# data[].attributes.headline
The teacher understands the structure and function of Earth systems.

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The teacher understands the structure and function of Earth systems.

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The beginning teacher:

1. Understands the layers and surface features (landforms) of Earth and uses topographic maps and satellite imaging to analyze constructive and destructive processes that produce geologic change.

2. Understands the form and function of surface and subsurface water (e.g., watershed, aquifer).

3. Applies knowledge of the composition and structure of the atmosphere and its properties, including characteristics that allow life to exist.

4. Demonstrates an understanding of the interactions that occur among the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.

5. Applies knowledge of how human activity and natural processes, both gradual and catastrophic, can alter earth and ocean systems.

6. Identifies the sources of energy (e.g., solar, geothermal, wind, hydroelectric, biofuels) in earth systems and describes mechanisms of energy transfer (e.g., conduction, convection, radiation).

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The teacher understands cycles in Earth systems.

# data[].attributes.subject
The teacher understands cycles in Earth systems.

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The beginning teacher:

1. Understands the rock cycle and how rocks, minerals, fossil fuels and soils are formed.

2. Understands the water cycle and its relationship to weather processes; how the sun and the ocean interact in the water cycle.

3. Understands the nutrient (e.g., carbon, nitrogen) cycle and its relationship to earth systems.

4. Applies knowledge of how human and natural processes affect earth systems.

5. Understands the dynamic interactions that occur among the various cycles in the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.

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The teacher understands the role of energy in weather and climate.

# data[].attributes.subject
The teacher understands the role of energy in weather and climate.

# data[].attributes.body
The beginning teacher:

1. Understands the elements of weather (e.g., humidity, wind speed, pressure, temperature) and how they are measured.

2. Compares and contrasts weather and climate.

3. Analyzes weather charts and data to make weather predictions based on local and global patterns.

4. Applies knowledge of how transfers of energy among earth systems affect weather and climate.

5. Analyzes how Earth's position, orientation and surface features affect weather and climate.

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The teacher understands the characteristics of the solar system and the universe.

# data[].attributes.subject
The teacher understands the characteristics of the solar system and the universe.

# data[].attributes.body
The beginning teacher:

1. Understands the properties and characteristics of celestial objects.

2. Applies knowledge of the earth-moon-sun system and the interactions among them (e.g., seasons, lunar phases, eclipses).

3. Identifies properties of the components of the solar system, including systems that allow life to exist.

4. Recognizes characteristics of stars, nebulae and galaxies and their distribution in the universe.

5. Demonstrates an understanding of scientific theories of the origin of the universe.

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The teacher understands the history of the Earth system.

# data[].attributes.subject
The teacher understands the history of the Earth system.

# data[].attributes.body
The beginning teacher:

1. Understands the scope of the geologic time scale and its relationship to geologic processes.

2. Demonstrates an understanding of theories about the earth's origin and geologic history.

3. Demonstrates an understanding of how tectonic forces have shaped landforms over time.

4. Understands the formation of fossils and the importance of the fossil record in explaining the earth's history.

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31. At a fixed atmospheric pressure, the temperature at which water vapor in the air condenses at the same rate that liquid water evaporates is called the

1. dew point.

2. triple point.

3. relative humidity.

4. heat index.

Answer is A

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27. Which of the following were formed primarily by glacial activity?

1. Mountain ranges

2. Barrier islands

3. Fjords

4. Atolls

Answer is C

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28. Of the following gases, which is found in highest abundance in the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, the troposphere?

1. Hydrogen

2. Helium

3. Carbon dioxide

4. Water vapor

Answer is D

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32. Wispy, feathery clouds that form at relatively high altitude are called

1. cumulus clouds.

2. cumulonimbus clouds.

3. nimbostratus clouds.

4. cirrus clouds.

Answer is D

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33. Which of the following is true about objects in our solar system?

1. The Sun is one of the largest known stars in the universe.

2. Neptune is farther from the Sun than any of the other planets.

3. Although Jupiter has the largest diameter of the planets, it has a smaller mass than Earth, since it is composed largely of hydrogen and helium.

4. Since Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, all of its surface is always at an extremely high temperature.

Answer is B

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34. Of the following, which best describes a white dwarf?

