Title: Performance Benchmark E.12.A.1
1High School Science Proficiency Review
Performance Benchmark E.12.A.1 Students know
the Sun is the major source of Earths energy,
and provides the energy driving Earths weather
and climate.
2Earths surface absorbs mainly which types of
energy?
- Ultraviolet light and x-rays
- Infrared and visible light
- Ultraviolet and infrared light
- Visible and ultraviolet light
3Earths surface absorbs mainly which types of
energy?
Most Ultraviolet (UV) is blocked by the ozone
layer.
- Ultraviolet light and x-rays
- Infrared and visible light
- Ultraviolet and infrared light
- Visible and ultraviolet light
We can see visible light. We can feel the warmth
of infrared (IR).
4 The energy source driving Earths weather comes
from
a. the Earths core through heat conduction.b.
release of radiant heat energy through volcanic
activity.c. the Sun through electromagnetic
radiation.d. the Moon through tides.
5 The energy source driving Earths weather comes
from
a. the Earths core through heat conduction.b.
release of radiant heat energy through volcanic
activity.c. the Sun through electromagnetic
radiation.d. the Moon through tides.
The moon is only illuminated by the suns light,
it does not produce energy.
6 The energy source driving Earths weather comes
from
a. the Earths core through heat conduction.b.
release of radiant heat energy through volcanic
activity.c. the Sun through electromagnetic
radiation.d. the Moon through tides.
Both a and b produce heat energy, but not enough
to warm the atmosphere of the earth.
7The energy source driving Earths weather comes
from
a. the Earths core through heat conduction.b.
release of radiant heat energy through volcanic
activity.c. the Sun through electromagnetic
radiation.d. the Moon through tides.
Solar Energy - reaches the Earth in the form of
radiant energy, and makes up 99 of the energy
received by the Earth.
8The Earths surface mainly gives off (radiates)
which form of energy?
a. Infrared lightb. Visible lightc.
Ultraviolet lightd. The Earths surface does not
give off energy
9The Earths surface mainly gives off (radiates)
which form of energy?
a. Infrared lightb. Visible lightc.
Ultraviolet lightd. The Earths surface does not
give off energy
Watch out for this one you may think no energy
is given off by the Earths surface, but that is
not true.
10The Earths surface mainly gives off (radiates)
which form of energy?
a. Infrared lightb. Visible lightc.
Ultraviolet lightd. The Earths surface does not
give off energy
It is not emitting visible light otherwise it
would not appear dark at night.
11The Earths surface mainly gives off (radiates)
which form of energy?
a. Infrared lightb. Visible lightc.
Ultraviolet lightd. The Earths surface does not
give off energy
It is radiating HEAT or Infrared (IR) radiation
that was previously absorbed from the sun.
12About 70 of the Suns energy directed toward
Earth is absorbed by the Earths surface, clouds,
and atmosphere. What happens to the rest of the
energy?
a. The energy is lost as it overcomes the Suns
gravity.b. The energy is reflected by clouds,
water, and land back into space.c. The energy
is diminished as it travels through space.d.
The energy is reflected by the Moon back into
space
13What happens to the rest of the energy?
a. The energy is lost as it overcomes the Suns
gravity.b. The energy is reflected by clouds,
water, and land back into space.c. The energy
is diminished as it travels through space.d.
The energy is reflected by the Moon back into
space
No way the moon is too small.
14What happens to the rest of the energy?
a. The energy is lost as it overcomes the Suns
gravity.b. The energy is reflected by clouds,
water, and land back into space.c. The energy
is diminished as it travels through space.d.
The energy is reflected by the Moon back into
space
Need a reason for it to diminish.
15What happens to the rest of the energy?
a. The energy is lost as it overcomes the Suns
gravity.b. The energy is reflected by clouds,
water, and land back into space.c. The energy
is diminished as it travels through space.d.
The energy is reflected by the Moon back into
space
Of the Suns incoming energy, about 30 is
reflected back to space.
16Weather is caused by the Suns energy warming the
Earths surface unevenly. Which of the following
is NOT a contributing factor to this uneven
warming?
a. Different surfaces warm at different
rates.b. Different surfaces retain energy
differently.c. The Sun is farther away during
the winter.d. The Suns rays strike the surface
at different angles depending on latitude.
17Weather is caused by the Suns energy warming the
Earths surface unevenly. Which of the following
is NOT a contributing factor to this uneven
warming?
TRUE
a. Different surfaces warm at different
rates.b. Different surfaces retain energy
differently.c. The Sun is farther away during
the winter.d. The Suns rays strike the surface
at different angles depending on latitude.
TRUE
NOT
TRUE
That is a common misconception the sun is NOT
farther away, the TILT of the earth is the reason
for the seasons.
18More of the Suns energy is received at the
Earths tropical regions than in the arctic
regions because the tropical regions
a. are covered by a greater area of land.b.
have more vegetation that absorbs the Suns
energy.c. have a thinner atmosphere than the
polar regions.d. receive sun rays closest to
vertical.
19More of the Suns energy is received at the
Earths tropical regions than in the arctic
regions because the tropical regions
a. are covered by a greater area of land.b.
have more vegetation that absorbs the Suns
energy.c. have a thinner atmosphere than the
polar regions.d. receive sun rays closest to
vertical.
NO
NOT NECESSARILY
NO WAY
Tropical regions (by the equator) receive more
direct sunlight
20Tropical regions (by the equator) receive more
direct sunlight
21The following figure shows the angle of the suns
rays hitting two different locations on the
Earths surface. Which of the statements about
the figure is most correct?
A
B
22a. Area A near the pole and Area B near the
equator. Warming of the Earth is more with Area B
than Area A because Suns energy is spread over a
wider area.b. Area A near the pole and Area B
near the equator. Warming of the Earth is more
with Area A than Area B because the atmosphere is
thinner at the equator.c. Area A near the
equator and Area B near the pole. Warming of
the Earth is more with Area A than Area B because
the atmosphere is thinner at the equator.d. Area
A near the equator and Area B near the pole.
Warming of the Earth is more with Area A than
Area B because the Suns energy is concentrated
within a smaller area.
A
B
Area A has to be near equator due to direct
sunlight.
23a. Area A near the pole and Area B near the
equator. Warming of the Earth is more with Area B
than Area A because Suns energy is spread over a
wider area.b. Area A near the pole and Area B
near the equator. Warming of the Earth is more
with Area A than Area B because the atmosphere is
thinner at the equator.c. Area A near the
equator and Area B near the pole. Warming of
the Earth is more with Area A than Area B because
the atmosphere is thinner at the equator.d. Area
A near the equator and Area B near the pole.
Warming of the Earth is more with Area A than
Area B because the Suns energy is concentrated
within a smaller area.
A
B
Atmosphere is not thinner anywhere
24a. Area A near the pole and Area B near the
equator. Warming of the Earth is more with Area B
than Area A because Suns energy is spread over a
wider area.b. Area A near the pole and Area B
near the equator. Warming of the Earth is more
with Area A than Area B because the atmosphere is
thinner at the equator.c. Area A near the
equator and Area B near the pole. Warming of
the Earth is more with Area A than Area B because
the atmosphere is thinner at the equator.d. Area
A near the equator and Area B near the pole.
Warming of the Earth is more with Area A than
Area B because the Suns energy is concentrated
within a smaller area.
A
B
This is the best choice.