Grade 7 Assessment Questions PDF

Name: ____________________________________________ Grade 7 Understand the questions & answer the questions in your own way. (Don’t memorize the answer as it is) Chapter 1: Assessment Questions 1. a statement describing or predicting a natural phenomenon that has never been shown to...

Name: ____________________________________________ Grade 7 Understand the questions & answer the questions in your own way. (Don’t memorize the answer as it is) Chapter 1: Assessment Questions 1. a statement describing or predicting a natural phenomenon that has never been shown to be false under stated conditions 2. a procedure followed to collect data and/or observations for the purpose of testing a hypothesis 3. an explanation of a phenomenon that is generally accepted to be true based on a great deal of repeated and independent experimentation 4. a tentative explanation for a natural phenomenon that can be tested to establish whether evidence exists to support it 5. information gathered during a scientific experiment a line on a map that connects areas having the same elevation, depth, temperature, pressure, or other stated feature 7. a factor that limits the possible solutions that could be developed to solve a problem 8. the application of scientific and mathematical ideas to design solutions to problems 9. the process of allowing scientists to critique the experimental designs, results, and conclusions of other scientists 10. a description of the physical features of landforms in an area 11. the standards that must be met by an engineering design in order for the solution to be considered successful 12. the study of natural phenomena to better understand how the natural world works and to predict outcomes of natural events 13. a physical, diagrammatic, mathematical, or other representation of a system used to describe the system or explain how it works 14. What distinguishes a scientific explanation of a natural phenomenon from a nonscientific explanation? Page 1 of 14 15. What is the difference between correlation and causation as they apply to the interpretation of results from scientific investigations? 16. After completing a scientific study, a team of scientists writes a description of the study, including their hypotheses, data and observations, results, and conclusions. They then submit their study to a scientific journal for publication. Before publishing the study, however, the journal sends copies of the report to several scientists not involved in the study. What is this process called, and why it is an important step in the scientific process? 17. Describe a situation in which scientists might revise or even discard a theory. 18. Explain how criteria and constraints are involved in the engineering design process and give an example of each. 19. Give an example of how a mathematical model might be used in an engineering design. 20. Explain why all maps are representations of data. 21. What is a coordinate system and why is it useful in making maps? 22. How do Mollweide projections of Earth compare with Mercator projections? 23. What do the abbreviations GPS and GIS refer to and how do they help cartographers create new maps? 24. How do two-dimensional topographic maps convey information about three- dimensional landforms? 25. How did advances in technology enable scientists to begin mapping the seafloor? 26. A scientist develops a hypothesis to explain a phenomenon and then designs an experiment to test the hypothesis. After running the experiment and analyzing the data, the scientist concludes that the data do not support her hypothesis. What would be a next step for the scientist, who wants to continue to pursue this area of research? 27. Scientists are sometimes asked to testify as expert witnesses in a court of law. During the court proceedings, a lawyer may ask a scientist, “What is your expert opinion on this matter?” Does this mean that opinions are important in scientific work? 28. People sometimes use the word “theory” in everyday conversation. For example, every day for several days, a man notices small holes in his lawn that were not present Page 2 of 14 the day before. The man says, “My theory is that a skunk comes at night to dig for grubs and worms.” How is the man’s use of the word “theory” different from the scientific use of this Word? 29. A budget consultant has suggested reducing the number of satellites in the Global Positioning System to save money. How might this affect the accuracy of maps that rely on GPS, and why? How would you respond to the consultant? 30. Some maps are used to represent areas that undergo constant change. How might a scientist studying glacier response to climate change use such a map, and what tools would be available for the scientist to create it? 31. How is a topographic map similar to and different from a weather map? Chapter 1: ANSWER KEY 1. law 2. experiment 3. theory 4. hypothesis 5. data 6. isoline 7. constraint 8. engineering 9. peer review 10. topography 11. criteria 12. science 13. model Page 3 of 14 14. Scientific explanations of natural phenomena must be testable and must be supported by all available evidence. Nonscientific explanations may rely on beliefs or opinions and may not be testable or supported by evidence. 15. Two variables are said to show correlation if one variable either increases or decreases as the other variable either increases or decreases. Variables that have a correlational relationship may or may not have a causal relationship as well. Just because they are correlated does not mean that one variable causes the other, although that could be the case. When scientists identify a correlation, they may investigate further to determine if a causal relationship also exists. 