Deck 1: The Water Planet

Question 1

When crossing the international date line from east to west, the date increases by one day.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Radiometric dating is based on the rate at which a radioactive isotope decays.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

All latitude circles are great circles.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are smaller in size and closer to the Sun than Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune.

Question 5

The Milky Way galaxy contains about 200 billion stars.

Question 6

Earth rotates on its axis from west to east.

Question 7

When viewed from above the South Pole, Earth rotates clockwise.

Question 8

Earth turns westward as it rotates on its axis.

Question 9

The Milky Way galaxy formed from an expanding nebula.

Question 10

The middle latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere have about equal areas devoted to both land and water.

Question 11

There is more land located in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 12

If the axial rotation of Earth slowed, the day-to-night temperature variation on Earth's surface would decrease.

Question 13

The hydrologic cycle requires an excess of evaporation over precipitation as averaged over the world's oceans.

Question 14

Identify all of the planets that are rich in metals and rocky materials.

A) Saturn
B) Mercury
C) Venus
D) Uranus
E) Jupiter
F) Earth
G) Neptune
H) Mars

Question 15

The residence time of water in the atmosphere is equal to the residence time of water in the oceans.

Question 16

Identify all of the planets that are rich in ices of water, ammonia, and methane.

A) Saturn
B) Mercury
C) Venus
D) Uranus
E) Jupiter
F) Earth
G) Neptune
H) Mars

Question 17

Determination of the latitude requires that the time be kept very accurately.

Question 18

Water is moved through the hydrologic cycle at different rates and in different directions in each climate zone.

Question 19

The sidereal day is more constant and shorter than the solar day.

Question 20

Our solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy.

Question 21

A cluster rarely contains more than 10 galaxies.

Question 22

Free oxygen was a common constituent of the Earth's early atmosphere.

Question 23

Planets exist outside of our solar system.

Question 24

The mean radius of Earth is ________ meters.

A) 3.371 × 10²
B) 6.371 × 10⁴
C) 6.371 × 10⁶
D) 12.742 × 10⁶
E) 12.742 × 10⁹

Question 25

During the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice, the Sun stands above ________.

A) 23½°N
B) 23½°S
C) 0°
D) 66½°N
E) 66½°S

Question 26

On average, water in a river will have a longer residence time than water in the oceans.

Question 27

On the autumnal equinox, every place on Earth experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

Question 28

Earth is the ________ planet from the Sun.

A) first
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
E) fifth

Question 29

There is no evidence of a past or present ocean on any planet but Earth.

Question 30

Lines of latitude are known as meridians.

Question 31

Which circle of latitude or longitude has the smallest circumference?

A) the Equator
B) 30°N
C) the Prime Meridian
D) 45°W
E) 80°S

Question 32

The area north of 66½°N is in darkness when the Sun is directly ________.

A) over the Equator
B) over 23½°N
C) over 23½°S
D) at the Arctic Circle
E) at the Antarctic Circle

Question 33

The Tropic of Capricorn is at ________ latitude.

A) 23½°N
B) 23½°S
C) 66½°N
D) 66½°S
E) 0°

Question 34

The Arctic and Antarctic Circles are displaced ________ degrees from their respective poles.

A) 90
B) 66½
C) 45
D) 23½
E) 0

Question 35

The Big Bang occurred roughly ________ years ago.

A) 4.6 billion
B) 250 million
C) 13 billion
D) 10 billion
E) 750 million

Question 36

Earth's age is estimated at ________ years.

A) 4.6 × 10⁶
B) 3.7 × 10⁶
C) 4.6 × 10⁹
D) 3.7 × 10⁹
E) 4.6 × 10¹²

Question 37

The Sun stands directly above the equator ________.

A) once each year
B) twice each year
C) once in midwinter (Northern Hemisphere)
D) once in midsummer (Northern Hemisphere)
E) None of these is correct.

Question 38

The mean surface temperature of Earth is about ________.

