Exam

Name___________________________________

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

1) What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical geology? 1)
A) 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.
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
of how erosion shapes the land surface.
C) 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.
D) None of the above—physical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.

2) The study of Earth's atmosphere is known as ________. 2)

A) oceanography B) cosmology C) astronomy D) meteorology

3) Which science is not used within the Earth sciences? 3)

A) Mathematics
B) Physics
C) Biology
D) Chemistry
E) None of the above; Earth Science makes use of all of these sciences.

4) Oceanography is the study of the oceans and geology is the study of the earth, so what is 4)
meteorology?
A) the study of meteors
B) the study of how to be a TV newscaster
C) the study of the atmosphere
D) the study of the Sun's impact on the upper atmosphere

5) Sedimentary rocks with marine fossils are exposed at the top of Mt. Everest. Which scientists 5)
would make most use of this observation in their study?
A) Astronomers, because they can study how life came from outer space to Earth
B) Meteorologists, because they could use the fossils as a guide to ancient climates
C) Oceanographers, because the fossils can tell us about periods when the earth was covered
with water to the height of Mt. Everest
D) Geologists, because their elevation is related to physical geology and fossils are related to
Earth history

6) Hurricanes and tornados are natural disasters. What branch of the Earth sciences studies the 6)
origin of these phenomena?
A) Meteorology B) Geology C) Oceanography D) Astronomy

7) Hurricanes are natural disasters. Which branch of the Earth sciences studies the impact of this 7)
phenomenon on coastal environments?
A) Meteorology B) Geology C) Oceanography D) Astronomy

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 8) Tsunamis and earthquakes have killed millions of people during human history. What branch of 8)
the Earth sciences is the main group that studies these phenomena?
A) Meteorology B) Geology C) Oceanography D) Astronomy

9) If you want to buy a house in an area and you are worried there may be an earthquake hazard, 9)
who would be the best person to ask for advice on this hazard?
A) an astrologer B) a geologist C) a physicist D) a civil engineer

10) The earth is estimated to be approximately 4.6 billion years old. Life appeared early in the history 10)
of Earth, but metazoans (multicelled organisms) did not appear until about 600 million years ago.
If the history of Earth were compressed into a single year, when would metazoans appear?
A) late January B) mid-December C) late September D) late November

11) Which of the following would not typically be considered an Earth Science study? 11)
A) studies of volcanic eruptions
B) studies of acid mine waters and the bacteria that live in those waters
C) chemical refining of petroleum
D) studies of impact craters on the moon

12) Climate change is a well-known human problem and remains controversial despite widespread 12)
scientific agreement on the issue. Although most scientists are familiar with the issues, if you were
a congressman and wanted an informed analysis of the problem, which of the following would be
most likely to give you the most complete analysis?
A) an astronomer
B) a geologist with knowledge of astronomy
C) a physicist
D) a meteorologist with knowledge of oceanography

13) A ________ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific 13)
observations.
A) law B) theory C) hypothesis D) generalization

14) The primary goal of Earth Science is ________. 14)

A) to protect the environment
B) to identify the patterns in nature and use that information to predict the future
C) to locate resources
D) to develop things that will benefit mankind

15) All of the following are possible steps of scientific investigation except for ________. 15)
A) assumption of conclusions without prior experimentation or observation
B) development of observations and experiments to test the hypotheses
C) the collection of scientific facts through observation and measurement
D) the development of one or more working hypotheses or models to explain facts

16) Which of the following is not necessary for a hypothesis to be accepted by the scientific 16)
community?
A) There must be alternative hypotheses proposed.
B) It must be based on observations or facts.
C) It must predict something other than the observations it was based on.
D) It must be testable.

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 17) The ________ explains how our solar system probably formed from a giant cloud of gases and 17)
dispersed solid particles.
A) nebular theory B) protogalactic theory
C) planetary compression theory D) extrastellar solar hypothesis

18) Which of the following is not a planet? 18)

A) Saturn B) Neptune C) Venus D) Europa

19) In the television series "Cosmos" the astronomer Carl Sagan used to say, "We are all made of star 19)
stuff." What did he mean by that?
A) The earth has incorporated large amounts of chemical material from the solar wind, so our
bodies carry this material.
B) All of the chemical elements were formed during the big bang when the universe began, so
we are like the stars.
C) All of the chemical elements in our solar system were forged in an ancient star that went
supernova.
D) We all have to potential to be stars.

20) In the proto-solar system nebula, gravity pulled matter together to form larger bodies. As they 20)
collided, what happened to these bodies?
A) The objects broke apart to form asteroids, much like a neutron colliding with a heavy atom
produces fission.
B) Oblique collisions caused individual bodies to spin.
C) Immense heat was released within the colliding bodies as gravitational potential energy was
converted to heat.
D) The objects temporarily broke apart and then reformed into large objects, cooling rapidly
during the breakup period.