1. A large asteroid that is almost the size of a planet

2. A small comet as it approaches the Sun

3. A late stage in the life cycle of a low-mass star

4. The precursor to a black hole

Answer is C

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35. Which of the following is true about radiometric dating?

1. Since the half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years, radiocarbon dating methods are limited to about 60,000 years.

2. Radiometric dating is a relative dating method that infers the age of a fossil by noting the relative position of the rock layer in which it is found.

3. Radiometric dating is based on measuring current solar output and comparing it to the amount of carbon in plant fossils that was produced by photosynthesis in the past.

4. Radiometric dating is dangerous, since the researcher is exposed to high doses of radiation.

Answer is A

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The model below shows two continental plates.
The folded mountains in this model form at which type of plate boundary?

F  Transform boundary

G  Divergent boundary

H  Subduction boundary

J Convergent boundary

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The Milky Way galaxy is described as a disk of stars orbiting a central point on the disk. Which of these best explains why people on Earth cannot see the entire shape of the Milky Way?

A  Earth is a part of this galaxy.

B  Many more stars exist outside the galaxy.

C  The stars in the center of the galaxy are extremely small.

D  The center of the galaxy consists of a dense cluster of stars.

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The satellite photograph below shows a large meteorite crater that is 1200 m in diameter and 170 m deep. This crater is located in a flat, arid part of northeastern Arizona.How will this crater most likely change over time?

F  It will get deeper as it fills with water.

G  It will rise up like a volcanic crater.

H  It will become less deep as the rim erodes.

J It will widen as it fills with lava.

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Which of these locations on Earth experiences the least change in the number of daylight hours throughout the year?

F Equator

G  North Pole

H  Tropic of Cancer

J Tropic of Capricorn

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What is one condition that is necessary for a hurricane to form?

A  Warm ocean water

B  A strong cold front

C  Cold ocean water

D  A strong warm front

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The diagram below shows four phases of the moon as it revolves around Earth.A student builds a model based on this diagram. The student uses foam balls to represent the moon and Earth and a flashlight to represent the sun. The student should shine the flashlight on the model of Earth from Position —

A1
B2
C3
D4

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An object will continue moving in a straight line unless it is acted on by an unbalanced force. Which of the following best explains Earth’s motion?

F  There is no unbalanced force acting on Earth because space is empty and nothing touches Earth.

G  The gravitational force pulling Earth toward the sun is equal and opposite to the force pulling the sun toward Earth, so there is no unbalanced force acting on Earth.

H  The sun moves in an elliptical orbit around Earth, and the sun’s gravity pulls Earth along.

J Earth moves in an elliptical orbit around the sun because the gravitational force of the sun

attracts Earth.

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The photograph shows mountains in the Andes range in South America. Which statement describes the geologic process that is most likely responsible for the formation of these mountains?

F They are along a transform plate boundary that is no longer active, so erosion is creating deep valleys.

G They are along a transform plate boundary in which plates are currently moving side by side, causing earthquakes and faults.

H They are along a plate boundary in which plates are currently converging, causing uplift and steep slopes.

J They are along a plate boundary in which plates diverged in the distant past, allowing new rock to build up.

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A mid-ocean ridge is located at the boundary of two tectonic plates. Which diagram correctly models the relative plate motion on each side of a mid-ocean ridge?

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The thick black lines on the map below show the locations of mid-ocean ridges.Which geologic feature is most likely to form at a mid-ocean ridge?

Which geologic feature is most likely to form at a mid-ocean ridge?

A Peninsula
B Volcano
C Delta
D Plateau

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A section of a topographic map is shown below. What is the difference in elevation in meters between Point X and Point Y on the map?

Record your answer and fill in the bubbles on your answer document. Be sure to use the correct place value.

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30. Which of the following is a scale of mineral hardness used to help identify minerals?

1. Fujita

2. Mohs

3. Saffir-Simpson

4. Richter

Answer is B

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Which statement about stars is correct?

F Star formation begins in a nebula.

G White dwarfs become main-sequence stars when they gain mass.

H Supergiants are stars that can absorb black holes.

J Main-sequence stars are formed by comets.

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The beginning of autumn in North America is in September, but the beginning of autumn in South America is in March. The diagram shows the positions of Earth, the moon, and the sun on one day in September and one day in March.

