unit 4 questions
The location where new crust is being created at a divergent plate boundary
C
Which soil horizon has very little organic matter and accumulates soluble metals and nutrients that are transported from other soil layers?
C
Which latitude shown on the diagram above experiences 24 hours of daylight on December 21?
E
Earth currently rotates on an axis at an angle of 23.5 degrees. If that axis changed to 20 degrees, so that the axis was closer to vertical, which of the following would be expected to occur?
Earth would experience a change in seasonal timing and length.
The high sea surface temperature in 1998 was most likely due to
El Niño
Region with the lowest atmospheric pressure
Exosphere
Which of the following is a positive effect likely to result from an El Niño event?
Fewer hurricanes forming in the Central Atlantic basin
Which of the following would be the best control sample for the study?
A sample of water collected just downstream of the northern forest
A farm is experiencing extensive crop loss due to high rains causing overly saturated soils. Which of the following approaches would best help the farmer alleviate the problem?
Amending the soil with sand to increase the permeability of the soil
Which of the following best describes a transform boundary?
An area where two tectonic plates slide past one another
At which of the following sites is an earthquake most likely to occur as two plates slide sideways past each other?
C
Area that exhibits a growing nonvolcanic mountain chain due to uplift
C- europe
A community located downwind from a coal-fired power plant has seen a recent increase in the number of dead and dying trees. A soil scientist measured values for the following parameters before and after the trees died off. Which of the following soil data should be used to determine if the coal-fired power plant emissions were the cause of the damage to the trees?
Calcium and aluminum levels
Which soil indicated on the soil triangle above would most likely have the highest water-holding capacity?
Soil C
Directions: The following question(s) refer to the diagram below, which shows 100 ml of water being poured through a soil sample. After the water has passed through the soil, 98 ml of water is measured in the collection tray below the sample. Of the following, which is the most likely composition of the soil sample?
Clay 10% Silt 10% Sand 80%
Which of the following is the correct order of soil particles in order of increasing size?
Clay—silt—sand
Based on the data in the table, which of the countries is most likely located at a subduction zone between an oceanic tectonic plate and a continental tectonic plate?
Country D
Directions: Select the choice that best fits each statement. The following question(s) refer to the following processes. (A) Photosynthesis (B) Eutrophication (C) Denitrification (D) Decomposition (E) Transpiration The rapid rate of this process in tropical forests results in low-nutrient soils
Decomposition
Which of the following is a biome found at 30°N and 30°S as seen in the diagram?
Deserts
Which of the following changes in eastern Pacific Ocean food webs is typically associated with La Niña events?
Increased phytoplankton concentrations
Which of the following correctly characterizes one of Earth's atmospheric layers?
Layer D is the thermosphere, where auroras are found.
Based on the graph, which of the following can be concluded about the latitudes of the two locations?
Location 1 is close to the equator, and Location 2 is in the Northern Hemisphere.
Directions: Select the choice that best fits each statement. The following question(s) refer to the following elements. (A) Oxygen (B) Aluminum (C) Iron (D) Nitrogen (E) Argon
Nitrogen
Based on the soil texture triangle, which of the following would describe soil that was 25% silt, 25% clay, 50% sand?
Sandy clay loam
Which of the following best describes why the engineer chose to calculate the permeability of the soil sample in the experimental design in order to evaluate a natural containment system to protect groundwater?
Soils that have low permeability would best help protect groundwater because the soil traps pollutants so that chemical and biological breakdown can occur.
Which of the following is the source of energy driving the circulation pattern labeled C in the diagram?
Solar radiation
Directions: Select the choice that best fits each statement. The following question(s) refer to the following regions of Earth's atmosphere. (A) Thermosphere (B) Exosphere (C) Troposphere (D) Mesosphere (E) Stratosphere The beneficial ozone layer is in this region of the atmosphere.
Stratosphere
Based on the diagram, which of the following changes are most likely to occur in the central and eastern tropical Pacific during El Niño?
The Peruvian current weakens, leading to warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures.
Which of the following should be included in a watershed map to best determine the non-point source of a pollutant, such as fertilizer, found in a river?
The land use upstream of the river and water quality indicators in streams that run downstream into the river
In the desert regions of the southwestern United States, daily high and low temperatures will frequently fluctuate by 40°F40°F (33°C)(33°C) or more. Which statement below best explains the large variation in temperature?
There are no bordering oceans or large bodies of water to provide a stabilizing humidity to the air.
Based on the data in the diagrams, in which layer of the atmosphere would short wave radio signals be reflected?
Thermosphere
El Niño, a periodic warming of ocean surface waters, occurs in which of the following regions?
Tropical East Pacific
Which of the following causes the air to rise high into the atmosphere in the areas labeled A, B, and C on the diagram?
Warm, moist air that is less dense than the surrounding air
Brown pelicans are fish-eating birds. As a result of an El Niño event, the population of brown pelicans in southern California declines. Which of the following best explains the relationship between the El Niño event and the population decline?
Warmer ocean temperatures can cause fish to move to colder water farther from pelican nest sites.
Which of the following is a primary cause of El Niño climate variations?
Warmer surface waters in the Pacific Ocean
Which of the following is the most likely effect of a strong El Niño event on the weather patterns in the United States?
Wetter weather and cooler than average temperatures in the southeastern states and warmer temperatures in the Pacific Northwest
Which of the following statements best explains why the average temperature of London is warmer than that of Calgary in December?
ceanic currents warm the atmosphere in London.
Most of the Earth's deserts are at approximately 30° latitude, north and south, because these latitudes are characterized by
descending dry air currents
The most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere is
nitrogen
The Sun's radiation provides the energy for all of the following EXCEPT
plate tectonics
The low anchovy catch in 1998 was most likely the result of
reduced ocean upwelling along the coast
Most deserts on Earth are located near the 30° north and 30° south latitudes because humidity is lower at 30°. The best explanation for the lower humidity is that
warm air rises at the equator, cools, and sinks at 30° latitude
Which soil horizon is best developed in areas with dense vegetation, such as forests and grasslands, since the horizon consists of decomposing leaves and other plant material?
A
Which of the following best describes why understanding a watershed and its boundaries is important in designing housing developments along a river?
Surface water and stormwater runoff will drain downstream within the watershed boundaries, so it is important to understand the flow of water through the watershed.
Which of the following is the best method for preventing soil erosion in an agricultural area?
Terrace farming
Which of the following correctly describes the season and length of day at the Tropic of Cancer at the time of year shown in the diagram?Which of the following correctly describes the season and length of day at the Tropic of Cancer at the time of year shown in the diagram?
The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun so it is winter at the Tropic of Cancer and daylight is less than twelve hours per day.
This layer of Earth's atmosphere contains the fewest molecules of the layers shown, and the low density of gas leads to very few molecules transferring heat to an object. In this layer, ultraviolet radiation causes photo dissociation of molecules, creating ions.
Thermosphere
Directions: Select the choice that best fits each statement. The following question(s) refer to the following regions of Earth's atmosphere. (A) Thermosphere (B) Exosphere (C) Troposphere (D) Mesosphere (E) Stratosphere The phenomenon causing global warming occurs primarily in this region of the atmosphere.
Troposphere
In which of the following atmospheric layers does most weather occur?
Troposphere
Region largely responsible for the weather experienced at the Earth's surface
Troposphere
Which of the following explains the variable that would be the best for students to measure to determine the direct impact of soil erosion caused by the construction project on the river?
Turbidity, because a decrease in water clarity would indicate an increase in soil erosion.
