Problem: Two sister villages, both situated near volcanoes, experience daily earthquakes. Green village started recording an increased size and number of earthquakes one day. Blue village didn't experience a change in the number of earthquakes. Which village had less magma pushing upward into the magma chamber near them? Hint: Earthquakes may take place every day near a volcano. But before an eruption, the number and size of earthquakes increases. This is the result of magma pushing upward into the magma chamber. This motion causes stresses on neighboring rock to build up. Eventually the ground shakes. A continuous string of earthquakes may indicate that a volcano is about to erupt. Scientists use seismographs to record the length and strength of each earthquake.

A: Blue

Problem: Robert was watching the local news when he saw a report about a wildfire. The report stated that there was a brush fire in the southwest part of Texas, where it was currently daytime. When he switched the channel, he saw another report about a different wildfire. This one was a forest fire in the northwest part of Seattle, where it was currently nighttime. Which area, Texas or Seattle, will have higher temperatures at the time of the fire? Hint: Wildfire intensity increases during daytime hours. For example, burn rates of smoldering logs are up to five times greater during the day because of lower humidity, increased temperatures, and increased wind speeds. Sunlight warms the ground during the day and causes air currents to travel uphill, and downhill during the night as the land cools. Wildfires are fanned by these winds and often follow the air currents over hills and through valleys. United States wildfire operations revolve around a 24-hour fire day that begins at 10:00 a.m. because of the predictable increase in intensity resulting from the daytime warmth.

A: Texas

Problem: Mike is a biochemist, working for a science lab. Today, he has two organisms to investigate, organism A and organism B. He notices that organism A has enzymes, but organism B lacks enzymes. He needs to figure out how these conditions would affect the organisms. Under normal conditions, in which organism the chemical reactions would be more plausible, organism A or organism B? Hint: Most chemical reactions within organisms would be impossible under the normal conditions within cell. For example, the body temperature of most organisms is too low for reactions to occur quickly enough to carry out life processes. Reactants may also be present in such low concentrations that it is unlikely they will meet and collide. Therefore, the rate of most biochemical reactions must be increased by a catalyst. A catalyst is a chemical that speeds up chemical reactions. In organisms, catalysts are called enzymes .

A: organism A

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 might not contaminate the aquifer, 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 B