Deck 1: Introduction to Earth Science

Question 1

Geologists primarily would study which phenomenon?

A) stars and galaxies
B) marine life and ocean currents
C) clouds and precipitation
D) rocks and minerals

Answer 1

rocks and minerals

Question 2

If someone says that an idea is "only a theory" and implies that this means it can be dismissed, is this a valid viewpoint?

A) The viewpoint is accurate because since science is based on interpretation it is not really trustworthy.
B) The viewpoint is accurate because a theory is essentially just a guess.
C) The viewpoint is incorrect because for an idea to become a theory it has withstood robust testing and is currently accepted.
D) The viewpoint is incorrect because once an idea becomes a theory it can never be disproven.

Answer 2

The viewpoint is incorrect because for an idea to become a theory it has withstood robust testing and is currently accepted.

Question 3

Haley's Comet visits Earth's atmosphere once every 76 years. What branch of the Earth sciences is the main group that studies these phenomena?

A) meteorology
B) geology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy

Answer 3

astronomy

Question 4

The_____________ explains how our solar system probably formed from a giant cloud of gases and dispersed solid particles.

A) nebular theory
B) planetary compression theory
C) protogalactic theory
D) extrastellar solar hypothesis

Question 5

Oceanography is the study of the oceans and geology is the study of Earth, so what is meteorology?

A) the study of meteors
B) the study of the Sun's impact on the upper atmosphere
C) the study of how to be a TV newscaster
D) the study of the atmosphere

Question 6

Hurricanes and tornados are natural disasters. What branch of the Earth sciences studies the origin of these phenomena?

A) meteorology
B) geology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy

Question 7

The study of Earth's atmosphere is known as___________ .

A) cosmology
B) meteorology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy

Question 8

Climate change is a well- known human created problem but there remains resistance to addressing the issue despite widespread scientific agreement on the issue. Although most scientists are familiar with the issues, if you were a congressman and wanted an informed analysis of the problem, which of the following would be most likely to give you the most complete analysis?

A) a geologist with knowledge of astronomy
B) a physicist
C) an astronomer
D) a meteorologist with knowledge of oceanography

Question 9

Oceanography includes a study of_____________ .

A) the effect of oceans on climate
B) ocean animals
C) the ocean floor
D) chemistry of sea water
E) all of the above

Question 10

A______ is a well- tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific observations.

A) law
B) generalization
C) theory
D) hypothesis

Question 11

All of the following are possible steps of scientific investigation except for___________ .

A) the development of one or more working hypotheses or models to explain facts
B) the collection of scientific facts through observation and measurement
C) assumption of conclusions without prior experimentation or observation
D) development of observations and experiments to test the hypotheses

Question 12

The primary goal of Earth Science is__________ .

A) to locate resources
B) to develop things that will benefit mankind
C) to identify the patterns in nature and use that information to predict the future
D) to protect the environment

Question 13

If you want to buy a house in an area and you are worried there may be an earthquake hazard, who would be the best person to ask for advice on this hazard?

A) a physicist
B) an astrologer
C) a civil engineer
D) a geologist

Question 14

Earth is estimated to be approximately 4.6 billion years old. Life appeared early in the history of Earth, but metazoans multicelled organisms did not appear until about 600 million years ago. If the history of Earth were compressed into a single year, about when would metazoans appear?

A) late January
B) mid- December
C) late September
D) late November

Question 15

Which discipline is not used within the Earth sciences?

A) Mathematics
B) Chemistry
C) Physics
D) Biology
E) None of the above; Earth Science makes use of all of these sciences.

Question 16

Which of the following would not typically be considered an Earth Science study?

A) studies of volcanic eruptions
B) studies of acid mine waters and the bacteria that live in those waters
C) chemical refining of petroleum
D) studies of impact craters on the moon

Question 17

Sedimentary rocks with marine fossils are exposed at the top of Mt. Everest. Which scientists would make most use of this observation in their study?

A) astronomers, because they can study how life came from outer space to Earth
B) geologists, because their elevation is related to physical geology and fossils are related to Earth history
C) oceanographers, because the fossils can tell us about periods when Earth was covered with water to the height of Mt. Everest
D) meteorologists, because they could use the fossils as a guide to ancient climates

Question 18

What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical geology?