Why does autumn start in different months of the year in North America and South America?

A Earth’s orbit around the sun is not a perfect circle.

B North America has a larger landmass than South America.

C The moon has a greater pull on South America than on North America.

D Earth’s axis has a 23.5° tilt.

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The table lists the distances of some of the nearest stars. Based on the table, a student used a measuring tape to model the distances between the sun and these nearby stars. The sun was at the starting point. Proxima Centauri was at the 10 m mark. Which star was closest to the 20 m mark in this model?

F Barnard’s Star

G Wolf 359

H Sirius A

J Ross 248

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A student notices that the moon is full one evening. Which sequence of moon phases will the student observe over the next eight days?

A Full, waning gibbous, third quarter

B Full, waning gibbous, first quarter, waning crescent

C Full, new, waning gibbous

D Full, waxing gibbous, new, waning crescent

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A student shows a model of Earth and the moon to a class. Which picture shows how the moon appears from Earth when it is in the position shown in this model?

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This topographic map represents the elevation of an area 100 years ago. At that time the highest point had an elevation of 214 m. The highest point has since eroded a total of 7 m. Which profile most likely represents the landscape today?

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Most stars in the universe fit into one of the four areas on this Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Which area of the diagram represents the white dwarfs?

A Area M

B Area X

C Area P

D Area Z

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What keeps planets in the solar system from moving in straight lines through the galaxy? A Light energy

B Gravity

C Inertia

D Potential energy

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A student sets up the investigation shown below. The movement of colored water through the gravel best models —

F condensation of water vapor

G surface runoff of precipitation

H conservation of water

J pollution of groundwater

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A student keeps a record of the phases of the moon for one month. On the first night of the student’s observations, the full moon is visible in the sky. After the full moon, which of these phases will the student observe next?

F Waxing crescent moon

G Waxing gibbous moon

H Waning crescent moon

J Waning gibbous moon

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The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram below shows how the brightness, surface temperature, and color of stars are related. Which of these observations of Barnard’s Star is most likely accurate?

A Barnard’s Star is less bright than the sun, has a surface temperature below 3,800 K, and is red.

B Barnard’s Star is less bright than the sun, has a surface temperature above 3,800 K, and is red.

C Barnard’s Star is brighter than the sun, has a surface temperature below 5,300 K, and is yellow.

D Barnard’s Star is brighter than the sun, has a surface temperature above 5,300 K, and is yellow.

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Earth would not have seasons if it —

A no longer tilted on its axis

B stopped rotating on its axis

C took an additional month to orbit the sun

D revolved around the sun in the opposite direction

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Why does Earth get more energy from the sun than from all the other stars in the universe combined?

A The sun is much larger than the other stars.

B The sun is much hotter than the other stars.

C The sun is much more dense than the other stars.

D The sun is much closer than the other stars.

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The diagram below models Mercury and Venus orbiting the sun. What force causes Venus to travel along a curved path instead of moving in a straight line as indicated by the dashed line in the diagram?

F Electromagnetic attraction between the sun and Venus

G Gravitational attraction between the sun and Venus

H Electromagnetic attraction between Mercury and Venus

J Gravitational attraction between Mercury and Venus

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A Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is shown below. Based on this diagram, which type of stars would belong to spectral class M and have the highest luminosity?

F Main-sequence stars

G Giants

H White dwarfs

J Supergiants

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Scientists recently discovered that rocks collected from the Franklin Mountains in West Texas and rocks collected from mountains in eastern Antarctica were exactly the same age. Further research showed that the rocks were chemically and geologically the same and came from the same magma source.

This discovery provides evidence of —

F coastal erosion

G plate tectonics

H ocean currents

J glacial melting

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The satellite image below shows a ship channel between South Padre Island and Boca Chica beach in South Texas.

Sand is sometimes removed from the ship channel through a process called dredging to make it easier for ships to travel through. Recently sand from the bottom of the channel was moved to area beaches. Without this transfer of sand, what would most likely occur in this area in the future?

A The ship channel would become deeper, and the island would move west toward the mainland.

B The ship channel would become shallower, and the beach would become narrower.

C The ship channel would become narrower, and the island would become completely covered with water.

