Earth Science Final
Which of the following are unusual about Uranus?
Its axis of rotation, orientation of rings, and orbits of its moons are perpendicular to those of every other planet in the Solar System.
Earth is closest to the Sun in
January
What is the name of the ring of icy bodies that lies just beyond Neptune's orbit?
Kuiper Belt
Water Vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane in the atmosphere radiate heat _________, and cause the average temperature on the surface of the earth to be___________.
back to earth, warmer
What type of metamorphism occurs at fault boundaries where rocks have moved relative to one another?
dynamic
during the spring and fall equinoxes the maximum solar energy falls on the _______________
equator
Precursors to volcanic eruptions may include all of the following EXCEPT
increased frequency of lahars
Which of the following measures would reduce the possibility of landsliding?
increased drainage of the slope
The Edicaran fauna have been preserved in rocks that are about 630 million years old. These organisms were _________ and were _______________.
multicellular, eukaryotes
By definition, minerals are
naturally-occurring
Divergent margins are where:
new lithosphere is being created
The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere is
nitrogen
The Earth absorbs ______________ radiation and re-rediates __________________ radiation.
shortwave, longwave
the earth absorbs ___________ radiation and re-radiates __________ radiation.
shortwave, longwave
The most abundant compositional group of minerals in the Earth's crust is the
silicates
The volcanic mountains of the Cascade Range
sit above a subduction zone, and are potentially explosive
What involves the movement of coherent rock on a planar surface?
slide
Surface waves are ______than body waves, and ______ responsible for much ground shaking and structural damage during major earthquakes.
slower, are
Igneous rocks composed of large crystals cooled
slowly
A layer of soil, parallel to the soil surface with distinct characteristics is a:
soil horizon
In addition to composition, the silicate group of minerals are further classified by:
structure
Which one of the following factors is most important in determining the texture of an igneous rock?
the rate at which the magma cools
the thermocline is ?
the zone of rapidly changing water temperature below the warm surface waters
why do maritime polar air masses have relatively high humidity and cold temperatures?
they form over high latitude oceans
arthquakes can be used to forecast an eruption because:
they record the movement of magma
How did an oxygen-rich atmosphere develop from a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere?
through photosynthesis by cyanobacteria
which of the following is the type of fossil that consists of fossilized nests, burrows, footprints, etc.?
trace fossils
The San Andreas Fault represents a:
transform boundary
The earths magnetic field is produced by?
turbulent motion in the liquid outer core
Porphyritic texture results from:
two episodes of magma cooling
in 1953, Stanley Miller used an electrical spark to produce these building blocks of life in the lab.
amino acids
Geologically, ___________ are actually submerged parts of the continents
continental shelves
The Himalayas represent a:
continental-contential collision zone
The slow mass wasting process that is recognized by downslope tilting of trees, posts and other features is called:
creep
The "Moho" is a seismic discontinuity produced by the boundary between the
crust, mantle
When a liquid cools, minerals can form. This is the process of:
crystallization
Polar amplification occurs because as ice melts, albedo _________ thus ___________ warming.
decreases, increasing
Hardpan or caliche often forms in soils found in environments.
desert
Felsic magmas are characterized by a _________ temperature and a __________ silica content than mafic magmas.
lower, higher
Petrified wood is formed by the process of fossilization called_______________
mineralization
According to Hubble's Law other galaxies are Earth, and more distant galaxies are doing so______________.
moving away from, faster
Energy in the core of the Sun is primarily transferred by while in the upper 200,000 km of the Sun, energy is mostly transferred by ___________.
radiation, convection
Volcanic rocks from the _________ cooling of magma, result in the formation of relatively ___________ crystals
rapid, small
Which tectonic setting accounts for the majority of lava production?
rift
Which best describes the hypothesis of seafloor spreading?
rising material in the mantle spreads laterally, carrying the seafloor away from the seafloor rides in the center of the ocean basin
what phenomenon does the Corolis Effect arise from?
rotation of the earth around its axis
Most fossils are found in
sedimentary rock
Which of the following is composed of the finest-grained (small) material?
shale
Average land surface elevation on Earth is about ________ Km, while average ocean depth is _____ km.
1, 4.5
Approximately how much more energy is released by a magnitude 7 earthquake than a magnitude 5 earthquake?
1,000 times
If a rock started with 1,000 atoms of a parent but now contains 250 atoms, how many half lives have passed?
2 half lives
How long ago did the Earth form?
4.6 billion years ago
Approximately what percentage of the earth's surface is covered by oceans?
70%
The half-life of a radioactive isotope is 200 million years. if 6.2% of the parent product remains and 93.8% have been replaced by the daughter product, how old is the sample?