A) Physical geology is the study of fossils and sequences of rock strata; historical geology is the study of how rocks and minerals were used in the past.
B) Physical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and deposition in relation to plate movements in the geologic past; historical geology charts how and where the plates were moving in the past.
C) Historical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and geologic events, utilizing the geologic time scale as a reference; physical geology includes the study of how rocks form and of how erosion shapes the land surface.
D) None of the above- physical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.

Question 19

Which of the following is not necessary for a hypothesis to be accepted by the scientific community?

A) It must be testable.
B) It must predict something other than the observations it was based on.
C) It must be based on observations or facts.
D) There must be alternative hypotheses proposed.

Question 20

Earthquakes are natural disasters. Which branch of the Earth sciences studies the impact of this phenomenon on coastal environments?

A) meteorology
B) geology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy

Question 21

In the proto- solar system nebula, gravity pulled matter together to form larger bodies. As they collided, what happened to these bodies?

A) Oblique collisions caused individual bodies to spin.
B) Immense heat was released within the colliding bodies as gravitational potential energy was converted to heat.
C) The objects temporarily broke apart and then reformed into large objects, cooling rapidly during the breakup period.
D) The objects broke apart to form asteroids, much like a neutron colliding with a heavy atom produces fission.

Question 22

Comets are made up primarily of _________.

A) frozen hydrogen
B) silicate minerals, like rocks on Earth
C) iron- nickel alloys
D) frozen water, carbon dioxide, and methane

Question 23

Which of the following is not a planet?

A) Neptune
B) Europa
C) Saturn
D) Venus

Question 24

The composition of Earth's inner core is thought to be_____________ .

A) solid iron- nickel alloy
B) granite
C) peridotite
D) basalt

Question 25

The____________ is the thinnest layer of Earth.

A) crust
B) outer core
C) inner core
D) mantle

Question 26

The_________ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth.

A) geosphere
B) hydrosphere
C) atmosphere
D) biosphere

Question 27

Ocean surf wearing away rocks is an example of the interaction of which two of Earth's spheres?

A) biosphere and geosphere
B) hydrosphere and geosphere
C) atmosphere and hydrosphere
D) biosphere and atmosphere

Question 28

The asthenosphere is part of the _____________ of Earth.

A) inner core
B) crust
C) mantle
D) outer core

Question 29

The Oort cloud is_____________ .

A) the asteroid belt
B) another name for the inner solar system, just before the Sun became hot enough for nuclear fusion
C) the outer solar system where planetesimals, rocky debris and comets orbit outside beyond the outer planets but cross into the inner solar system at times
D) an unusual type of cloud formed when meteorites strike Earth

Question 30

The largest of Earth's spheres is the ____________.

A) geosphere
B) hydrosphere
C) atmosphere
D) biosphere

Question 31

The exchange of energy between the surface of Earth, the atmosphere, and space causes___________ .

A) glaciers
B) weather
C) temperature
D) topography

Question 32

The ___________refers to the water- dominated parts of Earth.

A) atmosphere
B) biosphere
C) geosphere
D) hydrosphere

Question 33

In the television series "Cosmos" the astronomer Carl Sagan used to say, "We are all made of star stuff." What did he mean by that?

A) All of the chemical elements in our solar system were forged in an ancient star that went supernova.
B) We all have to potential to be stars.
C) The earth has incorporated large amounts of chemical material from the solar wind, so our bodies carry this material.
D) All of the chemical elements were formed during the big bang when the universe began, so we are like the stars.

Question 34

In correct order from the center outward, Earth includes which units?

A) inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
B) inner core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere
C) core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere
D) core, inner mantle, outer mantle, crust

Question 35

Soil belongs to the_____________.

A) geosphere
B) atmosphere
C) hydrosphere
D) biosphere
E) All of the above

Question 36

The circumference of Earth is about_________________ km.

A) 40,000
B) 20,000
C) 10,000
D) 30,000

Question 37

Light elements like hydrogen and helium form a large percentage of the outer planets and Sun is made up primarily of hydrogen. Why are these elements nearly absent from the inner planets?

