Deck 1: The Earth in Context

Question 1

Our Sun belongs to a galaxy known as ________.

A)Andromeda
B)Cepheus
C)the Milky Way
D)the Stratosphere

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The best estimate of when the Universe formed is ________.

A)13.7 Ma
B)13.8 Ga
C)4.57 Ma
D)4.57 Ga

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Terrestrial planets are mainly composed of ________ while Jovian planets are made dominantly of ________.

A)volatiles;rock and metals
B)rock and metals;volatiles
C)refractory materials;volatiles and metals
D)volatiles and metals;refractory materials

Answer 3

B

Question 4

If the temperature of a material is raised so high that electrons become stripped from atoms,what is formed?

A)a gas
B)a plasma
C)a liquid
D)a solid

Question 5

Compared to our Sun,first-generation stars tend to be ________.

A)larger in mass and cooler
B)larger in mass and hotter
C)smaller in mass and cooler
D)smaller in mass and hotter

Question 6

In the heliocentric model,________.

A)Earth orbits around the Sun
B)the Sun orbits around Earth
C)Earth is a stationary planet
D)all planets orbit Earth

Question 7

According to the Expanding Universe theory,our Universe is ________.

A)expanding only
B)contracting only
C)not moving at all
D)contracting and expanding

Question 8

Using the image below of an atom,where are the protons located?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 9

The Jovian planets are ________.

A)Mars,Mercury,and Venus
B)Mars,Venus,and Jupiter
C)Jupiter,Saturn,Uranus,and Neptune
D)Mars and Saturn

Question 10

An important contribution made by Copernicus is his (correct)assertion that the ________.

A)Earth is spherical
B)Sun is the center of the whole Universe
C)Sun is the center of Earth's orbit
D)Earth is the center of the Universe

Question 11

The image below represents which model of the solar system?

A)lunarcentric
B)electrocentric
C)geocentric
D)heliocentric

Question 12

Atoms that are heavier than iron are generally produced by ________.

A)fission reactions within stars
B)fusion reactions within stars
C)explosions of supernovas
D)the Big Bang

Question 13

The planets orbit the Sun along the ________ plane.

A)orbital
B)concentric
C)ecliptic
D)rotational

Question 14

The current estimate for the age of Earth of 4.57 Ga comes from ________.

A)radiometric age dating of meteorites
B)radiometric age dating of sedimentary rocks
C)the light from distant galaxies
D)the amount of nuclear fuel in the Sun

Question 15

________ is the study of the history and structure of the Universe.

A)Geology
B)Geophysics
C)Physics
D)Cosmology

Question 16

Which of the following bodies is the smallest?

A)planet
B)star
C)protoplanet
D)planetesimal

Question 17

It is believed that our solar system resulted from a second- or third-generation nebula.How do we know this?

A)The age of the Sun suggests this.
B)The size of the Sun suggests this.
C)The number of gas giants suggests this.
D)The mix of complex elements suggests this.

Question 18

The ________ theory states that the Universe is continually growing.

A)Big Bang
B)expanding universe
C)nebular expansion
D)heliocentric

Question 19

Differentiation of the core from the mantle early in Earth's history was possible because the planet was ________ at the time.

A)very cold
B)very hot
C)very small
D)the only planet in the solar system

Question 20

The Sun was created at the center of the accretionary disk when the temperature became high enough for ________ to occur.

A)fusion
B)fission
C)combustion
D)radiation

Question 21

The age of the Universe is ________.

A)less than the age of the Earth
B)the exact same age as the Earth
C)greater than the age of the Earth
D)impossible to determine

Question 22

If you were measuring the elevation of a mountain,you would be measuring variation in ________,whereas if you were doing the same on a midocean ridge,you would be measuring variation in ________.

A)bathymetry;topography
B)bathymetry;isostasy
C)topography;isostasy
D)topography;bathymetry

Question 23

An aurora (shown below)is produced when ________.

A)solar wind particles are directed toward the magnetic poles and excite atmospheric gases
B)swamp gases rise from the arctic tundra and react with the upper atmosphere
C)radiation in the Van Allen belts can be seen on a clear,cold night
D)lightning travels from cloud to cloud rather than cloud to ground

Question 24

Which of the following images shows the formation of the Moon?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 25

According to the image below,temperature increases within the stratosphere.Why is this?

A)The stratosphere contains ozone,which absorbs radiation.
B)The stratosphere is closer to the Sun,thus receives more heat.
C)The heat from the troposphere rises into the stratosphere.
D)The increase in pressure warms gases within the stratosphere.

Question 26

If one were to ride a hot air balloon up into the atmosphere,one would experience the concentration of gases ________.

A)becoming denser
B)becoming less dense
C)remaining the same
D)increasing for the first 10 kilometers,then starting to decline

Question 27

The most common minerals within Earth are ________.

A)silicates
B)carbonates
C)oxides
D)hydroxides

Question 28

The image below shows Earth's magnetic field.Earth's magnetic field lines are distorted (i.e. ,not symmetrical)because ________.

