Deck 2: Earths Physical Systems: Matter, Energy, and Geology

Question 1

The San Andreas Fault in California is an example of a(n).

A)divergent plate boundary
B)convergent plate boundary
C)continental collision and uplift
D)tsunami
E)transform plate boundary

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Consider the following processes: respiration, chemosynthesis, combustion of firewood, and photosynthesis. How many of these result in the release of oxygen into the atmosphere?

A)none
B)1
C)2
D)3
E)all 4

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Climatic change is a major concern for environmentalists because it can directly lead to .

A)more biodiversity on Earth
B)an increase in the diameter of the ozone hole
C)extinctions
D)an decrease in the amount of geothermal energy
E)a decrease in the amount of photosynthesis on Earth

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The process of subduction _.

A)occurs when plates pull apart
B)occurs when denser ocean crusts slide beneath lighter continental crusts
C)is caused by volcanoes
D)causes the formation of deep ocean trenches
E)is responsible for hurricanes

Question 5

A solution with a pH of 3 is _ a solution with a pH of 5.

A)100 times more acidic
B)twice as acidic
C)half as acidic
D)4 times less acidic
E)4 times more acidic

Question 6

Cellular respiration _ .

A)represents a decrease in entropy
B)involves a net consumption of water
C)results in a net consumption of energy
D)releases carbon dioxide and water
E)requires the green pigment chlorophyll

Question 7

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce .

A)pyroclastic flow
B)mass wasting
C)tsunamis
D)hurricanes
E)lahars

Question 8

cause water molecules to interact and adhere to one another.

A)Nonpolar covalent bonds
B)Hydrogen bonds
C)Van der Waals attractions
D)Polar covalent bonds
E)Acid- base attractions

Question 9

What is the type of rock formed when magma or lava cools?

A)lithospheric
B)geothermal
C)sedimentary
D)metamorphic
E)igneous

Question 10

Rock that has undergone heat or pressure that causes it to change form is called _ .

A)conglomerate
B)igneous
C)metamorphic
D)deformative
E)sedimentary

Question 11

The type of tectonic plate boundary at the Mid- Atlantic Ridge is referred to as a .

A)seismic boundary
B)transform fault
C)convergent boundary
D)subduction zone
E)divergent boundary

Question 12

Skin, hair, muscles, and enzymes are all made up of _ .

A)nucleic acids
B)organelles
C)proteins
D)carbohydrates
E)lipids

Question 13

Which of the following describes a property of pure water?

A)more dense as a solid
B)molecules are noncohesive
C)can hold many molecules in solution
D)changes temperature rapidly
E)acidic pH

Question 14

When you burn a log in your fireplace you are converting .

A)chemical to thermal energy
B)thermal to electromagnetic energy
C)chemical to nuclear energy
D)electromagnetic to chemical
E)proteins to amino acids

Question 15

Which of the following reactions represents cellular respiration?

A)water + carbon dioxide + energy -glucose + oxygen + water
B)glucose + oxygen -water + carbon dioxide + energy
C)nitrogen + carbon dioxide + energy -methane + oxygen
D)nitrogen + oxygen + glucose -methane + carbon dioxide
E)water + carbon dioxide -glucose + oxygen + water + energy

Question 16

Earthquakes result from .

A)separation of layers within sedimentary rock
B)release of gases from the underlying mantle
C)energy released from movement at plate boundaries and faults
D)global climate change
E)surges of magma from the earth's core

Question 17

are the primary water-insoluble components of cell membranes.

A)Acids
B)Lipids
C)Nucleic acids
D)Carbohydrates
E)Proteins

Question 18

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
is defined as the number of protons plus the number of neutrons.

A)Mass number
B)Isotopic number
C)Atomic number
D)Ionic number
E)Nuclear number

Question 19

We use to catalyze the chemical reactions of digestion.

A)alcohol molecules
B)nucleic acids
C)polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
D)isotopes
E)enzymes

Question 20

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
The primary source of increased levels of greenhouse gases on Earth is .

A)asteroids falling to Earth
B)modern human lifestyles
C)aerosol spray cans
D)increased photosynthetic activity
E)loss of heterotrophs

Question 21

The force driving plate tectonics is .

A)solar radiation
B)nuclear reactions in magma
C)heat in the deepest layers of the earth
D)freezing and thawing of water in the earth's crust
E)gravity

Question 22

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Why does burning fossil fuels contribute to global warming?

A)Burning fossil fuels creates increased plate tectonic movement.
B)Burning fossil fuels removes water vapor from the atmosphere.
C)New energy is created on Earth when fossil fuels are burned.
D)Fossils, if left untouched, cool Earth.
E)Carbon present in coal, oil, and natural gas becomes carbon dioxide when these fuels burn.

Question 23

Forming the cell walls of stems, leaves, and roots, what compound is the primary structural constituent of plant tissues?

A)enzymes
B)cellulose
C)starch
D)chlorophyll
E)protein

Question 24

River water held behind a dam is best described as a form of .

A)thermodynamics
B)entropy
C)chemical energy
D)kinetic energy
E)potential energy

Question 25

Which of the following describes mass wasting?

