4th Grade Science : Earth and Space Science
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for 4th Grade Science
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Example Questions
Example Question #71 : Earth And Space Science
Tsunamis are severe oceanic storms that cause extreme devastation. They are a series of waves that can be miles long, up to 100 feet high, and can travel at 400 miles per hour. They are caused by significant and sudden disturbances of the sea’s surface. Volcanic eruptions, landslides, earthquakes can trigger a tsunami. A massive wall of water will wash ashore, and there is very little time or warning for those who live in the communities nearby. The series of waves can last for hours, and massive flooding adds to the problem. If you find yourself in a tsunami, get to high ground, keep calm, do not drive, and follow instructions from local officials.
Melissa says that the best solution for reducing the impact tsunamis have on a city is to build a ten-foot wall around the city. Maggie thinks they should give all the residents boats so they can row away after the roads are flooded. Natalie says they should create a siren that goes off when there is a chance of a tsunami so people can evacuate. Brian thinks that each resident should build an emergency supply bag to keep in their car.
When comparing the four different solutions, which would most likely be the most expensive?
Building a ten-foot wall around the city
Rowboats for all residents
Emergency supply bags
Emergency siren
Building a ten-foot wall around the city
Tsunamis are a deadly natural hazard and very unpredictable storms. All of the friends came up with ideas to try and reduce the impact a tsunami would have on a town, but one would most likely be very expensive and impractical for a city. Melissa's idea of building a ten-foot-tall wall around the entire town would be too time-consuming, expensive, and labor-intensive. It would not be a practical solution.
Example Question #16 : Natural Earth Processes
The state of Florida wants to invest money in protecting residents and communities from hurricanes. Which solution would be the LEAST beneficial to residents and reduce the impact of a hurricane?
More education about the dangers of hurricanes
Build barriers around the beaches
Alarms when there is a storm
Improved monitoring systems
Build barriers around the beaches
Hurricanes are a deadly natural hazard and can be unpredictable. If a hurricane hits Florida, the storm will move directly past the beach barriers and continue moving inland. The barriers will not stop the wind, rain, or storm surge. This idea would be the LEAST beneficial to the community and would have no reduction in the impact of the storm.
Example Question #17 : Natural Earth Processes
True or False: There are no ways to reduce the impacts of Earth's processes on communities and the residents.
True
False
False
The statement in the question is false. There are many ways that we can reduce the impacts of Earth's processes on our residents and communities. Warning systems, research, emergency preparedness kits, and plans, code enforcements for storms on new construction, and evacuation plans are just a few of the methods we currently use.
Example Question #72 : Earth And Space Science
Students at Bowers Elementary are looking for inexpensive ways to reduce erosion around their local river. Which student's idea would be the most practical and least expensive?
- Aaliyah thinks the town should build a dam upriver and control the flow of water.
- Sean wants to plant trees and vegetation along the riverbank.
- Wayne thinks that installing concrete barriers along the river.
Aaliyah
Wayne
None of the ideas are practical or inexpensive
Sean
Sean
Sean's idea to plant new trees and vegetation is not only the least expensive and most practical but a common practice. Tree roots hold the dirt in place and can help the banks of the river from being washed away and sliding down into the current. The other ideas are expensive and not practical.
Example Question #1 : Measure Effects Of Weathering On Rate Of Erosion
Miranda's class was investigating how weathering affected the rate of erosion. They put chunks of bar soap in an aluminum foil tray and filled it about halfway with water. They measured the soap after soaking for about three hours and then sprayed the bar of soap with a squeeze bottle full of water. They observed bits of soap breaking off and floating in the water. They took final measurements and recorded them in the data chart below.
Based on this data, what had the most significant effect on the soap?
The effect is the same on the bar of soap
Soaking the bar of soap
Spraying the bar of soap
Scraping the bar of soap
Spraying the bar of soap
This observation is focused on the effect that weathering has on the rate of erosion. As wind and water break bits of material off, that material is moved to a new location. When looking at the data, there was a 45cm3 difference between the bar of soap at the beginning of the investigation and the end of soaking. When they measured the soap after spraying, it only had a volume of 2cm3, which was a decrease of 78cm3. Using the data from the observations, it can be concluded that spraying the soap has a more significant impact on its size and volume.
Example Question #2 : Measure Effects Of Weathering On Rate Of Erosion
Miranda's class was investigating how weathering affected the rate of erosion. They put chunks of bar soap in an aluminum foil tray and filled it about halfway with water. They soaked the soap for about three hours and then sprayed the bar of soap with a squeeze bottle full of water. Miranda noticed that when the soap was sitting in the water it was getting smaller but took a very long time. There was barely a change after the three hours. When they sprayed the bars of soap they broke down quickly and bits of soap began breaking off. They repeated the experiment with multiple bars of soap and saw the same results.
Does this process take a long time and how does your data show you the evidence?
No, this process does not take a long time. Miranda's class was very quickly able to see the effects of placing the soap in standing water.
Yes, this process takes a long time. Miranda noted that the entire experiment took three hours to break down the soap.
Yes, this process takes a long time. Miranda noted that after three hours, there was barely a change in the soap.
No, this process does not take a long time. Miranda thought it would take many more hours, so waiting for three hours so see a little change wasn't too bad.