D The ship channel would become wider, and the island would sink into the Gulf of Mexico.

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A student draws the model shown below.

Which of these best compares the conditions at Location X and Location Y?

F It is day at Location X and night at Location Y.

G It is winter at Location X and summer at Location Y.

H There are more hours of daylight at Location X than at Location Y.

J The moon is brighter when viewed from Location X than when viewed from Location Y.

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Some students used records from the U.S. Naval Observatory to make the table below of the percent of the moon that was visible on each night in January 2011.

Based on these data, what part of the lunar cycle occurred between January 5 and January 7?

F Waxing crescent moon

G Waning crescent moon

H Full moon

J New moon

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The diagram below shows a model of the movement of two tectonic plates. When the plates collide, one plate often moves below the other plate.

The rising magma that can result from this type of plate movement may produce —

F fossil layers

G volcanic islands

H deep-sea sediment

J seafloor spreading

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The diagram below shows four positions in Earth’s orbit around the sun.

The Northern Hemisphere experiences the beginning of spring when Earth is in —

F Position 1

G Position 2

H Position 3

J Position 4

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The points labeled W and Y on the topographic map below show the campsites of two families. Each family hiked to the elevation on the map marked X. The arrows show the paths taken by both families.

What was the change in elevation, to the nearest ten meters, for the family that took the steepest path to Point X?

Record your answer and fill in the bubbles on your answer document. Be sure to use the correct place value.

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The moon reflects different amounts of sunlight onto Earth at different times. This reflected sunlight is commonly called moonlight. The graph below shows the intensity of moonlight at different times in a lunar cycle.

Which moon phase most likely occurs at the time in the cycle represented by an X on the graph?

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Hurricanes and similar storm systems begin over oceans. The map below shows average surface temperatures of the oceans in the summer.

Based on the map, which area probably produced the most violent storm systems?

A Area 1

B Area 2

C Area 3

D Area 4

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Four students are asked to describe a nebula and a star. Their responses are shown in the table below.

Which student described these two celestial bodies correctly? F Student 1

G Student 2

H Student 3

J Student 4

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The Himalayan mountains are shown on the map below.

Four students were asked to identify the geologic process that caused this mountain range to form. Their responses are shown below.

Which student correctly identified the geologic process that formed the Himalayan mountains?

F Student 1

G Student 2

H Student 3

J Student 4

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29. Which of the following is an igneous rock?

1. Slate

2. Granite

3. Shale

4. Limestone

Answer is B

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Different relative positions of the sun, the moon, and Earth have different effects on Earth’s oceans. Which model shows the positions of the sun, the moon, and Earth that have the greatest effect on ocean tides?

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A phase of the moon is shown below.

Which pair of diagrams shows the moon’s phase immediately before and immediately after this phase?

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Thunderstorms are more common in some areas than in others. The map shows the average number of thunderstorms per year in different parts of the United States.

Why are there significantly more thunderstorms in Florida than in California?

A The state of Florida is smaller than the state of California.

B The air in Florida is more stable than the air in California.

C The air above Florida holds less moisture than the air above California.

D The ocean currents near Florida are warmer than the ocean currents near California.

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The image shows a plate boundary. Arrows have been added to indicate the movement of the plates.

What plate boundary feature is also shown?

F A ridge formed by an inactive convergent boundary

G A valley forming at an active divergent boundary

H A fault forming at an active transform boundary

J A volcano formed by an active transform boundary

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Two stars are identified on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram below.

Based on this diagram, how do the characteristics of Star 1 and Star 2 compare? F Star 1 is cooler and less bright than Star 2. G Star 1 is hotter and brighter than Star 2.

H Star 1 is cooler and brighter than Star 2.

J Star 1 is hotter and less bright than Star 2.

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The satellite photo below shows San Francisco, California, which has many miles of coastline and an inland bay.

Which area of the coastline has most likely experienced the greatest effect of erosion from waves over hundreds of years?

F Area N

G Area P

H Area S

J Area T

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On July 4, 1776, the American colonies declared their independence. The table shows the lunar phases for June 1776.

What lunar phase occurred on July 4, 1776? F Waning gibbous

G Waxing gibbous

H Waning crescent

J Waxing crescent

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The map below shows the locations of four active volcanoes in the Caribbean Sea.

