Science Midterm Study Guide
Topics: Chapters 1-6 & Chapter 7.1-7.3*
*Chapter 7 will only appear on your midterm if we have time to cover these concepts in class before the midterm exam.
Format: Vocabulary (fill in the blank or matching), Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Label the Diagrams
Study Tips: Review notes, Quizlet, End of Chapter Study Guides, Review Textbook
*Chapter 7 will only appear on your midterm if we have time to cover these concepts in class before the midterm exam.
Here is what you should know from each chapter:
Chapter 1
o Identify and explain the skills that scientists use to learn about the world:
o Observing
o Classifying
o Making Models
o Inferring
o Predicting
o Analyzing
o Explain what scientific investigations involve
o Explain the difference between scientific and nonscientific thinking (including pseudoscience)
o Explain what scientific inquiry is and how it involves posing questions and developing hypotheses
o Explain how to design and conduct an experiment so that it uses sound scientific principles (ex: controlled experiments, repeated trials, etc.)
o Identify dependent and independent variables in scientific investigations
o Identify sources of error in scientific investigations
o Important Vocabulary:
o Science
o Observation
o Quantitative Observation
o Qualitative Observation
o Inferring
o Predicting
o Analyzing
o Pseudoscience
o Scientific Inquiry
o Hypothesis
o Independent Variable
o Dependent Variable
o Controlled Experiment
o Bias
o Replication
Chapter 2
o Explain what the SI system is and why scientists use it
o Know the SI units for length, mass, weight, volume, density, time and temperature
o Be able to convert between SI units and compare the size of units (there will not be a unit ladder on the exam!)
o Know the formula for density and use it to calculate the density or mass or volume of an object
o Know how to use math tools including mean, median, mode, range and percent error
o Know the difference between accuracy and precision
o Know what significant figures are and be able to use correct significant figures in addition/subtraction and multiplication/division
o Use graphs to identify trends, make predictions and recognize anomalous data
o Review the laboratory safety rules from the beginning of the year
o Important Vocabulary:
o Metric System
o International System of Units (SI)
o Mass
o Weight
o Volume
o Meniscus
o Density
o Estimate
o Significant Figures
o Mean
o Median
o Mode
o Range
o Anomalous Data
o Percent Error
o Graph
o Linear Graph
o Nonlinear Graph
o Outlier
Chapter 3
o Know the 4 main spheres of the Earth: atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere) and be able to give examples of each
o Know that sun is the main source of energy for all of the spheres
o Explain that lands are constantly being created and destroyed by competing forces
o Explain what constructive forces are and give examples
o Explain what destructive forces are and give examples
o Know what weathering and erosion are and how these forces shape the Earth’s surface
o Know the layers of the Earth and be able to label them on a diagram
o Describe how pressure and temperature change between each layer of the Earth
o Describe the composition of the main layers of the Earth
o Explain the 3 types of heat transfer
o Know how temperature affects a liquid’s density
o Know what convection currents are and be able to explain how they work in the Earth
o Important Vocabulary:
o Atmosphere
o Geosphere
o Hydrosphere
o Biosphere
o Constructive Force
o Destructive Force
o Crust
o Basalt
o Granite
o Mantle
o Lithosphere
o Asthenosphere
o Outer Core
o Inner Core
Chapter 4
o Explain Wegener’s hypothesis about the continents
o Explain what mid-ocean ridges are and how they are formed
o Explain the process of sea-floor spreading
o Explain what happens at deep ocean trenches
o Know the theory of plate tectonics
o Explain the motion of the tectonic plates and why they move
o Know the three types of plate boundaries
o Explain how different landforms result from different plate boundaries
o Important Vocabulary:
o Continental Drift
o Pangaea
o Fossil
o Mid Ocean Ridge
o Sea Floor Spreading
o Deep Ocean Trench
o Subduction
o Plate
o Divergent Boundary
o Transform Boundary
o Divergent Boundary
o Plate Tectonics
o Fault
o Rift Valley
Chapter 5
o Explain the 3 forces in the earth’s crust that change the shape and volume of rock over millions of years
o Know what a fault is and how it forms
o Know the 3 different types of faults and be ale to explain the movement that occurs at each fault
o Be able to identify faults based on diagrams
o Know how anticlines and synclines are formed
o Know how fold mountains and fault block mountains are formed
o Know the types of seismic waves
o Describe at least one of the scales used to measure earthquakes
o Explain what an earthquake’s focus and epicenter is
o Important Vocabulary:
o Stress
o Tension
o Compression
o Shearing
o Normal Fault
o Reverse Fault
o Strike-Slip Fault
o Earthquake
o Focus
o Epicenter
o P Wave
o S Wave
Chapter 6
o Explain how volcanoes form at boundaries of tectonic plates
o Know which boundaries can lead to the formation of volcanoes
o Know what a hot spot is and where it is located
o Know the parts of a volcano (be able to label a diagram of a volcano)
o Know the difference between quiet and explosive eruptions
o Know the 3 stages of a volcano’s activity
o Know what a pyroclastic flow is and why it causes destruction
o Know the landforms that result from lava
o Know the landforms that result from magma
o Important Vocabulary:
o Volcano
o Ring of Fire
o Magma
o Lava
o Hot Spot
o Magma Chamber
o Pipe
o Vent
o Lava Flow
o Crater
o Silica
o Pyroclastic Flow
o Dormant
o Extinct
o Caldera
o Cinder Cone
o Composite Volcano
o Shield Volcano
o Volcanic Neck
o Dike
o Sill
o Batholith
Chapter 7
**This is new material. These topics will appear on your midterm exam only if we have time to cover them in class.**
o Explain how fossils form
o Describe the different types of fossils
o Explain why scientists research fossils
o Explain how the age of rock changes in each layer of rock
o Explain how layers can change order
o Explain radioactive decay
o Calculate the age of rocks using an element’s half life
o Explain how scientists use radioactive dating to determine the ages of materials
o Important Vocabulary:
o Fossil
o Mold
o Cast
o Petrified Fossil
o Carbon Film
o Trace Fossil
o Paleontologist
o Evolution
o Extinct
o Relative Age
o Absolute Age
o Law of Superposition
o Extrusion
o Intrusion
o Fault
o Index Fossil
o Unconformity
o Radioactive Decay
o Half-Life