Earth Science Final Exam Review Guide

An ellipse has two focal points. One of the focal points is the _____.

sun

Which of the following names the idea that young sedimentary formations overlie older ones?

superposition

Which list of factors best supports the concept that they are "just right" for the planet Earth to support life?

temperature, gravity, atmosphere and water

Select all answers that apply.For radiometric dating, you need to know which of the following

the rate at which radioactive decay occurs how much radioactive decay has occurred

Sediment layers stop lateral spreading when:

they run out of additional sedimentary materialthey encounter a barrier

Which of the following types of organism fossils have been found to have an annual growth pattern that can be used to determine conditions at the time the organism lived? Select all that apply.

trees marine invertebrates fish vertebrates

What is the term that refers to a formation occurring where younger rock covers an eroded layer?

unconformity

Biologists use molecular clocks to try to measure _____.

when two species separated from a shared ancestor

Energy is the ability to do-----. The study of energy and its changing forms is called ----

work thermodynamics

The harmonic law would suggest that Neptune will take _____ to orbit the Sun than Mercury.

a longer amount of time

which of the following is not one of the observed characteristics of our solar system?

all moons orbit planets in a counterclockwise direction

According to Newton's third law, forces come in pairs. There is ________ and an equal and opposite ________ .

an action reaction

The earth-moon relationship is unique in many ways. It is the largest moon in the solar system relative to its host planet. The relative size between the earth and moon are so close, some refer to it as a _____ planet system.

binary

Earth is the only planet that has a _____ and a _____.

biosphere and hydrosphere

Copernicus and other astronomers before him thought that celestial bodies followed a _____ orbital path.

circular

Johannes Kepler, an apprentice of Brahe, believed in the heliocentric universe but rejected past astronomers' belief in _____.

circular orbital paths

During the rock cycle, rocks get broken apart by weathering, carried along by erosion, and eventually deposited in a body of water. What happens next?

compaction and cementation into sedimentary rock, then heat and pressure into metamorphic rock

the _____ theory suggests that the interstellar dust within a nebular cloud is the most important component of a planet formation

condensation

The rate at which a parent atom creates daughter atoms is always _____.

constant and unique

The gravitational force decreases as the _____ between two objects increases.

distance

In the tectonic cycle, new but recycled lithosphere rises to the ground at boundaries and can be subducted at boundaries.

divergent convergent

The law of ________suggests that the orbit of planets is not circular but _______ .

ellipses, elliptical

What is the longest period of time interval?

eon

Select all of the answers that apply.Which of the following events define the Proterozoic eon?

eukaryotic cells first seen stable continents oxygen builds up in atmosphere

During convection, hot material---- then moves to the side and---- . This circular pattern is called a convection current.

expands and rises cools and sinks

The_______ theory suggest that protoplanets began to form around the protosun from many collisions and combinations of gas and matter, called __________

first, nebular second, accretion

During the carbon cycle, carbon cycles from plants through the then recycles back into the soil by , like fungi and bacteria.

food chains decomposers

Select all the answers that apply. Biological evidence of the age of the earth includes _____.

fossil evidence comparative anatomy molecular clocks

Which of the following can be used by scientists to date the sediment layer they are found in? Select all that apply.

fossils tree rings animal growth rings radioactive isotopes

The idea that rocks form over long periods through the slow geologic processes is called _____.

gradualism

heavy elements, such as iron and silicon, have a ________ condensation temperature as compared to light elements, such as hydrogen and helium

higher

The three main geochemical cycles of Earth are _____, _____, and _____. These geochemical cycles continuously remove and add material on Earth.

hydrologic rock tectonic

What types of rock can be dated using the radiometric dating method? Select all that apply.

igneous basalt igneous granite metamorphic

In the rock cycle, rocks can change into three different forms. These are _____.

igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary

When sediments deposit in lakes or oceans, how do they lay?

in flat horizontal layers

When a mass increases, its gravitational force _______.

increases

Which statement is true?

inner and outer planets compostition supports the nebular theory because heavier elements condence closer to the sun, and lighter elements condence at cooler temperatures

The natural functions of Earth seem all _____ in one way or another.

interconnected

In the hydrologic cycle, water from the ocean into the atmosphere where it can and change back into tiny water droplets.

it evaporates and then it condenses.

