Problem: Ants are one of the most interesting creatures on earth. David wants to study ants for his biology project. He is specifically interested in ant species Acromyrmex heyeri. This semester he studied this ant in Americas. First day when he studied the ants the temperature was 10 degree Centigrade. In the second day of his study the temperature rose to 25 degree Centigrade. In the third day of his study the air humidity was high. But in the fourth day of his study air humidity dropped. David wants to continue his study of this same ant species in Asia next semester. Which day David woud see less openings in the nest thatch, first day or second day? Hint: Acromyrmex heyeri is a species of leaf-cutter ant, a New World ant of the subfamily Myrmicinae of the genus Acromyrmex. Acromyrmex heyeri workers construct the colonies nest by thatching together cut grass. At temperatures ranging from 2030 C, workers created more openings in the nest thatch as the internal nest temperature goes up as a method of temperature regulation for the colony. The workers will close openings in the nest thatch as the air humidity surrounding the nest decreases to reduce water loss for the colony.

A: first day

Problem: Lawmakers were debating the pros and cons of Keystone XL Pipeline. One group of lawmakers proposed that the pipeline be constructed. They put their proposal in proposal A. The rival group of lawmakers proposed that the pipeline should not be build. They put their proposal in proposal B. Lawmakers would now have to choose one of the proposals. Which proposal would not benefit agriculture, proposal A or proposal B? Hint: The Keystone XL Pipeline would transport oil from the oil sands in Alberta, Canada. The oil would travel into the United States. In the U.S. it would be refined. The pipeline is controversial. A leak could cause damage to wildlife habitat. A leak could also release enough oil to contaminate the Ogallala Aquifer. The Aquifer is crucial to agriculture and urban development in the Midwestern U.S. When burned, the fuel from the oil sands would increase pollutants. Greenhouse gases into the atmosphere would increase. The future of the pipeline is currently on hold.

A: proposal A

Problem: Two oceans have divergent plate boundaries at the bottom of their floor. The Arctic ocean has a single dormant divergent plate, while the Pacific ocean has seven diverging tectonic plates under its waters. Which ocean experiences less volcanism? Hint: At the mid-oceanic ridges, two tectonic plates diverge from one another as new oceanic crust is formed by the cooling and solidifying of hot molten rock. Because the crust is very thin at these ridges due to the pull of the tectonic plates, the release of pressure leads to adiabatic expansion (without transfer of heat or matter) and the partial melting of the mantle, causing volcanism and creating new oceanic crust. Most divergent plate boundaries are at the bottom of the oceans; therefore, most volcanic activity on the Earth is submarine, forming new seafloor. Black smokers (also known as deep sea vents) are evidence of this kind of volcanic activity. Where the mid-oceanic ridge is above sea-level, volcanic islands are formed; for example, Iceland.

A: Arctic

Problem: Hammond and Trip were two cities on the Eastern and Western shores of lake Michigan. They both get lots of snow during winter, but the lake effect snow which adds feet of snow to the yearly total, lingers much longer on the eastern side of the lake. Which city has more problems with low visibility because of lake-effect snow? Hint: Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water, warming the lower layer of air which picks up water vapor from the lake, rises up through the colder air above, freezes and is deposited on the leeward (downwind) shores.[1] The same effect also occurs over bodies of salt water, when it is termed ocean-effect or bay-effect snow. The effect is enhanced when the moving air mass is uplifted by the orographic influence of higher elevations on the downwind shores. This uplifting can produce narrow but very intense bands of precipitation, which deposit at a rate of many inches of snow each hour, often resulting in a large amount of total snowfall.

A:
Hammond