16. This is the process of peer review. It is important because it allows experts to review the design and results of a study to verify the accuracy and meaning of the results before it is published for a broader audience. This helps prevent the publication of faulty research that could be misleading for other scientists or the general public. 17. Theories may need to be revised or discarded when new evidence becomes available. New evidence can emerge as a result of newly devised experiments, new observations, or a new discovery. New evidence may support some aspects of a theory but raise questions about others. 18. Criteria are the standards that must be met by any proposed solution to a problem. For example, a criterion could be that the solution must be easy to use. Constraints are the factors that limit the various solutions that can be proposed to solve a problem. Cost is often a constraint in an engineering problem. 19. In designing geothermal power plants, engineers would need to use a mathematical model to predict how much electricity could be generated from the amount of geothermal energy available at the site. 20. All maps represent various information, or data, about real places or areas. Therefore, information must be collected and used in constructing a map. The type of data can vary depending on the map’s purpose. 21. A coordinate system is a two-dimensional grid with horizontal latitude lines and vertical longitude lines. We use it to identify any specific location by its latitude and longitude. 22. Mercator projections more distort the proportions of landmasses than Mollweide projections because they make all lines of longitude parallel to one another and perpendicular to lines of latitude. Mollweide projections allow longitude lines to Page 4 of 14 converge at the poles, as they do on a globe. This results in a more accurate representation of the proportions of landmasses. However, shape and distance are still distorted in Mollweide projections, as they are in Mercator projections. 23. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. This system consists of satellites and radio receivers that can accurately locate any position on Earth. GPS supplies coordinates of specific points on Earth as well as the distances between points & cartographers construct maps that represent this data on a smaller scale. GIS stands for Global Information System. This is a computer system that collects, stores, and makes data from other systems, including GPS & cartographers access these data from GIS to make a number of different kinds of maps. 24. Topographic maps use isolines to connect areas with the same elevation. Each line differs from the next by a constant difference in elevation. This enables someone reading the map to easily approximate the elevation at any place such as hills, valleys, and streams. 25. Sonar and LiDAR are two technologies used to map the seafloor. These technologies emit light or sound waves down to the bottom of the ocean and then record how long it takes for the waves to reflect back to their source. The time data can be used to determine distance to the seafloor, and the distance data can be used to create relief maps showing the topography of the ocean floor. 26. The scientist should analyze the results of the experiment, as well as previous experiments by others, and revise her hypothesis or develop a new one. Then she should design and conduct new experiments to test the new hypothesis. The scientist should continue this pattern, collecting data, generating new evidence, and refining her hypotheses in order to arrive at a better understanding of the phenomena. 27. explanations and interpretations are not opinions because they are supported by objective evidence. When scientists are asked for an expert opinion in a court of law, they are being asked to interpret the evidence and provide an explanation to the judge and jury. The expert opinion the scientist gives should be supported by the evidence and is not the same as a personal opinion, which cannot be shown to be correct or incorrect. 28. Sample answer: In science, a theory is a framework for explaining a natural phenomenon that is well supported by a great deal of evidence. The man may believe he has a theory, but in reality, he only has a hypothesis: a statement that is a possible explanation for a natural phenomenon but that has little or no evidence yet to support it. Page 5 of 14 29. I would tell the consultant that reducing the number of satellites could compromise the functionality and accuracy of GPS devices. A GPS uses at least three satellites in a process known as trilateration. Removing satellites from the GPS system might make it more difficult for receivers in some locations to receive signals from three satellites. This could make it more difficult to obtain accurate location data for some places on Earth, which would affect the accuracy of maps that rely on GPS. 30. A scientist could use a map that monitors changes in ice cover over time to see whether glaciers are shrinking. To observe these changes, the scientist would need ice cover data that is recorded over and over again at regular intervals. The scientist could use satellite imagery and GPS to collect this kind of data. A GIS can be used to compare ice cover over time and map any changes over time. 31.: Both of these maps use isolines to show data as it relates to the region on the map. In the case of