Yes, this process takes a long time. Miranda noted that after three hours, there was barely a change in the soap.
The natural process of weathering and erosion happens very slowly, and this investigation was no different. After Miranda's class has placed the soap into the standing water, they waited three hours and barely saw a difference in the size and volume. There was only a 45cm3 difference in the volume after three hours. It was not until moving water by way of the spray bottles did things speed up. Had Miranda's class just left the soap to be eroded, it could have taken more than one school day to complete the process.
Example Question #3 : Measure Effects Of Weathering On Rate Of Erosion
Miranda's class was investigating how weathering affected the rate of erosion. They put chunks of bar soap in an aluminum foil tray and filled it about halfway with water. They soaked the soap for about three hours and then sprayed the bar of soap with a squeeze bottle full of water. Miranda noticed that when the soap was sitting in the water, it was getting smaller but took a very long time. There was barely a change after the three hours. When they sprayed the bars of soap, they broke down quickly, and bits of soap began breaking off. They repeated the experiment with multiple bars of soap and saw the same results.
What does this data tell you about moving water versus standing water and how it changes the landscape over time?
Moving water slows down the effect weathering has on erosion. It would change the landscape more slowly over time.
Moving water slows down the effect weathering has on erosion. It would change the landscape more quickly over time.
Moving water speeds up the effect weathering has on erosion. It would change the landscape more quickly over time.
Moving water speeds up the effect weathering has on erosion. It would change the landscape more slowly over time.
Moving water speeds up the effect weathering has on erosion. It would change the landscape more quickly over time.
Over time the wind, ice, vegetation, and water wear away small bits and pieces of sediment, rock, and other natural materials. Erosion takes these bits of material and moves them to a new location. When reviewing the observations and data from Miranda's investigation, one may notice that running water (the spray bottle) eroded more material in a shorter period. When comparing moving water and standing water, there is a significant difference, and running water would change the landscape more quickly.
Example Question #4 : Measure Effects Of Weathering On Rate Of Erosion
Scientists are studying different cliff faces and how their rates of erosion are affected by the slope of the rock formation. DJ thinks that the steeper the cliff, the higher or faster the rate of erosion will be. Matt says it will be the opposite, that the steeper the cliff is, the lower or slower the rate of erosion will be. They know gravity pulls rocks down, and this will have an effect on the cliff's erosion rate. Based on the data chart below, who is correct, and why?
Matt is correct because erosion requires something to have been weathered by wind, water, ice, or vegetation, and these things can't affect a lower slope.
Matt is correct because when a cliff is steeper, it does not allow the force of gravity to move more rock faster.
DJ is correct because when a cliff is steeper, it allows the force of gravity to move more rock faster.
DJ is correct because erosion requires something to have been weathered by wind, water, ice, or vegetation, and these things can't affect a steeper slope.
DJ is correct because when a cliff is steeper, it allows the force of gravity to move more rock faster.
DJ and Matt are both on the right track when they are thinking about rocks being pulled down and affected by gravity, but that is where the commonalities stop. DJ is correct in his thinking related to the steep rock cliffs. The steeper the cliff is, the sooner and faster it will be eroded. The steep slope allows the force of gravity to move more rock more quickly. When looking at the data, a trend can be seen, the higher the slope of the cliffside is, the sooner it will erode. A cliffside with a 30o slope will erode in 61 years compared to an 87o slope eroding in 24 years.
Example Question #5 : Measure Effects Of Weathering On Rate Of Erosion
Scientists are studying different cliff faces and how their rates of erosion are affected by the slope of the rock formation. Meredith wants to come up with a way to extend the amount of time that it takes for a cliff face to be completely eroded. What can Meridith recommend doing after reviewing the relationship between slope and erosion rate in the table below?
Building the cliffside up to increase the slope can decrease the amount of time it takes to erode.
Building the cliffside up to reduce the slope can increase the amount of time it takes to erode.
Tear the cliffside down to reduce the slope can decrease the amount of time it takes to erode.
Tearing the cliffside down to increase the slope can increase the amount of time it takes to erode.
Building the cliffside up to reduce the slope can increase the amount of time it takes to erode.
Meredith can use this data table to look for a pattern or connection between the slope of the cliffside and the average erosion rate. Based on the measurements recorded, the lower the slope, the longer it takes for the cliff to erode. Meredith could suggest building the cliffside up to reduce the slope so that scientists could increase the amount of time it would take to erode. The steep slope allows the force of gravity to move more rock faster, so by reducing the slope, the rock will not move as quickly.
Example Question #4 : Measure Effects Of Weathering On Rate Of Erosion
The data table below shows the width of the beach measured every two years.
What natural process is likely causing the beach to become shorter in width each year?
Erosion from ocean waves is washing the sand away
New animals are moving to the shore
Weathering is breaking rocks apart
Plants are growing and covering the beach
Erosion from ocean waves is washing the sand away
The natural process of weathering and erosion happens very slowly. Over time the wind, ice, vegetation, and water wear away small bits and pieces of sediment, rock, and other natural materials. Erosion takes these bits of material and moves them to a new location. In this example, erosion due to the ocean waves crashing onto the beach is washing away sand, causing it to be slowly moved out to sea, and the beach becomes shorter in width.
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