Astronomy QZ08

Volcanism is more likely on a planet that is struck often by meteors and solar system debris. is closer to the Sun. has high internal temperatures. doesn't have an atmosphere or oceans.

has high internal temperatures.

A planet is most likely to have tectonic activity if it has high internal temperature low internal temperature low surface gravity high surface gravity

high internal temperature

Any rock in the Earth's crust that has cooled from an originally molten state is called silicate metamorphic igneous sedimentary

igneous

Any rock in the Earth's crust that has cooled from an originally molten state is called metamorphic sedimentary igneous silicate

igneous

Heat escapes from a planet's surface into space by thermal radiation. Planets radiate almost entirely in the wavelength range of the infrared radio ultraviolet visible

infrared

What is the most important factor that determines the thickness and therefore the strength of the rigid rocky material that forms the crust and upper portion of the mantle on the Earth? pressure composition viscosity internal temperature

internal temperature

What is the highest region of the atmosphere? ionosphere mesosphere troposphere stratosphere

ionosphere

What is the Earth's core primarily composed of? iron and nickel aluminum and silicates carbon and silicates iron and aluminum hydrogen and helium

iron and nickel

Which of the following has virtually no effect on the structure of a planet? composition its mass its magnetic field its size

its magnetic field

Which of the following points about our planet's atmosphere is FALSE? it is slowly leaking atoms into space from its outermost regions its mass is a substantial part of the mass of the Earth warm air rises and cool air descends within it it is made mostly of nitrogen

its mass is a substantial part of the mass of the Earth

How do astronomers and geologists study the interior of the Earth? using X-ray machines to see beneath the crust studying the way that seismic waves travel through the planet using probes sent into a volcano drilling very deep holes toward the center of the Earth

studying the way that seismic waves travel through the planet

The Moon is heavily cratered but the Earth is NOT. Why? all objects from space burn up in the Earth's atmosphere the active geology and weather on Earth destroy traces of impacts over millions of years the magnetism of the Moon is more likely to attract metallic objects to hit it the craters on the Moon are the result of active volcanoes; the Earth has few active volcanoes compared to the Moon

the active geology and weather on Earth destroy traces of impacts over millions of years

What type of stresses broke Earth's lithosphere into plates? the circulation of convection cells in the mantle which caused the mantle and litosphere to be compressed impacts of asteroids and planetesimals volcanism which produced heavy volcanoes that bent and cracked the lithosphere internal temperature changes that caused the crust to expand and stretch

the circulation of convection cells in the mantle which caused the mantle and litosphere to be compressed

For scientists one bar is equal to the distance from one end of a continental plate to another the pressure with which 1 square centimeter of the Earth's atmosphere presses down at the surface the average height of the ozone layer above the Earth the density of the material at the center of the Earth

the pressure with which 1 square centimeter of the Earth's atmosphere presses down at the surface

The process of convection involves ultraviolet rays changing oxygen into ozone the trapping of charged particles in a magnetic zone water shaping deep cutd into the Earth's crust such as the Grand Canyon the slow upward flow of warmer material and downward flow of cooler material

the slow upward flow of warmer material and downward flow of cooler material

In which region of the Earth's atmosphere have you spent most of your life? the ionosphere the stratosphere the troposphere the mesosphere

the troposphere

Which of the following describes erosion? the wearing down of building up of geological features by wind and water and ice and other phenomena of planetary weather the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface

the wearing down of building up of geological features by wind and water and ice and other phenomena of planetary weather

The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere is oxygen argon ozone water vapor nitrogen

nitrogen

Which of these is not a main ingredient that Earth is composed of nitrogen oxygen silicon iron

nitrogen

Earthquake producing faults are much more likely to be found in smooth continental desert areas on the boundaries of continental plates where they meet other plates in the southern hemisphere of the Earth where there is more water where the Earth's magnetic field touches the planet's surface

on the boundaries of continental plates where they meet other plates

According to the fossil record how old is the oldest evidence of life forms on the surface of the Earth? 6000 years 65 million years about 3.5 billion years a few million years

about 3.5 billion years

According to the fossil record how old is the oldest evidence of life forms on the surface of the Earth? 6000 years a few million years 65 million years about 3.5 billion years

about 3.5 billion years

One way in which the ozone layer is useful for life forms on the Earth's surface is that it is so thick that meteors from space all burn up there regardless of size absorbs ultraviolet light preventing much of it from reaching the surface presses down on the continental plates and makes it more difficult for them to slip keeps the heat of the Sun from escaping making the Earth a bit warmer

absorbs ultraviolet light preventing much of it from reaching the surface

The three principal sources of internal heat on Earth (and other terrestrial planets) are conduction; differentiation; accretion conduction; convection; eruption accretion; differentiation; radioactivity accretion; differentiation; eruption

accretion; differentiation; radioactivity

What kind of surface features may result from tectonics? cliffs valleys all of the above mountains volcanoes