A) It is a mystery that has never been solved by science.
B) Hydrogen and helium have all been bound up by chemical reactions on the inner planets and are held in rock.
C) The Sun captured all of the hydrogen during its formation.
D) These light elements are blown away from the inner planets by the solar wind.

Question 38

Which of the following energy sources is thought to drive the lateral motions of Earth's lithospheric plates?

A) heat transfer between Earth's interior and the surface of Earth
B) electrical and magnetic fields localized in the inner core
C) gravitational attractive forces of the Sun and Moon
D) swirling movements of the molten iron particles in the outer core

Question 39

The ________is thought to be a liquid, metallic region in Earth's interior.

A) lithosphere
B) mantle
C) outer core
D) inner core

Question 40

The___________ forms the relatively cool, brittle tectonic plates.

A) asthenosphere
B) astrosphere
C) lithosphere
D) eosphere

Question 41

Deep ocean trenches typically are not located adjacent to___________ .

A) volcanic island arc chains
B) transform plate boundaries
C) young continental mountains
D) abyssal plains

Question 42

The continental shelf is located____________ .

A) between the continental slope and continental rise
B) seaward of the continental slope
C) landward of the continental slope
D) between the continental rise and the abyssal plains

Question 43

The Himalayan Mountains and adjacent Tibet are a mountain system formed by___________ .

A) back- arc contraction
B) subduction
C) sea floor spreading
D) continental collision

Question 44

The Andes Mountains in South America are formed as a result of __________.

A) subduction
B) sea floor spreading
C) continental collision
D) back- arc contraction

Question 45

The most prominent features on the ocean floor are the __________.

A) lava plateaus
B) deep- ocean trenches
C) seamounts
D) oceanic ridges

Question 46

Continental shields and platforms represent _____________.

A) areas in the interior of continents that have not experienced mountain building for billions of years
B) sedimentary basins with inland seas shaped like a shield, like Hudson's bay
C) names given to Paleozoic mountain belts
D) sites where continents collide, analogous to warriors clashing shields

Question 47

Convergent plate boundaries are ___________ .

A) sites of supervolcanoes like Yellowstone
B) sites where oceanic plates descend beneath continental plates
C) areas where two plates slide laterally past one another, generating earthquakes, like the San Andreas fault
D) sites where heat from Earth's interior is vented to the surface as volcanoes

Question 48

Major mountain belts on Earth are _________________.

A) made of granite because it is low density and allows for maximum growth
B) over 10 km high
C) older than smaller mountain belts because they have had enough time to grow large
D) located around the Pacific Ocean

Question 49

Ocean crust is denser than continental crust because ocean crust is______________ .

A) thinner than continental crust
B) thicker than continental crust
C) composed primarily of basalt
D) composed primarily of granite

Question 50

Flat, stable areas of continental crust tend to be located__________ .

A) in the interior of continents
B) along coastlines
C) in areas that receive large amounts of rainfall
D) near desert regions

Question 51

What two chemical elements are most abundant in the deep interior of Earth?

A) iron and magnesium
B) silicon and oxygen
C) hydrogen and helium
D) magnesium and oxygen

Question 52

Which of the following is not considered to be part of a typical ocean basin?

A) a linear chain of volcanoes
B) granitic intrusions
C) deep canyons
D) large expanses of flat plains

Question 53

Oceanic crust is generated at_____________ .

A) hot spots on the sea floor, like Iceland
B) spreading ridges
C) transform plate margins
D) convergent plate margins

Question 54

Ocean floor averages about___________ km depth below sea level.

A) 2
B) 6
C) 4
D) 8

Question 55

Which of the following is a reasonable approximation of the rate that plates move?

A) the speed of a mountain glacier
B) the rate of growth of human hair or fingernails
C) the speed a turtle walks
D) the speed of deep ocean currents

Question 56

A major cause of the differences in elevation between ocean basins and continents is___________ .

A) temperature
B) viscosity
C) mass
D) density

Question 57

Which of the following layers in Earth has the highest density?

