Exam 1 (Ch.1-3) Self Test

A(n) __________ system is one in which energy moves freely in and out, but no matter enters or leaves the system/ A) Closed B) Open C) Feedback D) Equilibrated

A) Closed

Which of the following statements about Earth's internal layers is FALSE? A) The mantle is composed of solid iron B) The asthenosphere contains a few percent partial melt and is a weak layer directly below the lithosphere C) The lithosphere is the rigid upper layer that constitutes the plates on Earth's surface D) The outer core consists primarily of liquid iron and is the source of Earth's magnetic field

A) The mantle is composed of solid iron

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 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 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 how erosion shapes the land surface

The currently accepted age of Earth is ___________ years. A) 4.6 thousand B) 6.4 trillion C) 4.6 billion D) 6.4 million

C) 4.6 billion

What is the correct order, from the surface inward, of Earth's internal layers? A) Core, lower mantle, crust, upper mantle B) Crust, outer core, mantle, inner core C) Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core D) Mantle, inner core, outer core, crust

C) Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

Which one of the following geologic processes or events is NOT part of the Rock Cycle? A) Magma forms when rock melts deep beneath Earth's surface B) Sedimentary rock is buried deep in the crust where heat and pressure transforms it to metamorphic rock C) Meteorites strike Earth's surface to produce craters D) Rocks are uplifted to the surface, weathered, and eroded to produce sediment E) Sediment is compacted and cemented to form sedimentary rock

C) Meteorites strike Earth's surface to produce craters

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

D) Assumptions or conclusions without prior experimentation or observation

A scientific theory is a tentative or untested explanation that is proposed to explain scientific observations, but is not supported by actual data. True False

True

About 4.5 billion years ago, the newly-formed Earth was very hot and soft, causing heavier elements like iron to sink towards the center while lighter elements floated towards the surface to create the interior layering. This overall process is called chemical differentiation. True False

True

According to the nebular hypothesis, all of the bodies in our solar system evolved from a rotating cloud of gases and dust about 4.6 billion years ago. True False

True