Eureka Questions Earth Science Physics Chemistry
Eureka! Questions What are the Eureka! questions? –These are a set of questions designed to review material you already should have learned in science What is the purpose of these questions? –To prepare all students for the Science section of the NJ ASK 8, a standardized test you take in the 8 th grade
Eureka Question 1 Name the layers of the Earth from the outside in toward the center. Please also draw and label a diagram of the layers.
Answer: Crust Mantle Outer Core Inner Core
Layers of the Earth
Eureka Question 2 What percentage (%) of the Earth is covered by water?
Answer: approximately 70-75%
Eureka Question 3 Why are oceans salty?
Answer: Runoff from minerals on land Decaying sea life
earthquakes (include a diagram with your description to illustrate) Eureka Question 4 What causes earthquakes (include a diagram with your description to illustrate)?
Answer: Stress builds up in the Earth’s crust due to the tectonic plates pushing on one another. Sometimes this results in a shifting of the crust.
Diagram
volcanoes to form (draw a diagram to illustrate) Eureka Question 5 What causes volcanoes to form (draw a diagram to illustrate)?
Answer: Molten (melted) material from inside the Earth escapes out an opening in the Earth’s crust. As time passes, new layers cool and harden on top of old layers, forming a conical shape.
Diagram
Eureka Question 6 How are igneous rocks formed?
Answer: Magma (molten rock) under the Earth’s crust cools and solidifies directly in the crust or reaches the Earth’s surface (now lava) and then cools and solidifies
Eureka Question 7 How are sedimentary rocks formed?
Answer: Layers of rock fragments, soil and minerals get pressed together Usually underwater
Eureka Question 8 How are metamorphic rocks formed?
Answer: Igneous and sedimentary rocks that have been changed due to high pressure and temperature
Eureka Question 9 What is weathering? How is it caused? Why is it important? (Hint: 3 part answer)
Answer: Weathering is …. – the breaking down of rock into smaller pieces. –Mechanical caused by water getting into cracks, freezing and expanding. also caused by plants breaking up rocks. –Chemical Caused by rain stripping minerals from rocks –important b/c it results in the formation of soil.
Eureka Question 10 What is erosion? What are the 3 main forces of erosion on Earth?
Answer: the moving of rock and soil that has been weathered the changing of the Earth’s surface by this movement 3 main forces are… –wind, water, glaciers