Earth Science

Q: An atom's mass number is 13 and its atomic number is 6. How many neutrons are in its nucleus? A) 19 B) 7 C) 13 D) 6

Q: Which the following denotes the positively charged particles in an atom's nucleus? A) protons B) electrons C) isotrons D) neutrons

Q: Atoms of the same element, zinc for example, have the same number of ________. A) electrons in the nucleus B) protons in the nucleus C) neutrons in the outer nuclear shell D) electrons in the valence bond level

Q: Which of the following is not a fundamental particle found in atoms? A) neutron B) selectron C) electron D) protons

Q: Which one of the following is not true for minerals? A) They have a specific, internal, crystalline structure. B) They can be a liquid, solid, or gas. C) Many have a specific, predictable chemical composition. D) They can be identified by characteristic physical properties.

Q: Which of the following best defines a mineral and a rock? A) A rock has an orderly, repetitive, geometrical, internal arrangement of minerals; a mineral is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of rocks. B) A mineral consists of its constituent atoms arranged in a geometrically repetitive structure; in a rock, the atoms are randomly bonded without any geometric pattern. C) In a mineral the constituent atoms are bonded in a regular, repetitive, internal structure; a rock is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of different mineral grains. D) A rock consists of atoms bonded in a regular, geometrically predictable arrangement; a mineral is a consolidated aggregate of different rock particles.

Q: Limestone is composed almost entirely of calcite which has the chemical formula CaCO3. As a result, limestone is classified as ________. A) a mineral B) a rock C) both a mineral and a rock D) neither a mineral nor a rock because it is organic

Q: Why are boulders not a mineral? A) They are not naturally occurring. B) They are organic. C) They are not solid. D) They do not have an orderly crystalline structure. E) They do not have a well-defined chemical composition.

Q: Which of the following is a mineral as defined by a geologist? A) boulder B) concrete C) sugar D) salt E) water

Q: Which of the following is not a criterion for defining something as a mineral? A) Naturally occurring B) Hard C) Generally inorganic D) Orderly crystalline structure

Q: The first minerals to be mined were ________ and ________. A) gold, silver B) copper, bronze C) flint, chert D) lead, quartz

Q: 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?

Q: 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?

Q: In natural systems, mechanisms that drive or enhance change are called ________.

Q: The ________ is the most prominent feature on the ocean floor.

Q: Moving from the shoreline towards the deep-ocean basin, the continental margin includes the ________.

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

Q: The ________ is the solid, rocky shell between the crust and outer core.

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

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

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

Q: List the two broad, traditional subject areas of geologic study.

Q: In an open system both energy and matter flow into and out of the system.

Q: Humans are not a part of the Earth System.

Q: Shields and stable platforms are typically found in the interior regions of a continent.

Q: The waterline where the ocean meets the land is the boundary between oceanic crust and continental crust.

Q: Continents are, on average, about 2 km higher than sea level.

Q: The asthenosphere is a relatively cool and rigid shell that overlies the lithosphere.

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

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

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

Q: Lithospheric plates are the tops of convection cells and subduction zones are the downgoing part of the convection cell.

Q: The asthenosphere is the liquid layer in the upper mantle that the plates move on.

Q: Internally, the earth consists of spherical shells with different compositions and densities.

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

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

Q: The lithosphere and asthenosphere are layers of Earth defined by their composition.

Q: Oceans cover slightly less than half of the earth's surface.

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

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

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

Q: The "Big Bang" is an example of theory.

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

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

Q: A scientific theory is a tentative or untested explanation that is proposed to explain scientific observations.

Q: Scientists only use measurements that are known to be reliable and accurate.

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

Q: Environmental science always involves a large component of Earth Science.

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

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

Q: 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.abyssal plain seamount oceanic ridge continental crust

Q: 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.mountain belt shield continental interior stable platform

Q: A mineralogist studies minerals and their origins. A mineralogist studying the Earth system would ________. A) do the same thing, studying minerals and their origins, as any other mineralogist B) study how minerals form rocks C) 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 D) Minerals can never be used to study the Earth system.

Q: Which of the following is not a system? A) the biosphere B) soil, plants, rock, soil organisms, and animals C) the study of minerals D) the Pacific Ocean and the west coast of North America

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

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

Q: 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

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

Q: The continental shelf is located ________. A) between the continental slope and continental rise B) between the continental rise and the abyssal plains C) seaward of the continental slope D) landward of the continental slope

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

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

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

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

Q: Shield areas in continental interiors are characterized by ________. A) linear chains of mountains less than 100 million years old B) flat areas that include rocks older than 1 billion years old C) flat river valleys that cut through older mountain ranges D) ancient coastal regions that have become abandoned and eroded

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q: Continental shields and platforms represent ________. A) sites where continents collide, analogous to warriors clashing shields B) names given to Paleozoic mountain belts 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

Q: Oceanic crust is generated at ________. A) hot spots on the sea floor, like Iceland B) spreading ridges C) convergent plate margins D) transform plate margins

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