A)agricultural damage resulting from a tsunami
B)deterioration of an atom because of radioactivity
C)downslope movement of soil and rock due to gravity
D)the destruction of sedimentary rock by earthquakes
E)blockage of sunlight by volcanic ash

Question 26

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Besides contributing to global warming, nitrous oxide contributes indirectly to acid precipitation because of .

A)the hydrogen bonds connecting the nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the molecule
B)its ability to form compounds that lower pH
C)its ability to form compounds that raise pH
D)the ability of acids to raise the temperature of the substances which dissolve them
E)the airborne nature of all compounds containing nitrogen

Question 27

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Which of the following is the most logical explanation for water being a greenhouse gas?

A)The hydrogen bonds holding molecules of water vapor together help it trap heat.
B)Water is a good conductor of electricity, and electricity contains heat.
C)The ionic bonds holding water vapor together help it trap heat.
D)Water is acidic, and acids retain heat.
E)Hydrogen-containing compounds trap the most heat, and water contains hydrogen.

Question 28

Match the following.

A)ions
B)neutrons
C)protons
D)atoms
E)electrons
F)isotopes
G)molecules
Negatively charged particles

Question 29

Match the following.

A)ions
B)neutrons
C)protons
D)atoms
E)electrons
F)isotopes
G)molecules
Combinations of elements held together with bonds

Question 30

Plastics are .

A)unstable and break down easily
B)assembled by enzymes in cells
C)synthetic proteins
D)moldable, petroleum- based hydrocarbons
E)naturally occurring macromolecules

Question 31

Overpopulation contributes to global warming when .

A)we compromise our living standards in order to protect the environment
B)it leads to deforestation, increased agriculture, and increased use of fossil fuels
C)solar energy is used as the primary source of energy, since it is a renewable resource
D)most of the population is vegetarian
E)most people use public transportation

Question 32

What property of water is due to hydrogen bonds?

A)ability to change temperature quickly
B)low pH
C)ability to dissolve lipids
D)high pH
E)ability to form droplets

Question 33

During photosynthesis within plants, .

A)oxygen and carbon dioxide are consumed
B)sugars and carbon dioxide are produced
C)there is net consumption of water and carbon dioxide
D)carbon dioxide and oxygen are produced
E)the high- quality energy from sugar is converted to heat and light

Question 34

Match the following.

A)ions
B)neutrons
C)protons
D)atoms
E)electrons
F)isotopes
G)molecules
The smallest components of elements that still maintain the chemical properties of the element

Question 35

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the tapping and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Positive feedback loops destabilize environmental systems by creating a "snowball effect," whereby a change in the system causes further change. Which of the following represents a positive feedback loop in regard to global warming?

A)warming of Earth, increasing the evaporation of surface water
B)controlling development, resulting in higher population densities in urban centers
C)reforestation, causing a release of carbon dioxide from soil microbes
D)limiting use of fossil fuels as a source of energy
E)sequestering carbon dioxide underground, resulting in a drop in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels

Question 36

are composed of amino acids.

A)Nucleic acids
B)Proteins
C)Bases
D)Lipids
E)Carbohydrates

Question 37

Precipitation .

A)that is acidic would have a pH higher than 7
B)that measures pH = 4 is twice as acidic as precipitation that measures pH = 5
C)has become increasing more basic in the last 100 years, due to industrial air pollution
D)that is acidic has a low concentration of hydrogen ions
E)that is acidic would have a pH lower than pure water

Question 38

Match the following.

A)ions
B)neutrons
C)protons
D)atoms
E)electrons
F)isotopes
G)molecules
Elements with the same atomic number but with different atomic masses

Question 39

Which of the following represents chemosynthesis?

A)glucose + oxygen -water + carbon dioxide + energy
B)water + carbon dioxide + energy -glucose + oxygen + water
C)nitrogen + carbon dioxide + energy -methane + oxygen
D)glucose + water -methane + carbon dioxide
E)carbon dioxide + water + hydrogen sulfide -sugar + sulfuric acid

Question 40

What are the three distinct layers of the earth?

A)oceanic crust, mantle, magma
B)core, mantle, lithosphere
C)mantle, crust, oceanic crust
D)core, mantle, crust
E)mantle, magma, crust

Question 41

Briefly explain the concept of plate tectonics and why it is important for the study of geography.

Question 42

Match the following.

A)ions
B)neutrons
C)protons
D)atoms
E)electrons
F)isotopes
G)molecules
Charged particles located in the nucleus

Question 43

Why does chemistry play a central role in our study of environmental issues? Provide an example from the text that illustrates how chemistry helps solve environmental problems.

Question 44

Briefly explain the overall processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Include a brief explanation of autotrophs and heterotrophs in your answer.

Question 45

In what ways are macromolecules essential to life? Describe the structures of three and describe their major role(s)in organisms.

Question 46

Compare and discuss the first and second laws of thermodynamics.

Question 47

What is the first law of thermodynamics, and what are its implications for natural resource management?

Question 48

Match the following.

A)ions
B)neutrons
C)protons
D)atoms
E)electrons
F)isotopes
G)molecules
Elements or molecules with a charge

Question 49

Describe the rock cycle, explaining how the three major types of rock form and break down.