Question 1

Which of the following is not a true statement?

Accepted Answer

A)  Radioactive materials in rocks are used by geologists as clocks to record the age of a rock 
B)  Meteorites found on Earth cannot be older than the age of the Earth 
C)  Geologists estimated the Earth's age to be about 4.6 billion years old based on evidence from the Moon and the meteorites that had fallen from our Solar System to the Earth's surface 
D)  The primordial Earth had no crust, oceans, and an atmosphere different from modern time 
E)  James Hutton recognized that the rocks he studied must have been older than modern human existence since it took so long for the rocks to weather and be redeposited elsewhere 
A)  Radioactive materials in rocks are used by geologists as clocks to record the age of a rock 
B)  Meteorites found on Earth cannot be older than the age of the Earth 
C)  Geologists estimated the Earth's age to be about 4.6 billion years old based on evidence from the Moon and the meteorites that had fallen from our Solar System to the Earth's surface 
D)  The primordial Earth had no crust, oceans, and an atmosphere different from modern time 
E)  James Hutton recognized that the rocks he studied must have been older than modern human existence since it took so long for the rocks to weather and be redeposited elsewhere B

Question 2

Explain when single-cellular life evolved on Earth and then discuss how circumstances in the Earth's atmosphere led to the evolution of multicellular life on Earth.

Accepted Answer

Single-cellular life evolved as early as 3.8 billion years which was 800 million years after Earth formed. Most of geologic time contained some form of life (mainly single-cellular life). However, oxygenation of atmosphere from stromatolites and volcanoes created the ozone layer which allowed multi-cellular life to evolve.

Question 3

Explain how parts of the Hudson Bay region is uplifting at a rate of up to 10 centimeters per year.

Accepted Answer

Continental ice sheets from the Last Ice Age depressed the land because of its sheer weight. As the ice melted, the land rebounded.

Question 4

If the granite that now forms Mount Rushmore melted and crystallized 1.7 billion years ago, this region was experiencing "what" type of geologic phenomena at that time? ______________________________

Accepted Answer

The answer of If the granite that now forms Mount...

Question 5

Which specific Earth sphere would include the rigid, outer part of the Earth which includes oceanic crust, continental crust, and the uppermost portion of the mantle?

Accepted Answer

A)  Atmosphere 
B)  Biosphere 
C)  Geosphere 
D)  Hydrosphere 
E)  Lithosphere 
A)  Atmosphere 
B)  Biosphere 
C)  Geosphere 
D)  Hydrosphere 
E)  Lithosphere

Question 6

Which of the following is not true regarding the Earth's system and its energy and material cycles?

Accepted Answer

A)  Energy in the atmosphere can change form such as changing from a vapor to a liquid when rain is formed 
B)  Energy is received from outer space via ultraviolet radiation which in turn emits heat on Earth 
C)  Runoff from rain events allows water to flow back to the oceans which is a form of conserving energy 
D)  Matter and energy are always depleted on Earth because of energy and material cycles 
E)  Various material cycles such as the rock cycle, water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle are interconnected and allow energy and transformations for energy from one cycle to another 
A)  Energy in the atmosphere can change form such as changing from a vapor to a liquid when rain is formed 
B)  Energy is received from outer space via ultraviolet radiation which in turn emits heat on Earth 
C)  Runoff from rain events allows water to flow back to the oceans which is a form of conserving energy 
D)  Matter and energy are always depleted on Earth because of energy and material cycles 
E)  Various material cycles such as the rock cycle, water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle are interconnected and allow energy and transformations for energy from one cycle to another

Question 7

Multicellular life has existed for over 3.8 billion years and appeared in the rock record prior to single-cellular life.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Explain how denser materials got into the Earth's core in its early stage of formation.

Accepted Answer

Denser materials sun

Question 9

During the early stage of the Earth's formation, a majority of the material on the planet was molten which means that no crust existed at that time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Which of the Earth's spheres contain freshwater from glaciers, groundwater, lakes, and rivers? ______________________________

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the Earth's spheres contain freshwater...

Question 11

Which of the following is not a true statement?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Mayan Civilization from the 3rd to the 9th centuries supported between 1800 and 2600 people per square mile but the population crashed when up to 95% of the people died 
B)  Anasazi civilizations in the American Southwest disappeared in the 13th century 
C)  Viking colonies starved to death in Greenland 
D)  Each of these population thresholds were unable to decline back to a sustainable level and catastrophically collapsed 
E)  An increase in global population could increase the chances for a new population threshold to be reached that could lead to global collapse of human populations because food and water resources would be limited
F) All of the above are true statements 
A)  The Mayan Civilization from the 3rd to the 9th centuries supported between 1800 and 2600 people per square mile but the population crashed when up to 95% of the people died 
B)  Anasazi civilizations in the American Southwest disappeared in the 13th century 
C)  Viking colonies starved to death in Greenland 
D)  Each of these population thresholds were unable to decline back to a sustainable level and catastrophically collapsed 
E)  An increase in global population could increase the chances for a new population threshold to be reached that could lead to global collapse of human populations because food and water resources would be limited
F) All of the above are true statements

Question 12

Planetesimals, asteroids, and comets crashed into the early Earth's surface which provided the only source of internal heat for Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Explain how the crust, mantle, and inner/outer core are different in composition.