Phosphorus isn't as abundant as nitrogen or carbon because it is contained in the and released with processes, which can take a long time.

lithosphere geological

the outer planets are mostly formed of lighter elements, hydrogen and helium, because these elements condence at a _________ temperature, further from the sun lower

lower

According to Newton's second law, the acceleration of an object depends on its ________ and the amount of _______ applied to it.

mass force

According to Newton's first law, massive objects have _____ inertia than small objects, which means it takes more force to move bigger things than smaller ones.

more

A calculation of how long it takes a planet to orbit the Sun would be most closely related to Kepler's

3rd Law of Planetary Motion

How many spheres are there and what are they?

5-atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, and hydropshere

Law of Inertia

A body remains at rest, or moves in a straight line (at a constant velocity), unless acted upon by a net outside force.

A geologist is studying layers of rock. He finds a fossil with an imprint of a shelled animal. According to the law of faunal and floral succession, what kind of fossil would he most likely find next, in the layer of rock above it?

A fossil of fishes

Which of the following is evidence of Earth's age provided by fossils?

Fossil ranges from a simple to complex across rock layers.

Which of the following are processes of nitrogen and ammonia conversion that make nitrogen absorbable by plants?

Nitrification, Nitrogen fixation, and ammonification

List the Laws of rock formation( don't know what to call it)

1.) Law of Cross-cutting (or intrusive) relationships= in a sequence of layered rocks, the crosscut, or intrusive feature, is younger than the layers it intercedes 2.) Law of Faunal and Floral succession=animals and plant fossils occur in consistent sequences through time, generally changing from simpler to more complex 3.) Law of original horizontality=sediment deposited into water will settle at the bottom in flat, horizontal layers 4.) law of original lateral continuity=sediment deposited into water will spread in a horizontal and continuous sheet 5.) Law of Superposition= any undisturbed sequence of layered rocks has the oldest rock on the bottom and newest rock on the top

Approximately how much energy is transferred from one step in a food chain to the next?

10%

If it weren't for Newton's _____ law, regarding inertia, the planets would travel in a straight line into space. Gravity is the outside force that keeps the planets in orbit about the Sun.

1st

Linda has a cup of coffee sitting in the cup holder in her car. She has to suddenly slam on her brakes and stop. The cup remained in the cup holder, but the coffee splashed and spilled everywhere. Newton's _____ law can best describe why this happened.

1st

When energy is transformed, some is used, but most is released as unusable heat energy, according to the----- law of thermodynamics.

2nd

What factors in Earth's relationship to the Sun make life on Earth possible?

- The distance from the Sun allows for the right amount of light absorption - The distance from the Sun allows for the right intensity of heat - The gravitational pull of the Sun on the Earth keeps it from straying out into space - The heat from the Sun allows for liquid water on the surface of Earth

What are the Steps of Stellar Evolution?

1-Nebular cloud of dust 2- cloud collapses under the force of its own gravitational attraction; usually triggered by a supernova 3- condensed material begins to combine and form a core center, as it warms, a protostar is formed 4- other gas and matter of the nebular cloud begin to rotate around the protostar, forming a flattened, disk 5- stellar core heats as it grows; nuclear fusion begins and a star is born 6- nuclear energy runs out; death ; possible supernova

Mr. Goldsmith suggested that animals must capture energy from their environment. An example of this would be _____.

A rabbit/ bunny that is eating some grass

"Dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago." This statement is an example of _____.

Absolute time

When was the atmosphere full of poisonous gas?

Archean eon

Which scientists have contributed to our knowledge of Earth's age?

Biologists Geologists Astronomers

Select all answers that apply.Which of the following statements depend on the absolute dating of events?

Birds separated from dinosaur relatives 120 million years ago. The oldest Earth rocks are 3.9 billion years old.

A star is held together by?

Both gravity and nuclear fusion

The theory that earth's rocks formed in a global flood followed by uplifting of some rock over a short period is called _____.

Catatrophism

In the hydrologic cycle, after water precipitates to the surface, it can return to the atmosphere by processes of _____.

Evaporation and transpiration

The _____ law of thermodynamics states that energy can't be created or destroyed. Two natural sources of energy on Earth are the _____.

First, the Sun and Earth's core

Choose the pieces of evidence that supported the existence of Pangaea and continental drift theory.

Fossilized plants and animals of the same species found on separate continents. Geological features, such as mountain ranges, that align on matching coasts of different continents.