A) lower mantle
B) lithosphere
C) asthenosphere
D) outer Core

Question 58

Long oceanic mountain chains typically are characterized by_____________ .

A) granitic plutons and batholiths
B) layers of igneous rocks
C) rocks older than 1 billion years old
D) highly deformed sedimentary rocks

Question 59

Shield areas in continental interiors are characterized by____________ .

A) linear chains of mountains less than 100 million years old
B) ancient coastal regions that have become abandoned and eroded
C) flat river valleys that cut through older mountain ranges
D) flat areas that include rocks older than 1 billion years old

Question 60

Active mountain belts are most likely to be found ____________.

A) in the interior regions of continents
B) along only the eastern margins of continents
C) scattered throughout continents
D) along the margins of continents

Question 61

An_______________system is one in which energy moves freely in and out, but no matter enters or leaves the system.

A) open
B) feedback
C) equilibrated
D) closed

Question 62

What is the source of the energy that powers the Earth system?

A) heat from Earth's interior
B) the Sun
C) both A and B
D) none of the above

Question 63

A scientific theory is the _____________step in developing an idea. It is ___________ well tested.

A) last; very
B) first; not very
C) first; very
D) last; not very

Question 64

Below is a picture of Mt. St. Helens volcano What is the usual cause for such events?

A) location near a plate boundary
B) location in earth's interior
C) interaction of the hydrosphere and the atmosphere
D) earthquakes

Question 65

Earth Science uses____________ .

A) biology
B) mathematics
C) chemistry
D) All of the above

Question 66

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

A) astronomy
B) meteorology
C) geology
D) psychology
E) oceanography

Question 67

A mineralogist studies minerals and their origins. A mineralogist studying the Earth system would__________ .

A) study how minerals form rocks
B) study how minerals influence organisms living on them, how they react with water to produce soil forming minerals, or study how wind transports minerals as dust and influences climate
C) do the same thing, studying minerals and their origins, as any other mineralogist
D) Minerals can never be used to study the Earth system.

Question 68

Science is based on the assumption that nature behaves in a_____________ and manner.

A) consistent; unpredictable
B) consistent; predictable
C) inconsistent; predictable
D) inconsistent; unpredictable

Question 69

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

A) planetesimals
B) meteorites
C) Oort cloud
D) comets

Question 70

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

A) mantle
B) lithosphere
C) core
D) crust

Question 71

Below is a picture of an Appalachian mountain ridge and Himalayan mountain peaks left and right, respectively.. Why are the Appalachians so much smoother and lower than the Himalayan Mountains?

A) The Appalachian Mountains are younger and younger mountains tend to be more weathered.
B) The Appalachian Mountains are younger and have not yet built up to being jagged.
C) The Appalachian Mountains are older and thus have become more worn down.
D) The Appalachian Mountains are older and thus have softer rocks.

Question 72

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

A) observation
B) fact
C) theory
D) hypothesis

Question 73

The vast majority of Earth scientists are involved in ____________ .

A) focusing on only one earth science discipline with few connections to other Earth science disciplines.
B) exploring the features and process of Earth
C) lobbying for alternative energy for profit
D) either extraction of mineral resources or energy

Question 74

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

A) abyssal plain
B) continental crust
C) seamount
D) oceanic ridge

Question 75

Environmental science primarily focuses on any of the following except_____________ .

A) air pollution
B) sustainable development
C) mineral classification
D) water use

Question 76

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

A) stable platform
B) shield
C) mountain belt
D) continental interior

Question 77

Which of the following is not a system?

A) the study of minerals
B) the Pacific Ocean and the west coast of North America
C) the biosphere
D) soil, plants, rock, soil organisms, and animals

Question 78

Mechanisms that enhance or drive change are known as_____________ .

A) open feedback mechanisms
B) positive feedback mechanisms
C) closed feedback mechanisms
D) negative feedback mechanisms

Question 79

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

A) solid Earth
B) atmosphere
C) biosphere
D) hydrosphere

Question 80

A scientific___________ is a tentative or untested explanation that is proposed to explain scientific observations.

A) observation
B) hypothesis
C) theory
D) law