What do these volcanoes indicate about plate tectonics in the region?

F The volcanoes form an island arc, indicating a converging plate boundary.

G The volcanoes form a line, indicating a diverging plate boundary.

H Two plates are moving past each other, causing faulting and magma formation.

J Two plates are moving apart, creating new seafloor.

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A student stands at the point marked X on the topographic map below.

What height in meters must the student climb in order to reach the top of the hill? Record your answer and fill in the bubbles on your answer document. Be sure to use the correct place value.

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In the summer many people enjoy going to the beach. The photograph shows a beach in Argentina, which is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Which diagram shows the position of Earth when it is summer in Argentina?

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The weather map shows the weather conditions for one day across the United States. Based on the weather map, which city will most likely experience decreasing temperatures during the next 24 hours?

A Denver, because it is raining there

B Minneapolis, because a cold front is approaching

C Atlanta, because a warm front is approaching

D Houston, because it is in a high-pressure area

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Which of these correctly compares the masses of different objects in the universe? F A moon has less mass than a star and more mass than the planet it orbits.

G A planet has less mass than a galaxy and more mass than the star it orbits.

H A galaxy has less mass than a moon and more mass than a planet.

J A star has less mass than a galaxy and more mass than a planet.

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Some areas of an ocean are known as dead zones. These zones form when excess organic material decomposes. This increased decomposition uses up the oxygen from the water. Which human activity is most affected by the increasing number of dead zones in the ocean?

F Offshore oil drilling, because water in dead zones is toxic

G Commercial fishing, because fish cannot survive without oxygen

H Commercial shipping, because dead zones change the course of ocean currents J Sand mining, because oxygen is not available to form the sands on ocean beaches

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With the use of the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists recently discovered a giant runaway star. It is 90 times larger than the sun and is very hot and blue-white in color. Why does the sun appear to be brighter than this runaway star when viewed from Earth?

F The sun is a different color than the runaway star.

G The sun is older than the runaway star.

H The sun is closer to Earth than the runaway star.

J The sun is made of different elements than the runaway star.

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The San Andreas fault is a transform fault. The map below shows a student’s approximation of where the fault line crosses through the United States. Students were asked to make maps predicting which way land would most likely move over thousands of years.

Which map best predicts the likely movement of land along the fault line over thousands of years?

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Which of these changes would likely occur if the rate of Earth’s rotation on its axis increased?

A The length of the seasons would be shorter.

B The length of the seasons would be longer.

C The length of a day would be shorter.

D The length of a day would be longer.

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In July 1994 the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with the planet Jupiter, as scientists had predicted. To be able to accurately predict when a comet will collide with a planet, it is essential to understand —

A the composition of a planet’s atmosphere B the gravitational attraction that exists between all bodies

C the attraction of opposite poles of a magnet to each other

D the formation of comets

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The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram shows how the sun is classified among the stars.

A star that is several thousand times brighter than the sun with a temperature lower than 4,000 K would be classified as —

A a main-sequence star in spectral class B

B a supergiant in spectral class K

C a main-sequence star in spectral class K or M

D a white dwarf in spectral class B

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A student must complete the column of the table that lists the dates of the full moons. What are the most likely dates of the full moons?

A February 5, March 7, April 5, May 4

B February 15, March 17, April 15, May 14

C February 25, March 27, April 25, May 24

D February 29, March 31, April 29, May 28

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A student uses paper and fasteners to create a model of Earth, the sun, and the moon. The sun and Earth are attached to the paper background, while the moon is free to revolve around Earth.

Which diagram shows the objects arranged so that a new moon would be visible from Earth?

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The universe has many different components. Which list places four components of the universe in the most likely order from smallest to largest?

F Planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae

G Nebulae, stars, planets, galaxies

H Galaxies, stars, planets, nebulae

J Planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies

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A mid-ocean ridge separates the Pacific plate and the Nazca plate off the western coast of South America.

Which statement best describes the relative motions of the Pacific and Nazca plates?

F The Pacific and Nazca plates are both moving to the east.

G The Pacific and Nazca plates are both moving to the west.

H The Pacific plate is moving to the west, and the Nazca plate is moving to the east.