all of the above

We define the pressure in the atmosphere using bars. Where do we set the measurement of 1 bar? at the bottom of the ocean at the top of the atmosphere at the height of a 747-jet airplane flight at sea level

at sea level

The type of rock we find predominant in the crust of the Earth's continents is called: basalt lava granite magnetospheric rock

basalt

The average temperature on planet Earth is higher than you would expect from the heating of the surface by sunlight alone. What is the explanation for this? the rubbing of the continental plates warms up the Earth's surface solid material hitting the Earth from space heats it up the heat given off by living things makes our planet warmer carbon dioxide (and other gases) in the atmosphere cause a greenhouse effect

carbon dioxide (and other gases) in the atmosphere cause a greenhouse effect

The average temperature on planet Earth is higher than you would expect just from the heating of sunlight alone. What is the explanation for this? solid material hitting the Earth from space heats it up carbon dioxide (and other gases) in the atmosphere cause a greenhouse effect the rubbing of the continental plates warms up the Earth's surface the heat given off by living things makes our planet warmer

carbon dioxide (and other gases) in the atmosphere cause a greenhouse effect

The core and mantle and crust of a planet are defined by differences in their geological activity temperature strength composition color

composition

The core, mantle, and crust of a planet are defined by differences in their composition strength geological activity volume

composition

Which part of the Earth has the greatest density? continental crust core oceanic crust mantle

core

The outer layer of the Earth is called the mantle core crust rock

crust

Which of the following statements about the Earth's magnetosphere is FALSE? it contains particles that come mainly from the solar wind it is generated by circulating liquid metal inside the Earth's core its shape and size are the same on the sides facing toward and away from the Sun it extends into space over a region much bigger than the diameter of the Earth

its shape and size are the same on the sides facing toward and away from the Sun

What is the largest part of the layers of the Earth? core crust mantle rock

mantle

The Earth's core contains mostly metal because the entire planet is made mostly of metal. radioactivity created metals in the core from the decay of uranium. metals sank to the center during a time when the interior was molten throughout. metals condensed first in the solar nebula and the rocks then accreted around them.

metals sank to the center during a time when the interior was molten throughout.

The geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone National Park result from a fault plates that have slipped sideways relative to each other creating a fault thin continental crust separating and creating a rift valley. a plate that has run up against an existing continental plate. plumes of hot mantle rising in a hot spot within a plate

plumes of hot mantle rising in a hot spot within a plate

Regions where the continents or the sea floor are pulling apart are called convection zones subduction zones magnetospheric zones rift zones

rift zones

Scientists have been concerned about a set of industrial chemicals called CFCs because they rise into the atmosphere and keep the Earth's heat from escaping rise into the atmosphere and destroy ozone seep into the groundwater and increase the chances of earthquakes rise into the atmosphere and absorb x-rays from space

rise into the atmosphere and destroy ozone

According to the theory of plate tectonics the continents are moving but the ocean floor is not leading to great friction slow motions within the mantle of the Earth move large sections of the crust around the rubbing of the waters of the Earth across its crust is speeding up its rotation the liquid metal inside the Earth is developing plates of solid metallic material

slow motions within the mantle of the Earth move large sections of the crust around

What allowed the differentiation of the Earth's layers to happen? continental drift and plate tectonics the early Earth must have been so hot it was like a liquid and heavier things sank to the middle a giant rock from space hit the Earth and made a huge hole almost to the center through which material could move this is one of the results of global warming over the last thousand years

the early Earth must have been so hot it was like a liquid and heavier things sank to the middle

The region around the Earth where charged particles are trapped and spiral around is called: the mantle the ozone layer the atmosphere the magnetosphere

the magnetosphere

An increase in the Earth's temperature by several degrees Celcius would result in a huge increase in the rate of motion of the continental plates and far more earthquakes an increase in the Earth's magnetism the melting of many glaciers and a rise in sea levels and more flooding of towns near the coasts of the continents a new ice age

the melting of many glaciers and a rise in sea levels and more flooding of towns near the coasts of the continents

An increase in the Earth's temperature by several degrees Celsius would result in: a new ice age an increase in the Earth's magnetism increasing the size of the VanAllen belts the melting of many glaciers; a rise in sea levels; and more flooding of towns near coastlines a huge increase in the rate of motion of the continental plates and far more earthquakes

the melting of many glaciers; a rise in sea levels; and more flooding of towns near coastlines

Which region of the atmosphere do we spend most of our lives? mesosphere stratosphere troposphere ionosphere

troposphere

A spot where magma rises to the surface can be seen as a volcano fault subduction zone continental plate

volcano

Mountains on Earth often have sharp peaks and edges to them while mountains on the Moon look smooth and kindo f dull in comparison. What gives the Earth's mountains their dramatic sharp shapes? rocks falling from space hit the mountains and shape them water and ice flow over the Earth's mountains and erode them the Earth's magnetic field is responsible for all the shapes on the surface earthquakes in the mountain regions break big mountains into smaller ones

water and ice flow over the Earth's mountains and erode them