric PressureO Air pressure- Measure of the force of the

atmosphere pressing down on Earth’s surface

O The pressure at any point on the Earth is equal to the weight of the air directly above that point

O Air pressure depends on the density of the air - the denser the air, the higher the pressure

O Differences in air pressure cause winds and changes in the weather

WindsOWinds result from the unequal heating

of the atmosphere by the sun O This causes pressure differences

OWinds occur when air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low

Types of WindsThere are two types of winds- local & globalO Local winds- Movement of air caused by

differences in the heating and cooling rates of land and water

O Global Winds- Large scale movement of air caused by the unequal heating of the earth’s surfaceO Convection currents in the atmosphere cause

cold, dense air from areas near the poles to sink and move along the surface, forcing warm air near the equator aloft

O Create a worldwide system of wind and ocean currents

Local WindsO Sea breeze- Winds occurring during the day when cool, dense air

from over the water flows inward and forces the warm air over the land to riseO Land breeze- Winds occurring at night

when cool air from over the land flows seaward and forces the warm air over the ocean to

rise

Global WindsO Major wind patterns produced by the unequal

heating of Earth’s surface in combination with its rotation

O Winds blow from areas of high pressure to those of low pressure

O Types of global winds:O Trade Winds- Blow toward the equatorial low (0°

latitude) from the subtropical highs (30° lat.)O Prevailing Westerlies- Blow from the subtropical

highs (30° lat.) to the sub-polar lows (60° lat.) O Polar Easterlies- Cold, dense air mass which

moves from the polar highs (90° lat.) to the sub-polar lows (60° lat.)

The Origin of the UniverseO Astronomers believe that billions of years ago

all the matter and energy in the Universe was concentrated into single hot dense point called a singularity

O Tremendous amounts of heat and pressure made this point so unstable that it exploded

O According to the Big Bang Theory , the Universe began to expand after an enormous explosion of concentrated matter and energyO As it expanded, the Universe cooled O Atoms formed after a few hundred million yearsO The first stars and galaxies formed after about

200 million years

Galaxies OA galaxy is a large system of

stars and other cosmic bodiesOGalaxies are the major features

of the UniverseOThere may be more than 100

billion major galaxies OThere are three main types of

galaxies

The Solar SystemO A huge rotating system consisting of the

Sun, eight planets and their satellites, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and meteors

O Astronomers use the Nebular Theory to explain the formation of our solar system

Inner vs. Outer PlanetsO The asteroid belt is used as a

dividing line to separate the planets into two groups

O The inner planets- Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars (located between the Sun & the asteroid belt)

O The outer planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (located beyond the asteroid belt)

Terrestrial vs. Jovian Planets

OTerrestrial Planets- Planets that are Earth-like, in that they have a solid, rocky surface

OMercury, Venus, Earth, and MarsO Jovian Planets- Planets that are Jupiter-like,

in that they have thick gaseous atmospheres that surround layers of liquid hydrogen and helium, and small rock and iron cores

OJupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

Rotation vs. RevolutionO Rotation- The time it takes an

object to spin once on it’s axis (a day on the planet)

O Revolution- The time it takes to orbit another body in space ( a year on a planet)

The Moon’s Phases OThe relative motions of the Earth, Moon

and Sun cause a change in the moon’s appearance

OThe daily changes in the Moon’s appearance are called phases

OWaxing Phases When the moon appears to grow larger as it goes from being a new moon to a full moon

OWaning Phases When the moon appears to grow smaller as it goes from the full moon phase to the new moon

Phases of the Moon

EclipsesO Occur when one object in the sky is blocked

from view by another O Named for the object that we don’t seeO During an eclipse, the shadow of one object

falls on the otherO The shadow has two parts, a dark inner shadow

(umbra) and a lighter outer shadow (penumbra)O Being in the umbra produces a total eclipse, while

being in the penumbra, a partial eclipse

Solar EclipsesBlocking of the Sun that occurs when the new moon comes directly between the Sun and the Earth

Lunar EclipseBlocking of the moon that takes place

when Earth comes directly between the Sun and the full moon

Which of the following is a necessary condition for a lunar eclipse to occur?

a. The Moon must be full. b. The Moon must be waxingc. It must be the beginning of the month.d. It must be winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

How Light BehavesO Light travels in straight-line paths

called rays

O Reflection- When light strikes a surface, some of it bounces back

O Refraction- The bending of light due to a change in speed

Lenses Refract LightO Convex lenses- Lenses that are

thicker in the center than at the edgesO Bend rays of light toward the thicker center of the lensO The amount of refraction depends on how much the lens curves (the greater the curve, the more the light is refracted)O Converge light rays at the focal point

O Concave Lenses- Lenses that are thinner in the center than at the edges

O Bend rays of light outward toward the thicker ends of the lensO Diverge rays of light

Evidence for Plate Tectonics

OContinental Drift

OLocation of volcanoes, earthquake belts and mountains

OSea-floor Spreading

OPaleomagnetism

Evidence for Continental Drift

OShape of the continentsOSimilar fossil deposits on

continents thought to have been joined

ORock formations that end at the edges of continents

OGlacial deposits (evidence of past climates)

ODistinctive rock types

The primary cause of continental drift, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions is

a. convection currents beneath Earths crustb. the rotation of Earth on its axis.

c. the gradual sinking of Earths crust.d. heat from the Sun warming Earth.