topographic maps, the isolines show changes in surface elevation. Weather maps differ in that their isolines show changes in air pressure or temperature. In both cases, these isolines are drawn on a two-dimensional map of a particular region, usually with a few points of interest marked to help orient the user. In the topographic maps, scale and distance are very important; in weather maps, scale and distance are not as important. Chapter 2: Assessment Questions 1. the rigid outer layer of Earth, which includes the crust and uppermost mantle 2. living organisms in an area that interact with each other and the nonliving environment 3. the principle that states that the processes affecting geologic changes on Earth today are the same as they were in the past. 4. the process by which carbon moves through different parts of the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. 5. the gaseous layer above Earth’s surface 6. a phenomenon in which a system responds slowly to an initial perturbation but then begins changing rapidly once the perturbation reaches a certain level 7. large segments of the crust and uppermost mantle that float on the relatively hot, plastic rock beneath 8. includes glaciers, ice caps, permanent snow, and all of Earth’s frozen water Page 6 of 14 9. the variety of living organisms on Earth or in an ecosystem 10. water found below Earth’s surface within soil and rock 11. the principle that states that geologic change occurs over long periods of time due to small events 12. the principle that states that large catastrophic events shape geologic change 13. a mechanism whereby a system stays in balance; as one factor increases, it creates effects that then lead to the original factor decreasing 14. a sequential process or phenomenon that returns to its beginning and then repeats itself over and over 15. the movement of water through Earth’s spheres via precipitation, evaporation, and condensation 16. In what ways do the hydrosphere and the atmosphere overlap? 17. In what ways can the cryosphere affect the geosphere? 18. Describe ways that the atmosphere supports the biosphere, both directly and indirectly. 19.How can a volcanic eruption impact the entire Earth? 20. Use examples to describe the threshold effect. 21.How does a growing human population affect biodiversity? 22. Identify a feedback mechanism related to the dissolving of carbon dioxide in Earth’s oceans and rising global temperatures. Is the feedback mechanism you identified positive or negative? Explain why. 23. What role do bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle? 24. Compare and contrast gradualism and catastrophism. Which do you think has a bigger effect on Earth? Why? 25. Review the story of the reindeer on St. Matthew Island. How did being on an island affect the reindeer population? 26. Compare and contrast a system found within the human body, such as the circulatory system or digestive system, to an ecosystem. What characteristics make each of these a system? What is the benefit of using a systems approach to studying both the human body and complex ecosystems? Page 7 of 14 27. Review the environmental to-do list at the end of Lesson 2.2. Which of these steps do you think you can take action on now? How could you take action? Which of these steps do you think will be most challenging for the human population as a whole? Why? Chapter 2: ANSWER KEY 1. lithosphere 2. ecosystem 3. uniformitarianism 4. carbon cycle 5. atmosphere 6. threshold effect 7. tectonic plate 8. cryosphere 9. biodiversity 10. groundwater 11. gradualism 12. catastrophism 13. negative feedback mechanism 14. cycle 15. hydrologic cycle 16. Water vapor and cloud droplets in the air are part of the hydrosphere and part of the atmosphere. Water vapor in the air is therefore part of the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. 17. Glacial flow and retreat over the ground causes weathering and erosion. The weight of the ice can also depress the ground or cause the ground to rise. 18. Living organisms depend on the atmosphere as a source of oxygen and of carbon dioxide. The atmosphere also allows for circulation of heat and protection from solar radiation. Page 8 of 14 19. Volcanic eruptions emit large amounts of particles into the atmosphere. These particles can spread on atmospheric currents and cause changes to climate in areas far from the eruption by reflecting sunlight, which decreases the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth’s surface. 20. soil absorbing rain until it reaches its saturation point, after which flooding occurs, or populations growing until they exceed their carrying capacity, after which the population suddenly collapses. In the threshold effect, a system changes very little until a certain point is reached, at which point it changes rapidly. 21. Increased human population leads to increased demand for resources such as space, food, water, etc. Removal of these resources from the ecosystem is harmful to other organisms and can reduce biodiversity. 22. As global temperatures increase, ocean temperatures rise. Water is able to absorb less carbon dioxide as its temperature increases, so as ocean temperatures rise, the oceans release absorbed carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Higher atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide in turn increase the greenhouse effect, which causes the ocean temperatures to rise even more. This is an example of a positive feedback mechanism because the initial change of increased temperature causes a cascade effect that leads to additional temperature increases. 