21) Light elements like hydrogen and helium form a large percentage of the outer planets and Sun is 21)
made up primarily of hydrogen. Why are these elements nearly absent from the inner planets?
A) These light elements are blown away from the inner planets by the solar wind.
B) Hydrogen and helium have all been bound up by chemical reactions on the inner planets and
are held in rock.
C) It is a mystery that has never been solved by science.
D) The Sun captured all of the hydrogen during its formation.

22) Comets are made up primarily of ________. 22)

A) iron-nickel alloys
B) frozen hydrogen
C) frozen water, carbon dioxide, and methane
D) silicate minerals, like rocks on Earth

23) The Oort cloud is ________. 23)

A) the outer solar system where planetesimals, rocky debris and comets orbit outside beyond
the outer planets but cross into the inner solar system at times
B) another name for the inner solar system, just before the Sun became hot enough for nuclear
fusion
C) an unusual type of cloud formed when meteorites strike the earth
D) the asteroid belt

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 24) The ________ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth. 24)
A) biosphere B) geosphere C) atmosphere D) hydrosphere

25) The ________ refers to the water-dominated parts of the earth. 25)
A) hydrosphere B) biosphere C) atmosphere D) geosphere

26) The largest of Earth's spheres is the ________. 26)

A) atmosphere B) biosphere C) geosphere D) hydrosphere

27) Soil belongs to the ________. 27)

A) hydrosphere
B) atmosphere
C) biosphere
D) geosphere
E) All of the above

28) The exchange of energy between the surface of the earth, the atmosphere, and space causes 28)
________.
A) temperature B) topography C) glaciers D) weather

29) In correct order from the center outward, Earth includes which units? 29)
A) inner core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere B) core, inner mantle, outer mantle, crust
C) inner core, outer core, mantle, crust D) core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere

30) The composition of the earth's inner core is thought to be ________. 30)
A) basalt B) solid iron-nickel alloy
C) peridotite D) granite

31) The asthenosphere is actually a part of the ________ of the earth. 31)
A) mantle B) outer core C) inner core D) crust

32) The ________ is thought to be a liquid, metallic region in the earth's interior. 32)
A) lithosphere B) outer core C) inner core D) mantle

33) The ________ is the thinnest layer of the earth. 33)

A) crust B) mantle C) outer core D) inner core

34) The ________ forms the relatively cool, brittle tectonic plates. 34)
A) asthenosphere B) eosphere C) lithosphere D) astrosphere

35) Which of the following energy sources is thought to drive the lateral motions of Earth's 35)
lithospheric plates?
A) gravitational attractive forces of the Sun and Moon
B) electrical and magnetic fields localized in the inner core
C) swirling movements of the molten iron particles in the outer core
D) heat transfer between the earth's interior and the surface of the earth

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 36) Convergent plate boundaries are ________. 36)
A) sites of supervolcanos like Yellowstone
B) areas where two plates slide laterally past one another, generating earthquakes, like the San
Andrea fault
C) sites where cold, downgoing convective cells, the plates, descent into the mantle
D) sites where heat from the earth's interior is vented to the surface as volcanos

37) Oceanic crust is generated at ________. 37)

A) convergent plate margins B) transform plate margins
C) hot spots on the sea floor, like Iceland D) spreading ridges

38) Continental shields and platforms represent ________. 38)

A) names given to Paleozoic mountain belts
B) sites where continents collide, analogous to warriors clashing shields
C) sedimentary basins with inland seas shaped like a shield, like Hudson's bay
D) areas in the interior of continents that have not experienced mountain building for billions of
years

39) Which of the following layers in the earth has the highest density? 39)
A) Lower mantle B) Asthenosphere C) Outer Core D) Lithosphere

40) The Andes Mountains in South America are formed by ________. 40)
A) back-arc contraction B) continental collision
C) subduction D) sea floor spreading

41) The Himalayan Mountains and adjacent Tibet are a mountain system formed by ________. 41)
A) back-arc contraction B) sea floor spreading
C) continental collision D) subduction

42) Which of the following is a reasonable approximation of the rate that plates move? 42)
A) the rate of growth of human hair or fingernails
B) the speed a turtle walks
C) the speed of deep ocean currents
D) the speed of a mountain glacier

43) What two chemical elements are most abundant in the deep interior of the earth? 43)
A) magnesium and oxygen B) iron and magnesium
C) silicon and oxygen D) hydrogen and helium

44) A major cause of the differences in elevation between ocean basins and continents is ________. 44)
A) temperature B) density C) viscosity D) mass

45) Ocean floor averages about ________ km depth below sea level. 45)
A) 8 B) 2 C) 4 D) 6