800 m.y.
There have been other periods is Earth's history when carbon dioxide concentration were high. But the current level is unprecedented over the last how many years, according to IPCC?
800,000
best definition of a slump is:
A coehsive slab of material moves along a curved surface
What is the best definition of the term "theory," as it is used in science?
A theory is a comprehensive of ideas explaining a phenomenon in nature.
Some incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space. Which of the following situations would result in the most reflection of incoming solar radiation?
Clear skies over Antarctica
The plastic zone just below the brittle plates is the?
Asthenosphere
This is the place where the four spheres (lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere) interact most intensely
At the surface of the Earth
measuring the depth of the ocean is called?
Bathymetry
Suppose you find a rock comprised mostly of decayed plant material? What type of sedimentary rock have you found?
Biochemical
The parent material of soils can best be identified by examining the horizon .
C
Which of the following is not a form of mechanical weathering?
Chemical dissolution
The organisims living around hydrothermal vents in the deep ocean get their energy from __________?
Chemosynthesis: creating energy from sulfur-bearing chemicals
All of the following are potential environmental, ecological, and human effects of global warming expect:
Coastal erosion will decrease
Latent heat energy is released by _________
Condensation
According to the adiabatic principle as air rises it ________, and as it sinks it ________.
Cools, warms up
Which of the following does not cause long-term climate change?
Coriolis effect on air masses in the in the troposphere
Earth scientists study where to find all EXCEPT
Cotton for your shirt
What is the Mercalli Intensity Scale based upon?
Damage and human reports
In the southern hemisphere, daylight hours are the longest at
December Solstice
P-wave velocity _______ at the core-mantle boundary and ________ at the outer core-inner core boundary.
Decreases, increases
Radar is used determine all of the following except about an object
Diameter and Temperature
Flat-lying sedimentary rocks are found beneath an erosional surface, and other flat-laying rocks are found above the erosional surface. The erosional surface is a ______________ .
Disconformity
How did the moon form?
Due to a collision between Earth and a smaller planet-sized body
Why are most of the Earth's earthquakes' foci located fairly close to the surface, and not further down?
Earthquakes occur where rocks are "rigid," giving them a brittle quality. This is not the Earthquakes case deeper Earth
Wind deposits tend to be
Fine-grained and Well-sorted
The use of resources in the US and the most industrialized economies is the world average.
Four times
what factor is most responsible for changing salinity values found in high latitudes?
Fresh water input
Our sun is powered by
Fusion
Which component of the earth system relates to the solid earth?
Geosphere
This type of rock has been altered by heat and pressure so that a new set of minerals formed and produces a characteristic banded appearance.
Gnesis
Which Graph below best represents the change In the proportion of unstable (parent) radioactive isotopes with time?
Graph A
Newton's Law of ______ provided proof of a heliocentric solar system.
Gravity
The mineral _____________ is commonly used to make plasterboard (also called wallboard).
Gypsum
The ideal of seafloor spreading is generally attributed to:
Hess
This part of Texas is High mesa with playa lakes, surrounded by high cliffs
High Plains
In the context of science, how would you classify the following statement? Dinosaurs become extinct because a large asteroid collided with Earth.
Hypothesis
How does physical weathering change the surface area of rocks and affect the rate of hemical weathering?
Increases surface area and thereby increases chemical weathering
What is the circulation direction for winds around C?
Inward and counterclockwise
Climate is classified by ___________ and _________ condition
Latitude, precipitation
Recent warming is strongly affecting terrestrial biological including such changes as?
Latitudinal changes in distribution, elevation changes in distribution, earlier and later bird migration
Where would you find the largest difference in shallow and deep ocean temperatures?
Low latitudes (near equator)
Which systems are more likely to be associated with cloudy conditions and why?
Low pressure systems because air rises there
What air pressure and wind directions are present in tornadoes?
Low pressure, winds flow inward
_______-viscosity lava often erupts from______to produce flood basalts.
Low, fissures
Which feature on Earth's moon is light-colored and consists of heavily cratered, feldspar rich, igneous rock?
Lunar Highlands
This non-foliated metamorphic rock, prized by sculptors, is almost entirely comprised of the mineral calcite
Marble
The asteroid belt lies between
Mars and Jupiter
A hot spot is
an isolated area of active volcanism, especially one away from a plate boundary
Which is the correct order for the first six planets in our solar system starting from the Sun?
Mercury , Venus , Earth , Mars , Jupiter , Saturn
These two planets have no moons
Mercury and Venus
Air masses are characterized by their ______ content and _______.
Moisture, temperature
Which statement about the global carbon cycle is most accurate?