23. Bacteria convert nitrogen gas in the atmosphere into nitrites, nitrates, and ammonium. Plants are able to absorb nitrogen in these forms, so it becomes part of the food chain. Bacteria also play a role in breaking down organic compounds and releasing nitrogen gas back into the atmosphere. Chapter 3: Assessment Questions 1. a regularly repeating arrangement of atoms in solid form 2. an inorganic solid found in nature that has a definite chemical composition and crystal structure 3. fundamental unit of matter that cannot be divided by chemical means 4. an atom that has either lost or gained electrons to become electrically charged 5. a class of minerals that all contain silicon and oxygen 6. the color of a fine powder form of a mineral 7. a class of minerals that all contain sulfur and at least one other element 8. the characteristic shape of a single mineral crystal or crystal group 9. description of the way light interacts with the surface of a mineral Page 9 of 14 10. a ranking of minerals according to their resistance to scratching 11. a type of rock-forming silicate mineral that, along with mica, is common in granite and other continental rocks but rare in oceanic crust 12. the weight of a substance relative to an equal volume of water 13. an arrangement of four oxygen atoms around a silicon atom, forming the fundamental building block of all silicate minerals 14. a flat surface that develops as a crystalline solid grows freely in an uncrowded environment 15. the manner in which a mineral breaks other than along flat surfaces to form characteristic shapes 16. In terms of composition and structure, what do all minerals have in common and how can they differ? 17. Describe how the atoms that make up a crystalline mineral are arranged. 18. Explain why ice is considered a mineral but liquid water is not. 19. Explain what streak, luster, and cleavage are and how tests for these qualities help identify unknown minerals. 20. How is the specific gravity of a mineral found and how is it used in identifying an unknown mineral? 21. Explain how minerals are classified according to the elements that compose them. Give examples of three classes of minerals and describe their chemical makeup. 22. Which class of minerals is most abundant on Earth? How many groups is this class divided into and what is the basis for these different groups? 23. Explain the difference between ore minerals and industrial minerals and give examples of each. 24. What are gems and how are they distinguished from other minerals? 25. What is acid mine drainage and why is it a concern? 26. How are mining practices responsible for the mercury poisoning of osprey, large birds of prey native to parts of the United States? 27. How can grinding of certain minerals lead to conditions that threaten human health? Page 10 of 14 28. If you attended a rock and mineral show, you would be able to view many interesting specimens of both rocks and minerals. How would you be able to tell the difference between specimens that are rocks and specimens that are minerals? 29. Why is it useful to have a wide variety of characteristics that can be used to identify an unknown mineral instead of just a few? Give an example to support your answer. 30. Use the table to predict what would happen in each of the following scenarios. A. A piece of quartz is rubbed against a piece of topaz. B. A piece of fluorite is rubbed against a copper penny. C. An unknown mineral that scratches a steel file is rubbed against apatite. D. An unknown mineral that is scratched by fluorite is rubbed against window glass 31. Diamond and graphite are both native element minerals consisting of carbon. Diamond has a hardness of 10 on the Mohs’ scale, whereas graphite has a hardness of between 1 and 2. How can you explain the difference in hardness of these two minerals? 32 Heavy metals found in minerals pose little to no health risk to living things in their natural state. How do humans create conditions so that heavy metals in minerals become a significant health risk to themselves and to other living things? 33 Describe two hazards that can be present in buildings that arise from mineral sources. What minerals are involved and how do each result in a health hazard? Chapter 3: ANSWER KEY 1.crystal 2. mineral 3. element 4. ion 5. silicate Page 11 of 14 6. streak 7. sulfide 8. crystal habit 9. luster 10. Mohs’ scale 11. amphibole 12. specific gravity 13. silicate tetrahedron 14. crystal face 15. fracture 16. All minerals have a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure. They differ in the elements making up their chemical compositions and in the arrangement of atoms making up their crystal structures. 17. The atoms are arranged in a three-dimensional lattice in regularly repeating patterns. 18. Minerals are defined as inorganic crystalline solids. While water is an inorganic compound, it is only a crystalline solid when it is in the form of ice and not when it is in liquid form. 19. Streak is the color of a fine powder form of the mineral, luster is the way light reflects from a flat surface of the mineral, and cleavage is the way a crystal breaks along flat surfaces. If the unknown mineral is not harder than the streak plate, its color in powder form can be determined and compared to known minerals. The unknown can be examined to determine whether it has a lustrous appearance or cleavage pattern to compare to known minerals. 