A)Earth is rapidly rotating around the Sun
B)Earth is rotating on an internal axis
C)convection is occurring in the outer core
D)solar wind deflects Earth's magnetic field lines

Question 29

In the whole Earth,the four most common elements (by mass)are oxygen,silicon,magnesium,and ________.

A)copper
B)lead
C)iron
D)zinc

Question 30

The density of rocks is generally related to composition.Which of the following choices places rock compositions in order of increasing density?

A)felsic,intermediate,ultramafic,mafic
B)ultramafic,mafic,intermediate,felsic
C)felsic,intermediate,mafic,ultramafic
D)mafic,ultramafic,intermediate,felsic

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT required for a substance to be considered a mineral?

A)It must be solid.
B)It must be naturally occurring.
C)It must contain carbon.
D)It must have atoms arranged in an orderly pattern.

Question 32

The process of differentiation results in all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)denser materials becoming concentrated near the cores of planets
B)rocky material forming the mantles of planets
C)planets becoming approximately spherical
D)planets forming atmospheres

Question 33

Hot,liquid rock beneath Earth's surface is termed ________.

A)lava
B)magma
C)volatiles
D)mantle

Question 34

The Earth's magnetic field is a ________.

A)monopole,as would be produced by just one pole of a magnet
B)dipole,such as that produced by a bar magnet
C)torus,a doughnut-shaped ring parallel to Earth's equator
D)sphere,following the shape of Earth

Question 35

According to the Big Bang theory,________.

A)Earth is much older than the rest of the Universe
B)the Universe is much older than Earth
C)Earth and the Universe formed at about the same time
D)there is no way of knowing how old the Universe might be

Question 36

Volatile materials can exist as a gas at Earth's surface.Which of the following is NOT a volatile material?

A)water
B)silicon
C)hydrogen
D)carbon dioxide

Question 37

Presently,Earth's atmosphere is dominated by which two gases?

A)hydrogen and helium
B)oxygen and carbon dioxide
C)nitrogen and oxygen
D)carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide

Question 38

The atmosphere is divided into several distinct layers.The layer we live in is called the ________.

A)stratosphere
B)thermosphere
C)troposphere
D)mesosphere

Question 39

Which of the following lists compositions in order of increasing silica content?

A)felsic,intermediate,ultramafic,mafic
B)ultramafic,mafic,intermediate,felsic
C)felsic,intermediate,mafic,ultramafic
D)mafic,ultramafic,intermediate,felsic

Question 40

Glass is different from a mineral because it ________.

A)is not naturally occurring
B)is not a solid
C)does not have atoms arranged in an orderly pattern
D)contains carbon and is therefore organic

Question 41

The densest layer of Earth is the ________.

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

Question 42

In general,the mantle is made of the rock ________ and has a(n)________ composition.

A)granite;intermediate
B)basalt;mafic
C)gabbro;mafic
D)peridotite;ultramafic

Question 43

From left to right,correctly label each section of this slice of Earth.Note that 1 starts at the surface of Earth and 6 ends at the center of Earth.

A)crust,liquid outer core,transition zone,solid inner core,upper mantle,lower mantle
B)crust,upper mantle,transition zone,lower mantle,liquid outer core,solid inner core
C)crust,transition zone,upper mantle,lower mantle,liquid outer core,solid inner core
D)transition zone,crust,liquid outer core,solid inner core,upper mantle,lower mantle

Question 44

Scientist have estimated the age of Earth to be 4.57 Ga.What did they use to determine this age and why did they use it?

Question 45

Which of the following statements about Earth's core is FALSE?

A)Its metallic content is likely similar to what has been found in metallic meteorites.
B)It is partly liquid and partly solid.
C)It is composed of an iron alloy (mostly iron with a few other metallic elements mixed in).
D)By volume,it is the largest compositional layer of Earth.

Question 46

What is the difference between a mineral and a glass?

Question 47

The distinction between the crust and the mantle is primarily on the basis of a difference in ________.

A)composition
B)color of minerals
C)ability to flow
D)distance from the Sun

Question 48

Draw a cross-section of Earth showing its layers.Label the layers and list the average composition of the layers.

Question 49

The lithosphere lies directly above the ________.

A)transition zone
B)crust
C)asthenosphere
D)lower mantle

Question 50

Why was Pluto removed from the list of planets in our solar system?

Question 51

As compared to ultramafic rocks,mafic rocks have a ________.

A)greater proportion of silica
B)lesser proportion of silica
C)greater proportion of iron and magnesium atoms
D)greater density

Question 52

The lithosphere is composed of the ________.

A)crust only
B)crust,mantle,and outer core
C)top 100 meters of sediments and sedimentary rocks
D)crust and the uppermost part of the mantle

Question 53

During a journey to the center of Earth,one would experience temperature ________.

A)and pressure both increasing
B)and pressure both decreasing
C)increasing but pressure staying nearly the same
D)remaining remarkably constant but pressure increasing

Question 54

As compared to the asthenosphere,the lithosphere is ________.

A)cooler and more able to flow
B)hotter and more able to flow
C)cooler and less able to flow
D)hotter and less able to flow

Question 55

Where does Earth's magnetic field originate and what is the primary benefit of the magnetic field to life on Earth?