J The Pacific plate is moving to the east, and the Nazca plate is moving to the west.

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The model shows the star Wolf 359, the sun, and Star X. It takes 7.8 years for light produced on Wolf 359 to reach the sun.

If Star X is 50 times as far from the sun as Wolf 359 is, how far is Star X from the sun, to the nearest light-year?

Record your answer and fill in the bubbles on your answer document. Be sure to use the correct place value.

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A student drew the model below to represent a part of a watershed and some human activities that affect the watershed.

How do the industrial, agricultural, and residential activities of humans most likely affect the groundwater in the area?

F The activities prevent most of the water from evaporating into the atmosphere.

G Pollutants from the activities percolate through the soil and enter the water table.

H The activities replace the groundwater used.

J All of the above

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The topographic map shows the location of a park ranger at Point X when a message is received that an injured hiker needs help at Point Z.

Which of these is closest to the difference in elevation between the locations of the ranger and the injured hiker?

F 2,050 m

G 450 m

H 910 m

J 3,650 m

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The model shows Earth in several positions relative to the sun.

In which position is it winter in North America?

F Position 1, because North America receives the most direct sun

G Position 2, because North America is tilted toward the sun

H Position 3, because North America is parallel to the sun

J Position 4, because North America is tilted away from the sun

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Rift valleys can form when fractures in Earth’s crust widen. The valley walls slowly move at a rate of only a few millimeters a year. Which of these best describes the type of tectonic activity that forms rift valleys?

A Rift valleys form where a continental plate moves under an oceanic plate.

B Rift valleys form where a plate slides horizontally past another plate.

C Rift valleys form where two plates move away from each other.

D Rift valleys form where an oceanic plate moves under another oceanic plate.

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A student learns that the sun is classified as a medium-size star and that many stars are much bigger and brighter. However, the student observes that other stars look very dim, even through a telescope. Why do other stars look much dimmer than the sun?

A The sun appears yellow, which is more visible than other colors.

B The sun is much closer to Earth than other stars are.

C Other stars are made up of different gases than the sun is.

D As light from other stars travels through space, it gets reflected.

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The diagram below shows four consecutive moon phases.

Which of the following diagrams shows the next four moon phases in the correct order?

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In November 2013 an object orbiting the sun seemed to disappear behind the sun. When a satellite did not detect the object, astronomers thought that the object had been destroyed when it passed close to the sun. However, when another satellite detected a small, bright object with a fan-shaped tail, astronomers proposed that the object was not destroyed.

What type of object were astronomers most likely observing?

F A comet

G An asteroid

H A meteor

J A nebula

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The satellite image below shows a portion of the Namib Desert in Africa. This is an ancient, sandy desert with dunes that can be up to 305 m tall. The Namib Desert extends inland from the Atlantic Ocean between 80 km and 200 km and receives only 5 mm to 76 mm of rain each year.

A satellite picture of this same area taken weeks before shows that the shape and location of some sand dunes have changed.

Which of these most likely caused the changes in the dunes?

F Ocean waves

G Flowing rivers

H Blowing wind

J Crustal uplift

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Students in a science class in Marfa, Texas, made a poster with a diagram to represent a seasonal change in the Northern Hemisphere.

Which statement best describes conditions for Earth at Position 1 in the diagram?

F There are an equal number of hours of daylight and nighttime in the Northern Hemisphere, and the North Pole is tilted away from the sun.

G The Northern Hemisphere has the fewest hours of daylight, and Earth’s axis does not tilt at this position.

H There are an equal number of hours of daylight and nighttime in the Northern Hemisphere because Earth’s axis is not tilted in this position.

J The Northern Hemisphere has the fewest hours of daylight, and the North Pole is tilted away from the sun.

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The map shows some of Earth’s plate tectonic boundaries.

Based on the map, volcanic activity would most likely be found at —

F Location W

G Location X

H Location Y

J Location Z

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Two friends want to go for a night hike when there is a full moon in July.

If there is a third-quarter moon on July 2, what is the approximate date of the next full moon?

A July 9

B July 16

C July 23

D July 30

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In 2011, Typhoon Nesat struck the Philippines and caused widespread flooding. After hitting the Philippines, Typhoon Nesat was predicted to hit the large city of Hanoi, Vietnam.

