Chapter 1 Test bank

98) Humans are ________ the Earth System ________ Earth's environment in a major way. A) not part of; but affect B) not part of; and do not affect C) part of; and affect D) part of; but do not affect

C) part of; and affect

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

A) All of the chemical elements were formed during the big bang when the universe began, so we are like the stars. D) The earth has incorporated large amounts of chemical material from the solar wind, so our bodies carry this material.

21) Which of the following is not a planet? A) Europa B) Venus C) Saturn D) Neptune

A) Europa

88) Internally, Earth consists of ________ shells with different compositions and densities. A) circular B) hollow C) rectangular D) square

A) circular

38) The ________ is the thinnest layer of Earth. A) crust B) outer core C) mantle D) inner core

A) crust

29) The ________ refers to the water-dominated parts of Earth. A) hydrosphere B) atmosphere C) biosphere D) geosphere

A) hydrosphere

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

A) meteorology

27) The circumference of Earth is about ________ km. A) 10,000 B) 20,000 idk C) 30,000 D) 40,000

B) 20,000 idk D) 40,000

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) 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. C) 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. D) None of the above-physical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.

B) 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.

18) 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) There must be alternative hypotheses proposed. D) It must be based on observations or facts.

B) It must predict something other than the observations it was based on.

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

B) These light elements are blown away from the inner planets by the solar wind.

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

B) a meteorologist with knowledge of oceanography

101) The thin, outer layer of Earth, from 7 to 40 km in thickness, is called the ________. A) core B) crust C) lithosphere D) mantle

B) crust

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

B) geologist

5) 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) meteorologists, because they could use the fossils as a guide to ancient climates 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) 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

34) In correct order from the center outward, Earth includes which units? A) core, inner mantle, outer mantle, crust B) inner core, outer core, mantle, crust C) inner core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere D) core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere

B) inner core, outer core, mantle, crust

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

B) late November

39) The ________ forms the relatively cool, brittle tectonic plates. A) asthenosphere B) lithosphere C) astrosphere D) eosphere

B) lithosphere

106) The ________ are the most prominent feature on the ocean floor. A) abyssal mounds B) mid-ocean ridges C) seamounts D) sediment cores

B) mid-ocean ridges

20) The ________ explains how our solar system probably formed from a giant cloud of gases and dispersed solid particles. A) protogalactic theory B) nebular theory C) extrastellar solar hypothesis D) planetary compression theory

B) nebular theory

100) The two broad, traditional subject areas of geologic study are ________. A) mineralogy and igneous petrology B) physical and historical geology C) structural geology and sedimentology D) None of the above

B) physical and historical geology

16) The primary goal of Earth Science is ________. A) to develop things that will benefit mankind B) to identify the patterns in nature and use that information to predict the future C) to locate resources D) to protect the environment

B) to identify the patterns in nature and use that information to predict the future

93) During the history of Earth there have been periods when all the continents were together in a supercontinent known as ________. A) Gaia B) Laurentia C) Pangaea D) Tethys

C) Pangea

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

19) 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 a theory is essentially just a guess. B) The viewpoint is accurate because since science is based on interpretation it is not really trustworthy. 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.

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

28) The ________ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth. A) hydrosphere B) atmosphere C) biosphere D) geosphere

C) biosphere

30) The largest of Earth's spheres is the ________. A) hydrosphere B) atmosphere C) geosphere D) biosphere

C) geosphere

97) Shields and stable platforms are typically found in the ________ regions of a continent. A) atmospheric B) exterior C) interior D) subsurface

C) interior

102) The ________ is the relatively rigid zone above the asthenosphere that includes the crust and upper mantle. A) core B) crust C) lithosphere D) mantle

C) lithosphere

2) The study of Earth's atmosphere is known as ________. A) astronomy B) oceanography C) meteorology D) cosmology

C) meteorology

13) Geologists primarily would study which phenomenon? A) clouds and precipitation B) marine life and ocean currents C) rocks and minerals D) stars and galaxies

C) rocks and minerals

17) All of the following are possible steps of scientific investigation except for ________. A) the collection of scientific facts through observation and measurement B) assumption of conclusions without prior experimentation or observation C) the development of one or more working hypotheses or models to explain facts D) development of observations and experiments to test the hypotheses

C) the development of one or more working hypotheses or models to explain facts

4) 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 the atmosphere D) the study of how to be a TV newscaster

C) the study of the atmosphere

32) The exchange of energy between the surface of Earth, the atmosphere, and space causes ________. A) topography B) temperature C) weather D) glaciers

C) weather

7) 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

D) astronomy

8) 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

D) astronomy

11) Which of the following would not typically be considered an Earth Science study? A) studies of volcanic eruptions B) studies of impact craters on the moon C) studies of acid mine waters and the bacteria that live in those waters D) chemical refining of petroleum

D) chemical refining of petroleum

25) Comets are made up primarily of ________. A) iron-nickel alloys B) silicate minerals, like rocks on Earth C) frozen hydrogen D) frozen water, carbon dioxide, and methane

D) frozen water, carbon dioxide, and methane

103) The ________ is the solid, rocky shell between the crust and outer core. A) core B) crust C) lithosphere D) mantle

D) mantle

90) Subduction zones are where ________ are descending. A) collisional mountain chairs B) transform faults C) magmas D) oceanic plates maybe

D) oceanic plates maybe

104) The convective flow of liquid, metallic iron in the ________ is thought to generate Earth's magnetic field. A) asthenosphere B) inner core C) lithosphere D) outer core

D) outer core

37) The ________ is thought to be a liquid, metallic region in Earth's interior. A) inner core B) lithosphere C) mantle D) outer core

D) outer core

89) The asthenosphere is the ________ layer in the upper mantle that the plates move on. A) all liquid B) all solid C) gaseous D) partially melted I think

D) partially melted I think

15) A ________ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific observations. A) hypothesis B) generalization C) law D) theory

D) theory

31) Soil belongs to the ________. A) hydrosphere B) atmosphere C) geosphere D) biosphere E) All of the above

E) All of the above

3) Which discipline is not used within the Earth sciences? A) Chemistry B) Physics C) Biology D) Mathematics E) None of the above; Earth Science makes use of all of these sciences.

E) None of the above; Earth Science makes use of all of these sciences.

14) Oceanography includes a study of ________. A) the ocean floor B) ocean animals C) chemistry of sea water D) the effect of oceans on climate E) all of the above

E) all of the above