46) Ocean crust is denser than continental crust because ocean crust is ________. 46)
A) composed primarily of granite B) thicker than continental crust
C) thinner than continental crust D) composed primarily of basalt

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 47) Flat, stable areas of continental crust tend to be located ________. 47)
A) along coastlines
B) in the interior of continents
C) near desert regions
D) in areas that receive large amounts of rainfall

48) Major mountain belts on the earth are ________. 48)

A) made of granite because it is low density and allows for maximum growth
B) over 10 km high
C) located around the Pacific Ocean
D) older than smaller mountain belts because they have had enough time to grow large

49) Shield areas in continental interiors are characterized by ________. 49)

A) ancient coastal regions that have become abandoned and eroded
B) flat river valleys that cut through older mountain ranges
C) linear chains of mountains less than 100 million years old
D) flat areas that include rocks older than 1 billion years old

50) Which of the following is not considered to be part of a typical ocean basin? 50)
A) deep canyons B) large expanses of flat plains
C) granitic intrusions D) a linear chain of volcanoes

51) Deep ocean trenches typically are not located adjacent to ________. 51)
A) volcanic island arc chains B) abyssal plains
C) young continental mountains D) transform plate boundaries

52) Long oceanic mountain chains typically are characterized by ________. 52)
A) layers of igneous rocks B) highly deformed sedimentary rocks
C) rocks older than 1 billion years old D) granitic plutons and batholiths

53) Active mountain belts are most likely to be found ________. 53)
A) in the interior regions of continents
B) along only the eastern margins of continents
C) along the margins of continents
D) scattered throughout continents

54) The continental shelf is located ________. 54)

A) landward of the continental slope
B) seaward of the continental slope
C) between the continental slope and continental rise
D) between the continental rise and the abyssal plains

55) The most prominent features on the ocean floor are the ________. 55)
A) oceanic ridges B) deep-ocean trenches
C) lava plateaus D) seamounts

56) A(n) ________ system is one in which energy moves freely in and out, but no matter enters or 56)
leaves the system.
A) open B) feedback C) closed D) equilibrated

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 57) Mechanisms that enhance or drive change are known as ________. 57)
A) closed feedback mechanisms B) negative feedback mechanisms
C) open feedback mechanisms D) positive feedback mechanisms

58) What is the source of the energy that powers the Earth system? 58)
A) heat from Earth's interior B) the Sun
C) both A and B D) none of the above

59) Which of the following is not a system? 59)

A) the study of minerals
B) the biosphere
C) soil, plants, rock, soil organisms, and animals
D) the Pacific Ocean and the west coast of North America

60) A mineralogist studies minerals and their origins. A mineralogist studying the Earth system would 60)
________.
A) do the same thing, studying minerals and their origins, as any other mineralogist
B) study how minerals influence organisms living on them, how they react with water to
produce soil forming minerals, or study how wind transports minerals as dust and
influences climate
C) study how minerals form rocks
D) Minerals can never be used to study the Earth system.

SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

Word Analysis. 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.

61) hypothesis theory fact observation 61)

62) protosun Oort cloud planetesimals meteorites 62)

63) hydrosphere biosphere atmosphere solid earth 63)

64) crust mantle lithosphere core 64)

65) mountain belt shield continental interior stable platform 65)

66) abyssal plain seamount oceanic ridge continental crust 66)

TRUE/FALSE. Write 'T' if the statement is true and 'F' if the statement is false.

67) The vast majority of Earth scientists are involved in either extraction of mineral resources or 67)
energy.

68) Earth Science is the only science that doesn't use mathematics beyond simple arithmetic. 68)

69) Environmental science always involves a large component of Earth Science. 69)

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 70) Science is based on the assumption that nature behaves in a consistent and predictable manner. 70)

71) Scientists only use measurements that are known to be reliable and accurate. 71)

72) A scientific theory is a tentative or untested explanation that is proposed to explain scientific 72)
observations.

73) A scientific theory is the first step in developing an idea. It is not very well tested. 73)

74) Not all scientific hypotheses require real world observations. Some are tested through computer 74)
modeling or some other non-direct observations.

75) The "Big Bang" is an example of theory. 75)

76) The formation of the solar system from a huge cloud of gases and dispersed particles is known as 76)
the solar galactic hypothesis.

77) According to the nebular theory, all of the bodies in the universe evolved from a rotating cloud of 77)
gases and dust about five billion years ago.

78) There are places on the deepest parts of the ocean where no light penetrates that support colonies 78)
of life.

