EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE MISCONCEPTIONS
Misconceptions are located on the left side of the tables, and references about the corresponding misconception are on the right.
STANDARD III: Students will understand that gravity, density, and convention move Earth's plates and this movement causes the plates to impact other Earth systems.
Objective 1: Explain the evidence that supports the theory of plate tectonics.
| Students believe that continents randomly drift about the earth. | Enchanted learning; USGS; |
Objective 2: Describe the processes within Earth that result in plate motion and relate it to changes in other Earth systems.
| Students believe volcanic island chains are formed because the hot spot is moving from underneath them. | A Hotspot Alternative; "Hotspots" |
STANDARD IV: Students will understand the water cycle through and between reservoirs in the hydrosphere and affects the other spheres of the Earth system.
Objective 1: Explain the water cycle in terms of its reservoirs, the movement between reservoirs, and the energy to move water. Evaluate the importance of freshwater to the biosphere.
| Students believe groundwater in California flows through underground rivers or occurs in subterranean lakes. | CFWC |
| Students believe groundwater and surface supplies are two totally separate systems. | CFWC |
| Students believe only water from oceans and lakes evaporates and not from streams and other sources. | CSULB |
| Students believe the water cycle involves freezing and melting of water. | CSULB |
| Students believe rain falls out of the sky when the clouds evaporate. | CSULB |
Objective 2: Analyze the physical and biological dynamics of the oceans.
| Students believe during a full moon, the moon has a higher gravitational pull, creating a higher tide. | JAL |
REFERENCES
A Hotspot Alternative- http://geology.about.com/library/weekly/aa011401a.htm
CFWC - http://www.cfwc.com/archives/farm_water_report/may95.html
CSULB - http://www.csulb.edu/~lhenriqu/NARST2000.htm
Enchanted Learning- http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/glossary/Contdrift.shtml
"Hotspots": Mantle thermal plumes- http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/hotspots.html
JAL - http://www.jal.cc.il.us/~mikolajsawicki/Tides_new2.pdf
Plate Tectonics Resources- http://www.platetectonics.com/index.asp
USGS- http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/dynamic.html