If Typhoon Nesat had continued along the same path, which development would most likely have reduced its strength before it hit Hanoi?

A The formation of a low-pressure area south of Bangkok

B The formation of a high-pressure area south of Bangkok

C Cool water moving into the sea east of Hanoi

D Warm water moving into the sea east of Hanoi

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Barnard’s Star is about 5.9 light-years from the sun. The star has an approximate temperature of 2,800 K.

Based on the diagram, what spectral class does Barnard’s Star belong to?

A Spectral class O

B Spectral class B

C Spectral class A

D Spectral class M

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A student makes a model of the sun-Earth system by swinging a ball around her head. Using this model, the student is trying to explain how Earth stays on a path around the sun.

The student explains that this path is the result of —

F the magnetic attraction between Earth and the sun

G potential energy stored in Earth that originated in the sun

H the gravitational attraction between the sun and Earth

J electromagnetic energy from the sun pulling on Earth

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The spectral classes of four stars are shown in comparison with a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.

Based on the information, which star is most like the sun?

F Star 1

G Star 2

H Star 3

J Star 4

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A teacher asks students to make a model of a transform plate boundary. The students use blocks to represent tectonic plates and slide the blocks past each other in the directions of the arrows as shown.

Which event can the students best demonstrate with their model?

A An earthquake

B A volcanic eruption

C Formation of a rift valley

D Building up of a mountain

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The weather map shows air pressures in millibars.

Which set of conditions best describes the weather at the area of lowest air pressure?

A Bright sun with no wind

B Partly cloudy with no wind

C Mostly sunny with light winds

D Overcast skies with strong winds

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A student viewed the moon through binoculars one week after a new moon. Which image shows the phase of the moon that the student observed?

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A student models moon phases. She holds a foam ball on a stick in front of her body and then stands in front of a light as shown. The student uses herself to represent Earth. She turns her body slowly to represent four different moon phases.

Which numbered diagram represents the student modeling a full moon?

A Diagram 1

B Diagram 2

C Diagram 3

D Diagram 4

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Which diagram models a hypothetical situation in which every location on Earth would have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness per day?

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The model shows an area near a lake. Community leaders are planning new laws to help protect the lake from pollution. One proposed law will make it illegal to dump trash on the shore of the lake, but the law still allows trash to be placed in the area labeled “Flow-through wetland.”

Which statement about the proposed law is supported by the model?

A The proposed law will protect the lake because plant roots between the wetland and the lake will stop pollution from entering the lake.

B The proposed law will not protect the lake because animals that live in or near the lake will add pollution to the lake.

C The proposed law will not protect the lake because groundwater will carry pollution from the wetland directly into the lake.

D The proposed law will protect the lake because the high elevation of the water table will block pollution from entering the lake.

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A river area is shown on the topographic map. Four riverbank areas are labeled on the map.

Which two riverbanks are the steepest?

A W and X

B Y and Z

C X and Y

D W and Z

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Which statement best describes a galaxy?

A A cloud of gas that is the birthplace of stars

B A system of billions of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity

C A ball of plasma that experiences nuclear fusion in its core

D A mass of dust and ice that orbits a star in an elliptical pattern

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The diagram shows Earth in its orbit around the sun when very little light is visible at Earth’s South Pole.

Which statement is true when Earth is in the position shown?

F It is August in the Northern Hemisphere. It is April in the Southern Hemisphere.

G It is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

H The number of hours of daylight is greater in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.

J Spring begins earlier in the year in the Southern Hemisphere than it does in the Northern Hemisphere.

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A topographic map provides details about Emory Peak in Big Bend National Park. A radio tower on Emory Peak is indicated.

Based on the topographic map, if a park ranger hiked due west from the radio tower, the ranger’s path would —

A cross a canyon with a river running through it

B cross another peak in the park

C be flat and then go up a steep slope

D go down a steep slope and then become flatter

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Major surface currents of the ocean are shown in the diagram.

Ocean currents affect weather patterns by —

F regulating when tides occur in coastal areas

G trapping heat at the equator to regulate the global climate

H distributing heat from the uneven absorption of solar energy

J increasing the rate of evaporation to transport water to areas experiencing droughts