What does the principle of uniformitarianism tell us about the past?
a) The past is the key to the future.
b) The present is the key to the past.
c) Processes at work in the past were very different
than those at work today.
d) The past has no bearing on the future or present.
What is b) The present is the key to the past.
100
Which of the following statements about S waves is true?
a) S waves travel through solids, liquids, and gases.
b) S waves arrive at a seismograph station first.
c) S waves are also called secondary waves.
d) S waves move in a pulsating motion.
What is c) S waves are also called secondary waves.
100
Barometers are used to measure which of the following?
a) atmospheric pressure
b) temperature
c) wind speed
d) humidity
What is a) atmospheric pressure
100
Which of the following best describes the thermosphere?
a) The thermosphere sits directly below the troposphere.
b) Lighter gases such as nitrogen and oxygen rise to the
top of the thermosphere.
c) The atmosphere is so thin that gas molecules rarely
contact each other.
d) Heavier gases such as hydrogen and helium stay at
the bottom of the thermosphere.
What is c) The atmosphere is so thin that gas molecules rarely contact each other.
100
Which part of a telescope focuses the incoming light?
a) magnifier
b) mirror
c) aperture
d) objective lens
What is d) objective lens
200
The Atlantic Ocean is expanding. What does this tell us about plates under the Atlantic Ocean?
a) They are being forced apart.
b) Most likely nothing is happening to the plates.
c) They are being pressed together.
d) They are being forced downward.
What is a) They are being forced apart.
200
The sun's energy hits earth's surface at the most direct angle at which of the following locations?
a) equator
b) North Pole
c) South Pole
d) 30°N or S latitude
What is a) equator
200
How is heat energy transferred if it has direct contact between a warm object and a cold object?
a) the sun
b) radiation
c) conduction
d) convection
What is c) conduction
200
Tomorrow will be sunny with high clouds. What does this statement describe?
a) the weather in an area
b) the climate in an area
c) the air circulation in an area
d) the jet streams
What is a) the weather in an area
200
Which of the following is true of the hottest stars?
a) They are the brightest stars.
b) They are the farthest from the earth.
c) They are the least massive.
d) They include the earth's sun.
What is a) They are the brightest stars.
300
The theory of plate tectonics explains the movement of the plates by convection cells in which of the following layers?
a) crust
b) upper mantle
c) inner core
d) outer core
What is b) upper mantle
300
What explains why temperature increases with altitude through the stratosphere?
a) The ozone layer is found in the stratosphere.
b) All layers of the atmosphere increase in temperature
with altitude.
c) The stratosphere is closest to the sun.
d) The air molecules are closer together in the upper
stratosphere.
What is a) The ozone layer is found in the stratosphere.
300
The Coriolis effect is caused by which of the following?
a) earth's revolution
b) radiation from the sun
c) earth's rotation
d) gravity
What is c) earth's rotation
300
Which of the following is one of the defining features of a hurricane?
a) rapid snowfall
b) high pressure
c) funnel cloud
d) low pressure
What is d) low pressure
300
The carbon cycle is closely related to which of the following?
a) rock cycle
b) movement of oxygen
c) water cycle
d) nitrogen cycle
What is b) movement of oxygen
400
Which of the following may occur as two plates slide past each other?
a) earthquakes
b) formation of new oceanic crust
c) mountain building
d) volcanoes
What is a) earthquakes
400
Which gas is the most abundant in earth's current atmosphere?
a) oxygen
b) carbon dioxide
c) hydrogen
d) nitrogen
What is d) nitrogen
400
Which of the following characteristics would cause lava to flow relatively easily?
a) high viscosity
b) low viscosity
c) high gas
d) low gas
What is b) low viscosity
400
Which of the following are greenhouse gases?
a) methane, nitrogen, helium
b) carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor
c) carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen, argon
d) water vapor, ice crystals
What is b) carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor
400
Why do we always see the same side of the moon?
a) The moon rotates at about the same speed as the
earth rotates.
b) The moon revolves around the earth at the same rate
as the earth rotates on its axis.
c) The moon rotates on its axis at about the same speed
as it revolves around the earth.
d) The moon doesn't rotate.
What is c) The moon rotates on its axis at about the same speed as it revolves around the earth.
500
Earthquakes are detected by which of the following?
a) barometer
b) Richter scale
c) seismograph
d) global positioning system
What is c) seismograph
500
In which layer of the atmosphere do most weather patterns occur?
a) stratosphere
b) mesosphere
c) thermosphere
d) troposphere
What is d) troposphere
500
Which of the following statements is most accurate?
a) Warm air sinks.
b) Warm air is most often less dense than cold air.
c) Warm air is most often denser than cold air.
d) Warm air exerts more pressure on the land than cold
air.
What is b) Warm air is most often less dense than cold air.
500
If the moon is located between the earth and the sun, which phase will we see from earth?
a) crescent moon
b) quarter moon
c) full moon
d) new moon
What is d) new moon
500
The movement of water from the atmosphere to the ground is called which of the following?
a) transpiration
b) condensation
c) evaporation
d) precipitation