20. Each mineral has a characteristic specific gravity, which is the ratio of the mass of the mineral relative to the mass of water of the same volume. Because specific gravity is constant for all samples of the same mineral, it is an identifying feature and can be used as evidence to positively identify an unknown mineral. 21. Each mineral class has its own characteristic functional group. For example, the carbonates form one class based on the presence of the carbonate ion, which consists of the elements carbon and oxygen. Sulfides all contain the sulfide ion, Page 12 of 14 which contains only the element sulfur. The hydroxides all contain the hydroxide ion, which is made up of the elements oxygen and hydrogen. 22. The silicates are the most abundant class of minerals on Earth. This class is divided into five groups based on the silicate tetrahedron (SiO4 –4) as the fundamental unit making up the crystal structures of these minerals. 23. Metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron, and zinc can be extracted from ore minerals and used for various purposes. Industrial minerals are different because they do not contain metals, but they are valuable for other reasons. Some industrial minerals include halite, which is a source of table salt, apatite, which is a source of phosphate fertilizer, and calcite, which is used in making cement. 24. Gems are minerals that have value as objects of beauty rather than as materials that serve a specific function. Gems include diamonds, rubies, emeralds, garnet, and topaz. 25. Acid mine drainage occurs when inadequate controls are in place to prevent sulfur in the ore minerals from escaping into the environment during mining operations. The sulfur is transformed into sulfuric acid, which can dissolve exposed minerals at a mining site. Heavy metals leach out of the dissolved minerals into rivers, streams, and groundwater, where they can poison organisms and destroy ecosystems. 26. Gold miners contaminated mining sites with toxic mercury that they used to isolate gold from ore minerals. Over time, the mercury has washed into rivers and streams, where it has been incorporated into aquatic plants and microorganisms. The contamination has passed up the food chain as other organisms feed on these and are then eaten by still other organisms. Ospreys prey upon fish that have accumulated large amounts of mercury in their bodies over time. 27. When minerals are ground into a very fine dust, the dust becomes airborne and can enter human lungs as people breathe. Mineral dust that remains in the lungs can cause various health problems. For example, dust from silicates can cause inflammation and scarring of lung tissue, whereas dust from asbestos can cause cancer. 28. Rocks are aggregates of minerals. It may also be possible to see other material that is not classified as mineral such as shells or fossilized plant or animal material. A mineral, on the other hand, will be purer and more uniform in appearance since it will consist of only one material that has a specific chemical composition, shape that identifies it as crystalline and crystal habit that can be identified by examining how it undergoes cleavage and fracture. Page 13 of 14  29. It is useful to use as many characteristics as possible to help identify an unknown. The more characteristics that are examined, the more evidence is gathered to support the identification. For example, an unknown mineral might be thought to be quartz based on its color, luster, and cleavage. However, further analysis of its specific gravity and hardness might reveal that the unknown is not a match for quartz. Gathering information about an unknown is best done using as many different tests as possible to rule out false identifications. 30. a. The topaz would remain unscratched, but the quartz would be scratched. b. The fluorite would remain unscratched, but the copper penny would be scratched. c. The unknown mineral would remain unscratched, but the apatite would be scratched. d. The window glass would remain unscratched, but the unknown mineral would be scratched. 31. Sample answer: The two minerals have the same chemical composition, so they must differ in crystal structure to account for their differences in hardness. The crystal structure of diamond must be such that there are very strong bonds, making the crystal very strong and resistant to scratching and breakage. The crystal structure of graphite must be such that there are weaknesses in the structure so that a crystal of graphite can be easily scratched and broken. 32. When they are in their natural state, minerals are buried in Earth where they are not exposed to air and water in the external environment. Heavy metals are present in these minerals but are distributed across a large area so that they are present in very small concentrations in any one spot. The metals are also chemically bound in the crystal structures of the minerals and are not often exposed to conditions that dissolve the minerals, which would release the metals into the environment. When humans mine ore minerals, they dig them out of the ground, concentrate them, and expose them to conditions that release the heavy metals from the mineral crystal structures. 33. One condition is the presence of asbestos, which was used as an insulating material for many years. Breathing in small particles of asbestos can be harmful if they lodge in the lungs. the presence of radon gas that is released by uranium- containing minerals found deep underground. The uranium undergoes a natural decay, and radon is one of the products. Since radon is a gas, it can move through crevices in rock and seep into homes through the basement. Because radon is radioactive, it is carcinogenic. Page 14 of 14