79) Oceans cover slightly less than half of the earth's surface. 79)

80) The lithosphere and asthenosphere are layers of Earth defined by their composition. 80)

81) We can tell a lot about the internal processes in the earth by looking at the exterior of the earth. 81)

82) The earth is sometimes called "The Blue Planet" because the atmosphere appears blue in sunlight. 82)

83) Internally, the earth consists of spherical shells with different compositions and densities. 83)

84) The asthenosphere is the liquid layer in the upper mantle that the plates move on. 84)

85) Lithospheric plates are the tops of convection cells and subduction zones are the downgoing part 85)
of the convection cell.

86) The earth's core is entirely molten iron and convection of this molten mass generates the earth's 86)
magnetic field.

87) Subduction zones are downgoing convection cells in the earth but only carry oceanic material into 87)
the mantle.

88) During the history of the earth there have been periods when all the continents were together in a 88)
supercontinent.

89) Internally, the earth consists of spherical shells with different compositions and densities. 89)

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 90) The asthenosphere is a relatively cool and rigid shell that overlies the lithosphere. 90)

91) Continents are, on average, about 2 km higher than sea level. 91)

92) The waterline where the ocean meets the land is the boundary between oceanic crust and 92)
continental crust.

93) Shields and stable platforms are typically found in the interior regions of a continent. 93)

94) Humans are not a part of the Earth System. 94)

95) In an open system both energy and matter flow into and out of the system. 95)

SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

96) List the two broad, traditional subject areas of geologic study. 96)

97) When a hypothesis has survived extensive scrutiny and when competing ones have been 97)
eliminated, a hypothesis may be elevated to the status of a(n) ________.

98) The thin, outer layer of Earth, from 7 to 40 km in thickness, is called the ________. 98)

99) The ________ is the relatively rigid zone above the asthenosphere that includes the crust 99)
and upper mantle.

100) The ________ is the solid, rocky shell between the crust and outer core. 100)

101) The convective flow of liquid, metallic iron in the ________ is thought to generate Earth's 101)
magnetic field.

102) Moving from the shoreline towards the deep-ocean basin, the continental margin includes 102)
the ________.

103) The ________ is the most prominent feature on the ocean floor. 103)

104) In natural systems, mechanisms that drive or enhance change are called ________. 104)

ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper.

Critical Thinking and Discussion. Use complete sentences, correct spelling, and the information presented in Chapter 1 to
answer the questions below.

105) Earth's physical environment is traditionally divided in the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and the solid Earth.
Remembering the scientific method, why do you think that scientists tend to categorize and classify various
features, phenomena, and characteristics of the natural world into groups or subdivisions? Also, are there
potential pitfalls or problems if we only consider the natural world as individual groups or categories rather
than as a whole?

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 106) What is the relationship of the dense oceanic crust that is produced at a divergent plate boundary to the
convergence or collision of an oceanic plate and a continental plate, such as the western margin of South
America in the diagram below?

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 Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED1

1) B
2) D
3) E
4) C
5) D
6) A
7) B
8) B
9) B
10) D
11) C
12) D
13) B
14) B
15) A
16) A
17) A
18) D
19) C
20) C
21) A
22) C
23) A
24) A
25) A
26) C
27) E
28) D
29) C
30) B
31) A
32) B
33) A
34) C
35) D
36) C
37) D
38) D
39) C
40) C
41) C
42) A
43) B
44) B
45) C
46) D
47) B
48) C
49) D
50) C
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 Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED1

51) D
52) A
53) C
54) A
55) A
56) C
57) D
58) C
59) A
60) B
61) fact
62) Oort cloud
63) biosphere
64) lithosphere
65) mountain belt
66) continental crust
67) FALSE
68) FALSE
69) TRUE
70) TRUE
71) FALSE
72) FALSE
73) FALSE
74) TRUE
75) TRUE
76) FALSE
77) TRUE
78) TRUE
79) FALSE
80) FALSE
81) TRUE
82) FALSE
83) TRUE
84) FALSE
85) TRUE
86) FALSE
87) TRUE
88) TRUE
89) TRUE
90) FALSE
91) FALSE
92) FALSE
93) TRUE
94) FALSE
95) TRUE
96) physical geology and historical geology
97) scientific theory
98) crust
99) lithosphere
100) mantle
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 Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED1

101) outer core

102) continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise
103) oceanic or mid-ocean ridge
104) positive feedback mechanisms
105) Categorizing and classifying is a way of cataloging the differences and similarities between things. We put items that
are mostly similar into the same broad groups and separate items that are mostly different. From this system, we can
begin to study why things are similar and what is the significance of the differences and that helps us to get to the
basic processes that are of scientific interest. The pitfalls or problems are that we may not recognize similarities in
objects that have been classified as different and vice versa. Also, we are likely to miss the interactions between
different groups and the processes that cause those interactions when we focus on classifying things.
106) The dense oceanic crust sinks underneath the more buoyant continental crust at this type of convergent plate
boundary.

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