What supports the geologic evidence that can be used to date the earth?

Fossils found in rocks. The layering in rock formations. The radioactive dating of rocks.

When did the solar system develop?

Hadean eon

A fossil that is widespread geographically but only occurs in one or a small number of rock layers is called _____.

Index fossil

How is Carbon released into the atmosphere?

It is released into the atmosphere by respiration and burning of fossil fuels and wood

Kepler's 2nd Law

Jupiter will be traveling most slowly around the sun when at aphelion; Pluto will be traveling fastest around the sun when at perihelion

The square of the orbital period of a planet around the sun is proportional to the cube of the planet's orbital radius. This follows the _____.

Law of Harmonies

What do scientists use to divide the geologic time scale?

Major divisions in the fossil records

Andre the Giant and Thumbelina are standing in the middle of an ice-skating rink facing each other. Andre the Giant pushes Thumbelina and she goes sliding, but Andre also slides a bit backwards. Why did this happen? Newton's third law

Newton's third law

The era that is defined by both a huge explosion in the diversity of life as well as the largest mass extinction is _____.

Paleozoic

"Fish appear in the fossil record before amphibians." This statement is an example of _____.

Relative time

In the nitrogen cycle, once a consumer gains nitrogen nutrients from animals or plants, it recycles these nutrients back to the earth by _____.

Releasing waste and decomposition.

What are the similarities and differences in the way geologists and biologists approximate the age of the earth? Justify your response in two or more complete sentences.

Some differences are biologists can prove the age of the Earth by studying molecules and genetic changes in other molecules. They also study the evolution of cells. Geologists can determine the age of the Earth by the study of rocks and how long it takes them to form. Some similarities in they way they study the Earth is the study of fossils. Both geologists and biologists study fossil evolution.

What evidence for the age of the Earth is indicated by the fact that sedimentary rock is found on mountain tops?

Some force had lifted the rocks from the water

In_______ you study rock strata, and in_______ you study fossils.

Stratigraphy paleontology

Kepler's second law of planetary motion states that a planet in orbit around the Sun will...?

Sweep out equal areas in equal times

The Sun is essential to life on earth. Which of the statements is not true about the Sun's importance to life on the earth?

The Sun supports the processes of plate tectonics.

Newton's Laws of Motion

The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net applied force and inversely proportional to the object's mass; to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; an object at rest remains at rest, and a moving object continues to move forever in a straight line with constant speed, unless some external force changes their state of motion.

If the earth's differentiation were any different, its gravitational pull and might have been affected.

The answer is tectonic activity

Which statement is true?

The law of equal areas suggests that the imaginary line connecting the Sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal amounts of time.

Kepler's first law of planetary motion

The orbital paths of the planets are elliptical (not circular) with the sun at one focus

In the phosphorus cycle, phosphorus can recycle through waste products, decomposition, and of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

This is an example/ it is food chains

Plants absorb water from the soil to live and grow. This is an example of of the biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere.

This is sphere interaction

Which of the following may be exceptions to the Law of Superposition?

Thrust faults turbidites

True or False. On Earth, old matter is recycled into new matter.

True

The intensity of radiation from the Sun allows water to cycle between liquid and vapor, which is a dynamic process of earth called the _____.

Water cycle

Select all the answers that apply.Types of evidence that astronomers use to estimate the age of the universe and stars include _____.

movement of galaxies chemical composition of the sun

Which of the following would be an angular unconformity?

older eroded surface is tilted or folded

Kepler's Third Law

p^2 = a^3 <--- implies that the orbital period of a planet increases rapidly with increase in distance from the sun (planets farther from the sun have much longer orbits). However, mass or eccentricity have no effect on length of orbit.

The law of equal areas suggests that planets move fastest when at ________ and slowest when at ________ .

perihelion,aphelion

The lithosphere floats on the asthenosphere like glass on clay. When the clay moves, the glass moves. The movement of the lithosphere is _____.

plate tectonics

Volcanic activity results from a unique dynamic process of Earth called _____.

plate tectonics

What are the two independent methods used in dating events in Earth's history? Select all that apply.

radiometric dating molecular clocks

Select all the answers that apply.Geological evidence of the age of the earth includes _____.

radiometric dating of rocks fossil evidence gradual processes of rock formation

Other planets have a lithosphere, but Earth's is unique because it has a special type of debris called _____.

soil