GACE Middle Grades Science Exam Questions With 100% Correct Answers

GACE Middle Grades Science Exam Questions With 100% Correct Answers Tidal hypothesis - answerTheory that the solar system started with a near collision of sun and large star. Few astronomers believe this theory. condensation hypothesis - answersolar system began with rotating clouds of dust and gas. Condensation happened in center to form sun, and smaller parts of clouds formed. More astronomers believe in this idea. Core - answerOuter core- liquid; inner core- solid. Very dense in center. Believed that core is 80% iron. Helps heat oceans. Mantle - answerSurrounds core. Semi-solid/plastic and the viscosity varies as pressures and temps. change at different depths. Crust - answerOutermost layer of the Earth. Least dense layer. Sedimentary rocks - answerforms when sediment collects and hardens; layers of sediment pile up and squeeze together; requires pressure Igneous rocks - answerrocks formed by the cooling of molten rock (either magma or lava) Metamorphic rocks - answerRocks formed when other rocks are put under extreme heat and pressure Foliated rocks - answermetamorphic rocks with crystals arranged in parallel layers or bands Unfoliated rocks - answermetamorphic rocks that are NOT layered Characteristics of minerals - answernon-living, formed in nature, solid in form, their atoms forming a crystalline pattern, and its chemical composition is fixed within narrow limits Soils - answerfine material covering the earth's surface composed of both mineral & organic material; dirt Sandy soils - answergritty, loose, water passes through rapidly Clay soils - answersmooth and greasy, are moist and do not let water through easily Loamy soils - answerVelvety, particles clump together, holds some water, but some can pass through Pedalfers - answerreddish soils/Aluminum and iron (Alfers) Al and Fe rust and turn red clay. Georgia. Rich in iron. Pedocals - answerfound in grasslands and brush in WESTERN north america, rich in calcium carbonate, gray-tan-white, dry and temperate Laterites - answerredish-orange soils that develop in hot, wet tropical climates, and are not good for farming Orogeny - answernatural mountain building Folded mountains - answerWhen rock layers are squeezed together and pushed upward. The Himalayas (formed when India collided with Asia), Mt. Everest Fault-block mountains - answerA mountain formed by blocks of rock uplifted from normal faults (e.g. Utah, Arizona, & New Mexico). Dome mountains - answermountains that form when magma pushes up on Earth's crust but does not break through. Appears a a large blister on surface Upwarped mountains - answerform when forces inside Earth push up the crust. Arching in crust Volcanic mountains - answerbuilt by successive deposits of volcanic materials. mountains that form when molten rock erupts onto the earth's surface volcanism - answerany activity that includes the movement of magma toward or onto Earth's surface active volcano - answersaid of a volcano that is erupting or has shown signs of erupting in the near future dormant volcano - answera volcano that is not erupting now, but that may erupt in the future extinct volcano - answerOne that is unlikely to erupt ever again. shield volcanoes - answerformed from layers of lava from repeated nonexplosive eruptions. Since the magma is runny, the lava coming out of the volcano tends to flow great distances.Over time the layers of lava create sloping sides cinder cone volcanoes - answerEruptions from cinder cone volcanoes are violent and explosive because of all the gas trapped in the magma. composite volcanoes - answerEruptions from composite volcanoes can be flowing lava or explosions. The explosive eruptions come from the trapped gases and produce cinders and ash. folded mountains - answerform when rock layers are squeezed together and pushed upward. appalachian mountains faults - answercracks in the earth's crust. movement can be horizontal, vertical, or oblique dip-slip fault - answera fault in which the movement is parallel to the dip of the fault. land is uneven. reverse faults - answerAre caused when rocks are compressed together, the hanging wall slides up, and the footwall slides down (convergent boundary) strike-slip fault - answerA type of fault in which rocks on either side move past each other sideways with little up or down motion. intrusive rock - answerigneous rock that was formed below the Earth's surface extrusive rock - answerigneous rock that was formed at the Earth's surface dikes - answerFormed when magma squeezes across rock layers and cools (vertically). sill - answera slab of volcanic rock formed when magma squeezes between layers of rock. laccolith - answeran igneous intrusion that has been forced between two layered rock units. very thick and does not flow easily. creates surface dome. caldera - answerThe large hole at the top of a volcano formed when the roof of a volcano's magma chamber collapses. inactive volcano - answerVolcano that has been dead for years and has no chance of erupting again glacier - answerlarge mass of ice that moves or flows over the land in response to gravity. valley glaciers - answerproduce sharp peaked mountains. u-shaped eroision continental glaciers - answerglaciers that ride over mountains causing smooth, rounding mountains erosion - answercondition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water, ice, or wind. running water removes rocks and moves from original location. weathering - answerThe breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface. physical weathering - answerweathering that changes the shape and size of rocks without changing the chemical makeup of the rock. freezing of water, expansion of rock, activities of plants and animals