Plate BoundariesThere are three basic types of plate

boundariesO Divergent- moving apartO Convergent- moving togetherO Transform fault- sliding past each other

The Earth’s IinteriorO The four layers of

the Earth are the crust, mantle, inner core and outer core

O These layers vary greatly in size, composition, temperature, and pressure

Which is the thickest layer of Earth?

a. crustb. inner corec. mantled. outer core

Gravity Gravity is the force of attraction between objects

The strength of the gravitational force between objects depends on:

- The distance between the objects ( the gravitational force between objects

decreases with distance) -Mass ( the greater the mass of an object, the greater it’s

gravitational force)

The pull of gravity on Earth is a direct result of the

a. mass of Earth.b. magnetic field of Earth.c. rotation of Earth on its axis.d. weight of Earths atmosphere.

The surface gravity of Pluto is weaker than any of the eight planets because Pluto

a. has the lowest temperature.b. has the smallest mass. c. is no longer a planet.d. is farthest from the Sun.

Density•Density is the mass of a specific volume of an object

•Density is calculated by dividing the mass of an object by its volume

•Units for density are usually expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3 )

•Since the density of water is 1 g/cm3 anything with a density less than 1 g/cm3 will float in water and anything greater will sink

The ratio of an objects mass to its volume is its

a. area.b. perimeter.c. density.d. weight.

Which of the following correctly lists the organizational hierarchy of organisms from simplest to most complex?

a. cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, organismsb. cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organismsc. tissues, cells, organs, organ systems, organismsd. tissues, organs, cells, organ systems, organisms

Single-celled organisms can reproduce and create cells exactly like themselves without combining genes from two different parent cells. When they do this, they use a type of

a. asexual reproduction. b. gamete formationc. natural selection.d. sexual reproduction

Each organism on Earth is a part of a complex relationship with other organisms. This relationship is called a food web. The following organisms are part of a food web typically located in and around areservoir.

algae fish rabbit pine tree eagle grass field mouse

Which member of the food web is a carnivore?

a. field mouseb. eaglec. rabbitd. algae

Which of the following symbiotic relationships is considered parasitic?

a. ticks feeding on a dog b. bees transporting pollen from flowersc. pilot fish swimming under sharksd. birds eating the insects from the back

of a hippopotamus

Which organisms benefit in the relationship between bees and flowering plants?

a. only the beesb. only the flowering plantsc. both the bees and the flowering plantsd. neither the bees nor the flowering plants

In pea plants, tall is dominant over short. What size pea plants will result when a pure tall plant is crossed with a pure short plant?

a. middle-sized plantsb. short plantsc. tall plantsd. some tall and some short plants

In rabbits, the gene for black fur is dominant over the gene for white fur. How can the appearance of white baby rabbits be explained when the mother has white fur and the father has black fur? a. The mother rabbit has one gene for black fur and one gene for white fur.b. The father rabbit has one gene for black

fur and one gene for white fur.c. The mother rabbit has two genes for black fur.d. The father rabbit has two genes for black fur.

Mitosis occurs in living things when a cell divides to produce two cells. Compared to the original cell, how many chromosomes are in each of the resulting cells?

a. half as manyb. the same numberc. twice as manyd. an unpredictable number

The living systems of plants and animals are constantly taking in water to continue the processes of life. What eventually happens to most of that water?

a. It is converted into hydrogen and oxygen.b. It is returned to the environment.c. It is broken down by bacterial decay.

d. It is permanently combined with other compounds.

Oxygen and sugar are the products of

a. cell division.b. digestion.c. photosynthesis.d. respiration.

Chloroplasts in cells make it possible for the cells to

a. reproduce.b. hold their rigid shape.c. absorb and excrete materials.d. carry out photosynthesis.

Which are produced during photosynthesis?

a. carbon dioxide and mineralsb. carbon dioxide and sugarc. oxygen and mineralsd. oxygen and sugar

In a food chain, living organisms that eat plants and are a food source for other animals are called

a. decomposers.b. carnivores.c. producers.d. herbivores.

What kingdom contains organisms that are multi-cellular, have no chlorophyll, and absorb nutrients from decaying tissue?

a. Fungi b. Plantaec. Protistad. Animalia

The energy that allows the water cycle to occur comes from

a. frictionb. electricityc. the Sund. radioactive decay

From smallest to largest, the levels of organization in living things are

a. tissues, cells, organs, organ systems.b. tissues, cells, organ systems, organsc. cells, tissues, organs, organ systems.d. cells, tissues, organ systems, organs.

Steel is used for cables in suspension bridges because of its capacity for

a. tension.b. torsion.c. compressiond. contraction.

Which best illustrates the sequence of steps that should be followed when solving technological problems?

a. Identify the problem, evaluate the solution, explore possible solutions, and select a

solution.b. Identify the problem, explore possible solutions, select a solution, and evaluate the solution.c. Identify the problem, select a solution, explore possible solutions, and evaluate the solutiond. Identify the problem, evaluate the solution,

select a solution, and explore possible solutions.

Betsy wants to find out if the rainfall in her town contains pollutants. The best way for Betsy to gather this information would be to collect

a. one sample on one rainy dayb. one sample a day on several rainy days.c. several separate samples on one rainy day.d. several separate samples on several

rainy days.

When coal is burned to produce electricity, the electrical energy produced is less than thepotential energy in the coal. Which best explains this observation?

a. As coal is heated, some of the molecules

move so fast that they are destroyed.

b. Some of the energy in coal is destroyed by the intense heat required to release its

potential energy.c. Some of the potential energy in coal is

converted into forms of energy other than electricity.d. The amount of potential energy in fuels is overestimated.

Your community is planning to build a new sanitary landfill. In locating the landfill, which is the most important environmental consideration?

a. the cost of the landb. the location of the groundwaterc. the proximity to an industrial parkd. the accessibility to a major highway