More carbon enters the atmosphere than leaves the atmosphere
The result of a 20 degree noon Sun angle would be that (more, less) incoming radiation would be reflected, scattered, and absorbed by the atmosphere and (more, less) radiation would be absorbed and re-radiated by Earth's surface to heat the atmosphere.
More, Less
Land surfaces heat ________ rapidly than water, and cool _____ rapidly then water.
More, more
All of these can indicate current direction EXCEPT
Mudcracks
Which form of mass wasting would be most likely after heavy rains on a recently active voIcano with significant ash deposits?
Mudflow
Pluto orbits around 39 AU from the sun. What celestial groups orbits around 100,000 AUs?
Oort Cloud
What type of chemical weathering causes rust to form?
Oxidation
_____-waves are compressional waves, and are body waves that _______ pass through a solid, liquid, or gas.
P, can
Looking at the distribution of volcanoes that have occurred over the last 10000 years, they cluster around the margin of the _______ Ocean, and occur in grouping around _______ plate boundaries.
Pacific, convergent
Marine organisims that swim freely under their own locomotion are classified as_______________
Pelagic
Which of the following is a plutonic texture that indicates a slow rate of cooling?
Phaneritic
Carbon enters the atmosphere by all EXCEPT
Photosynthesis
Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern.
Plates are sliding past one another horizontally
Which of the following sequences below correctly describes the evolution of our Sun from young to old?
Protostar, main-sequence, red giant, white dwarf
Glass windows are made from
Quartz
What happens to the density of seawater with increasing depth in the oceans?
Rapid increase shallow, the fairly constant with depth
What happens to relative humidity of an isolated, unsaturated parcel of air as temperature decreases?
Relative humidity increases
what direction are ocean currents deflected in the northern hemisphere due to the Coriolis Effect?
Right
Which of the following rocks would physically weather most rapidly?
Rock D is in a low temperature, dry climate
why is there salt in the oceans?
Runoff from continents
what type of air changes temperature more slowly as it rises?
Saturated Air
This is the least dense of all the planets. It is..
Saturn
Why weren't the other Pluto-like objects discovered earlier?
Science is limited by technology
If sedimentary rocks account for only about 5% of the Earth's top 10km, which one of the following is NOT a reason why sedimentary rocks are still considered "important"?
Sedimentary rocks contain evidence of the crystallization sequence of minerals produced by solidifying magma
Mauna Loa in Hawaii is an example of this type feature
Shield - Volcano
How long have asteroids been striking Earth?
Since Earth formed
This volcano is composed of multiple layers of ash and rock
Strato-Volcano
Why does precipitation form when air moves up a mountain?
Temperatures decrease causing condensation
You examine an igneous rock that has mineral grains which are 2.5 cm in size (large), and are primarily dark green and black color. Which statement concerning the rock is not accurate?
The composition of the magma that formed this rock would be Felsic
What is a tectonic plate?
The crust and underlying rigid mantle above the asthenosphere
which of the following collection of fossils would be LEAST useful for determining the age of a section of rocks?
The fossil of a family of creatures that lived unchanged for a very long time
What must be true of a rock unit that has an inclusion?
The rock unit is younger than the inclusion
If we cannot see the ocean floor from an airplane, we cannot see it from space either. So, how does a satellite measure the depth of ocean water to determine the topography of the ocean floor?
The satellites can detect very minute variances in gravity which are reflected in the topography of the ocean floor.
What is the dominant character of the four outer planets?
They are large and gas rich
Which statement about cyclones is correct?
They are low pressure systems with counterclockwise flow
The 2006 Cassini space probe confirmed that Saturn's rings are comprised of frozen ___________________ molecules.
Water
A cow patty, if fossilized, would be a?
Trace fossil
This T'exas area contains varied topography from deserts to mountains
Trans Pecos
What is not a characteristic of a convergent plate boundary
Transform Faults
Warm water expands, so warming of the oceans leads to an increase in sea level?
True
Who was a Danish astronomer who was skeptical of the heliocentric hypothesis of Copernicus, and collected the most accurate planetary data of the time from an astronomical observatory that was built in the year 1572 on the Danish island of Hven.
Tycho Brahe
Mass movements (landslides) are classified by all of the following EXCEPT
Type of applied force
What principle suggests that geologic processes that operate on Earth today are similar to those that operated in the past?
Uniformitarian
Which planets have rings?
Uranus and Neptune
The eye of a tropical cyclone has _______ winds and the eye wall has ________.