A) 5°C
B) 10°C
C) 16°C
D) 22°C
E) 26°C

Question 39

If a sea exists on Jupiter's moon Europa, it is probably much smaller and shallower than the Earth's ocean.

Question 40

The magnetic field surrounding Jupiter's moons may be the result of salt water bodies.

Question 41

Which ocean basin is the deepest on average?

A) Pacific
B) Atlantic
C) Indian
D) Arctic
E) None of these is correct.

Question 42

Relationships between oceanic depths or land elevations and Earth's area are shown on a ________.

A) Mercator projection
B) bathymetric chart
C) hypsographic curve
D) navigational chart
E) None of these is correct.

Question 43

Longitude is given in degrees ________.

A) east and west of the Equator
B) north and south of the Equator
C) east and west of the Prime Meridian
D) north and south of the Prime Meridian
E) None of these is correct; longitude is not measured in degrees.

Question 44

The residence time for water in any of Earth's principal reservoirs can be calculated by dividing ________.

A) reservoir volume by rate of water supply
B) rate of water removal by reservoir volume
C) rate of water removal by water supply
D) None of these is correct.
E) reservoir volume by rate of water supply, rate of water removal by reservoir volume, and rate of water removal by water supply

Question 45

Water covers ________ percent of Earth's surface.

A) 17
B) 29
C) 50
D) 71
E) 78

Question 46

How many hours must be added to New York City's Eastern daylight time to obtain Greenwich Mean Time or Universal Time?

A) +5
B) -5
C) +4
D) -4
E) +3

Question 47

The U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) is used to ________.

A) determine latitude and longitude
B) measure altitude
C) position storms, currents, and tides
D) determine latitude and longitude and measure altitude
E) determine latitude and longitude, measure altitude, and position storms, currents, and tides

Question 48

One degree of latitude is about equal to ________.

A) 1 nautical mile
B) 1 land mile
C) 60 nautical miles
D) 60 land miles
E) 600 nautical miles

Question 49

Earth turns on its axis about ________.

A) 1 degree in 4 minutes
B) 4 degrees in 1 minute
C) 4 degrees in 1 hour
D) 15 degrees in 1 minute
E) 30 degrees in 1 hour

Question 50

An error in time of 2 minutes in determining longitude from local time and Greenwich Mean Time will cause a ________ error in longitude.

A) 2 degree
B) 1 degree
C) 0.75 degree
D) 0.50 degree
E) 0.25 degree

Question 51

A great circle can be described as ________.

A) having its center at Earth's center
B) being the shortest path between two points on Earth's surface
C) always being a straight line on an equatorial cylindrical projection
D) having its center at Earth's center and being the shortest path between two points on Earth's surface
E) All of these are correct.

Question 52

A time zone is approximately ________ degrees wide.

A) 5
B) 15
C) 90
D) 180
E) 365

Question 53

Which ocean basin is located primarily in the Southern Hemisphere?

A) Pacific
B) Atlantic
C) Indian
D) Arctic
E) None of these is correct.

Question 54

An area drawn on a hypsographic curve equates to a(n) ________.

A) area of the Earth
B) volume of land or water
C) mean elevation or depth
D) All of these are correct.
E) None of these is correct.

Question 55

If a clock set to Greenwich Mean Time or Universal Time is moved to a location where noon, according to the Sun, occurs at 4:30 P.M. clock time, what is the longitude of the clock?

A) 67.5°W
B) 67.5°E
C) 43.0°E
D) 43.0°W
E) 0.0° longitude

Question 56

The average depth of the ocean is about ________.

A) 3800 m
B) 3900 km
C) 3800 mi
D) 11,000 m
E) 11,000 mi

Question 57

At what latitude is the Sun directly overhead on the June Solstice?

A) Tropic of Cancer
B) Tropic of Capricorn
C) Equator
D) Arctic Circle
E) Antarctic Circle

Question 58

Which ocean basin is the largest?