Accepted Answer

The continental crust is made of granite

Question 14

In which of the Earth's layers would you expect a volcanic eruption to occur on dry land like the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption?

Accepted Answer

A)  Continental Crust 
B)  Oceanic Crust 
C)  Mantle 
D)  Outer Core 
E)  Inner Core 
A)  Continental Crust 
B)  Oceanic Crust 
C)  Mantle 
D)  Outer Core 
E)  Inner Core

Question 15

In which of the Earth's spheres would you classify mountains such as the Rocky Mountain range?

Accepted Answer

A)  Atmosphere 
B)  Biosphere 
C)  Geosphere 
D)  Hydrosphere 
A)  Atmosphere 
B)  Biosphere 
C)  Geosphere 
D)  Hydrosphere

Question 16

Explain potential reasons for the decline of the Mayan, Anasazi, and Viking populations with regards to over-utilization of the Earth's resources and apply to that to the current overpopulation of humans on Earth today.

Accepted Answer

These populations grew rapidly in popula

Question 17

Explain how the layers of the Grand Canyon are supported by the Principle of Uniformitarianism yet identify how catastrophic change is documented as "clues" in the rocks of the Grand Canyon.

Accepted Answer

Gradual sea level changes and deposition

Question 18

Explain how denser materials got into the Earth's core in its early stage of formation.

Accepted Answer

Denser materials sun

Question 19

Which of the following is not a true statement?

Accepted Answer

A)  When the Earth's temperature increases, the rate of decomposition of organic soil increases adding more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere 
B)  When more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, the Earth's overall mean temperature stabilizes 
C)  Carbon dioxide emissions from fires, factories, energy production plants, and transportation machines have caused the overall concentration to carbon dioxide to reach its highest level in over 420,000 years 
D)  The carbon dioxide emissions to Earth's climate have caused the Earth's mean annual temperature to increase by 0.8°C 
A)  When the Earth's temperature increases, the rate of decomposition of organic soil increases adding more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere 
B)  When more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, the Earth's overall mean temperature stabilizes 
C)  Carbon dioxide emissions from fires, factories, energy production plants, and transportation machines have caused the overall concentration to carbon dioxide to reach its highest level in over 420,000 years 
D)  The carbon dioxide emissions to Earth's climate have caused the Earth's mean annual temperature to increase by 0.8°C

Question 20

Slow movement of plates may not have noticeable alteration of Earth systems over decades or centuries, however over hundreds of millions of years, the effects are what? ______________________________

Accepted Answer

The answer of Slow movement of plates may not have...

Exam 1: Earth Systems

Which of the following is not a true statement?

Explain when single-cellular life evolved on Earth and then discuss how circumstances in the Earth's atmosphere led to the evolution of multicellular life on Earth.

Explain how parts of the Hudson Bay region is uplifting at a rate of up to 10 centimeters per year.

If the granite that now forms Mount Rushmore melted and crystallized 1.7 billion years ago, this region was experiencing "what" type of geologic phenomena at that time? ______________________________

Which specific Earth sphere would include the rigid, outer part of the Earth which includes oceanic crust, continental crust, and the uppermost portion of the mantle?

Which of the following is not true regarding the Earth's system and its energy and material cycles?

Multicellular life has existed for over 3.8 billion years and appeared in the rock record prior to single-cellular life.

Explain how denser materials got into the Earth's core in its early stage of formation.

During the early stage of the Earth's formation, a majority of the material on the planet was molten which means that no crust existed at that time.

Which of the Earth's spheres contain freshwater from glaciers, groundwater, lakes, and rivers? ______________________________

Which of the following is not a true statement?

Planetesimals, asteroids, and comets crashed into the early Earth's surface which provided the only source of internal heat for Earth.

Explain how the crust, mantle, and inner/outer core are different in composition.

In which of the Earth's layers would you expect a volcanic eruption to occur on dry land like the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption?

In which of the Earth's spheres would you classify mountains such as the Rocky Mountain range?

Explain potential reasons for the decline of the Mayan, Anasazi, and Viking populations with regards to over-utilization of the Earth's resources and apply to that to the current overpopulation of humans on Earth today.

Explain how the layers of the Grand Canyon are supported by the Principle of Uniformitarianism yet identify how catastrophic change is documented as "clues" in the rocks of the Grand Canyon.

Explain how denser materials got into the Earth's core in its early stage of formation.

Which of the following is not a true statement?

Slow movement of plates may not have noticeable alteration of Earth systems over decades or centuries, however over hundreds of millions of years, the effects are what? ______________________________

Minerals

Rocks

Geologic Time: a Story in the Rocks

Geologic Resources

The Active Earth: Plate Tectonics

Earthquakes and the Earths Structure

Volcanoes and Plutons

Mountains

Weathering, Soil, and Erosion

Fresh Water: Streams, Lakes, Ground Water, and Wetlands

Water Resources

Glaciers and Ice Ages

Deserts and Wind

Ocean Basins

Oceans and Coastlines

The Atmosphere

Energy Balance in the Atmosphere

Moisture, Clouds, and Weather

Climate

Climate Change

Motions in the Heavens

Planets and Their Moons

Stars, Space, and Galaxies

Filters