Weak to no, strong
A large, flat - topped submerged hill rising from the sea floor is
a guyot
which surface would have the lowest albedo?
a rainforest
Which of the following was not a line of evidence used by Suess and Wegener to prove continental movement?
age of the ocean
27)Yellowstone an example of a:
caldera
Calcite (CaCO3) is a ____________ mineral, while gypsum (CaSO4) is a ____________.
carbonate, sulfate
A fossil that forms when an object is pressed into mud and dries is a _________ fossil?
cast fossil
If pressure and temperature are the only changes that occur during a metamorphic event, which of the following does not occur
changes in chemical composition
Milutin Milankovtich first proposed that variations in Earth's climate may be caused by all of these expect ______________.
changing continental positions
Sedimentary rocks are divided into categories. Which of the following correctly identifies the categories?
clastic, chemical, biochemical
The tendency of a mineral to break along certain preferred planes is
cleavage
air that is _____________ will be more likely to produce thunderstorms. A ________ decrease in temperature with height would also be more likely to produce thunderstorms.
cold and wet, rapid
Mineral groups (carbonates, sulfates, etc) are classified based on:
composition
The rate and direction of plate movements can be determined using all except
erosion rate of volcanic rocks
What type of volcano is Mount St. Helens and what caused the explosion?
explosion?I It is a strato-volcano that exploded when trapped gasses were quickly released.
Talus piles are formed primarily from what type of mass-wasting?
fall
Which of the following are all minerals?
feldspar, ice, quartz, diamond
The alignment of platy minerals, like clays or micas, during metamorphism leads to the development of
foliation
Transform plate boundary are characterized by:
frequent earthquakes
general name for a narrow zone separating two air masses
front
deposits generated by turbidity currents are also called:
graded beds
Clastic or detrial rocks are classified primarily on the basis of
grain size
The development and closure of the Isthmus of Panama 50 million years ago resulted in the development of the_________ which led to a _____________ of Europe.
gulf stream, warming
The shape that mineral grows into is called
habit
Metamorphism by hot fluids is called:
hydrothermal
The type of rock that forms from magma is:
igneous
Where does most of the matter originally present in the solar nebula end up in the solar system?
in the Sun
In general the density of rocks ______ with depth, and the speed of earthquake waves ______ with depth.
increases, increases
clams and oysters are often studied by ________ paleontologists
invertebrate
Most of the hydrogen and helium can be found in the _______ planets, and most of the heavy elements such as iron, aluminum and silica are found in the _________ planets
jovian, terrestrial
You are transported back to about 200,000 years after the Big Ban. It would be
light with atoms present
At an oceanic-continental convergent plate boundary, the _____________ plate will subduct, and a __________________ arc will form.
oceanic, volcanic island
Japan was formed as a result of:
oceanic- oceanic plate convergence
where and when do hurricanes originate?
over the tropical oceans during the summer
The lava texture characterized by a smooth or ropy surface is:
pahoehoe
Minerals such as diamond and graphite that have the same chemical composition but different structures are called ____________.
polymorphs
If a sedimentary rock is composed of many different size particles it is said to be:
poorly sorted
An igneous rock containing coarse crystals in a fine-grained matrix is described as
porphyritic
Which geologic time principle states that the older geologic units are below younger geologic units?
principle of superposition
An isotope of an element will have the same number of _________, but different number of __________?
protons, neutrons
When scientists report uncertainty in their data, they are
quantifying the degree oferror and variability present in the data
An important of the scientific process that the findings of science are
testable.
What is the current theory for the formation of our Solar System and the Earth?
the Sun and planets condensed from a cloud of gas and dust
Shield volcanoes are large, gently-sloping landforms. This characteristic shape occurs because:
the magma is fluid and flows easily
The "focus" and "epicenter" associated with earthquakes are
the point where fault "slip" is initiated/ the point on the surface directly above the focus
Pillow lavas are formed
under water
Earth's early atmosphere had ___________ oxygen, and at the present time the atmosphere is comprised of ________ % oxygen
virtually no, 21
Which of the following are ways that viscosity affects gases in magma?
viscous magma prevents gas from escaping easily and gas builds up in viscous magma and can cause explosive eruptions
Volcanic domes are formed by
viscous, rhyolitic lavas
The Spotted Owl is a bird that lives primarily in old growth woods in the Pacific Northwest nests in cavities or on platforms in large trees and will use abandoned nests of other species. There are approximately three to five thousand pairs remaining in the wild, mostly in the states of Washington, Oregon and California. The Northern Spotted Owl was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act throughout its range of northern California, Oregon and Washington by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on June 23, 1990, citing loss of old-growth habitat the primary threat. Logging in national forests containing the Northern Spotted Owl stopped by court order in 1991. The logging industry estimated up to 30,000 of 168,000 jobs would be lost because of the owl's status, which agreed closely with a Forest Service estimate. This a scientific controversy.
ⓑFalse