A) Pacific
B) Atlantic
C) Indian
D) Arctic
E) None of these is correct.

Question 59

If a clock is set to Greenwich Mean Time and the Sun is observed to reach its zenith at 10:00

A)M., what is the longitude? A) 45°E
B) 45°W
C) 30°E
D) 30°W
E) 0°

Question 60

Which of the following factor(s) enable(s) the existence of liquid water on the Earth's surface?

A) Earth's solar orbit
B) Rotation of the Earth on its axis
C) The Earth's atmospheric gases
D) Earth's solar orbit and the Earth's atmospheric gases
E) All of these are correct.

Question 61

What type of material is thought to explain the larger size of the outer planets relative to the inner planets?

A) rock
B) ice
C) metals
D) liquid water
E) None of these is correct.

Question 62

Arrange the following life forms in their order of appearance on Earth from first to appear to last to appear.

A) reptiles, dinosaurs, fishes, birds, flowering plants
B) fishes, reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, flowering plants
C) flowering plants, reptiles, fishes, dinosaurs, birds
D) birds, flowering plants, reptiles, dinosaurs, fishes
E) dinosaurs, reptiles, flowering plants, fishes, birds

Question 63

Why are meteorites used to establish an age for the Earth?

A) They are believed to be the same material from which Earth formed.
B) They are not radiogenic so they do not decay over time.
C) Rocks on Earth have been recycled since the Earth was formed and are not believed to be as old as the Earth itself.
D) They are believed to be the same material from which Earth formed and rocks on Earth have been recycled since the Earth was formed and are not believed to be as old as the Earth itself.
E) All of these are correct.

Question 64

The shortest distance between two points on Earth's surface is always along the meridian passing through them.

Question 65

The parallel with the largest circumference is the Equator.

Question 66

The South Pole is tilted toward the Sun on what day?

A) March Equinox
B) June Solstice
C) September Equinox
D) December Solstice
E) All of these are correct.

Question 67

Earth maintains a constant distance from the Sun as it moves in its orbit.

Question 68

The location of the Prime Meridian is an arbitrary choice.

Question 69

What percent of a parent radioactive element would remain after three half-lives of decay to its daughter isotope?

A) 75
B) 50
C) 25
D) 12.5
E) 6.25

Question 70

The International Hydrographic Organization defined the northern boundary of the Southern Ocean to be ________.

A) 80°S
B) 45°S
C) 70°S
D) 30°S
E) 60°S

Question 71

More fresh water is stored in ice caps and glaciers than in freshwater lakes.

Question 72

Approximately what percentage of water on Earth is contained within the oceans?

A) 12%
B) 31%
C) 52%
D) 85%
E) 97%

Question 73

Roughly what percentage of matter in the universe is identical to the type of matter that comprises the planets and stars?

A) 65%
B) 50%
C) 25%
D) 5%
E) 1%

Question 74

How long does it take for the Earth to make one rotation on its axis?

A) 60 seconds
B) 1 hour
C) 24 hours
D) 30 days
E) 365 days

Question 75

The greatest mass extinction of all time, resulting in the disappearance of 96% of all species, occurred roughly ________ million years ago.

A) 252
B) 201
C) 66
D) 45
E) 12

Question 76

Earth formed shortly after the Big Bang.

Question 77

Most of the water evaporated from the oceans returns directly to the oceans in precipitation.

Question 78

How long does it take for Earth to make one revolution around the Sun?

A) 60 seconds
B) 1 hour
C) 24 hours
D) 30 days
E) 365 days

Question 79

Approximately what percentage of gas emitted by volcanoes is water vapor?

A) 1%
B) 10%
C) 25%
D) 45%
E) 70%

Question 80

Earth's surface is protected from extreme temperature change and water loss by ________.

A) its orbital distance from the Sun
B) its atmosphere
C) its period of rotation
D) All of these are correct.
E) None of these is correct.