Earth Science I · Weather and Climate
Virginia SOL ES.12
Virginia SOL ES.12 is part of the Weather and Climate strand in Earth Science I (Science). Under this Standards of Learning objective, students investigate and understand Earth's weather and climate as a result of the interaction of the sun's energy with the atmosphere, oceans, and land. Below is what ES.12 covers in plain language, the specific skills it is assessed on, the key concepts to review, and how to practice ES.12 for the Virginia SOL test.
What SOL ES.12 means
Investigate and understand Earth's weather and climate as a result of the interaction of the sun's energy with the atmosphere, oceans, and land.
Practice Earth Science I SOL questions
Free Earth Science I questions from official Virginia Department of Education released SOL tests — good practice while you work on ES.12 and the rest of the course. Pick an answer to check it instantly, or open “Show answer” to review.
1. Limestone is a valuable resource in Virginia because it can be processed to make —
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Answer: C — concrete
2. Lightweight and strong, the metal most successfully recycled is —
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Answer: C — aluminum
3. Sand dunes on Mars that shift over time indicate the presence of —
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Answer: B — winds
4. Which planet has an orbit so eccentric that it crosses another planet’s orbit?
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Answer: D — Pluto
Skills you’ll practice for ES.12
- Explain how weather involves the reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution of energy over short to medium time spans.
- Predict weather patterns based on changes in current conditions.
- Explain how extreme imbalances in energy distribution in the oceans, atmosphere, and land may lead to severe weather conditions.
- Use models based on current conditions to predict weather phenomena.
- Analyze how changes in the atmosphere and oceans due to natural and human activity affect global climate.
Key concepts covered by ES.12
- energy transfer
- weather systems
- heat redistribution
- atmospheric energy
- weather prediction
- meteorology
- atmospheric data
- forecasting
- energy imbalance
- severe weather
- hurricanes
- tornadoes
- weather models
- numerical weather prediction
- atmospheric modeling
- climate change
- global warming
- anthropogenic impact
- ocean-atmosphere interaction
How to study and practice SOL ES.12
Start with a quick diagnostic to see whether ES.12 is already solid, then work each skill above with guided notes, flashcards, and SOL-style practice questions. For official released items, see our Virginia SOL practice tests guide and how to study for the SOL test.
Frequently asked questions about SOL ES.12
What is Virginia SOL ES.12?
SOL ES.12 is a Earth Science I Standard of Learning in the Weather and Climate strand. It expects students to investigate and understand Earth's weather and climate as a result of the interaction of the sun's energy with the atmosphere, oceans, and land.
What skills does SOL ES.12 cover?
SOL ES.12 is assessed on 5 skills: explain how weather involves the reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution of energy over short to medium time spans; predict weather patterns based on changes in current conditions; explain how extreme imbalances in energy distribution in the oceans, atmosphere, and land may lead to severe weather conditions; use models based on current conditions to predict weather phenomena; analyze how changes in the atmosphere and oceans due to natural and human activity affect global climate.
What strand of Earth Science I is SOL ES.12 in?
SOL ES.12 belongs to the Weather and Climate reporting strand of the Earth Science I Virginia Standards of Learning.
How do I study and practice for SOL ES.12?
Start with a diagnostic to see whether ES.12 is already solid, then work the 5 skills above with guided notes, flashcards, and SOL-style practice questions. For official released items, see the Virginia SOL practice tests guide.