Earth's Spheres
Which of these parts of the Earth's system are interacting when Florida's orange trees grow?
A. geosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere
B. biosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere
C. biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
D. cryosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere
C. biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
Earth's atmosphere protects life from harmful radiation. Which explanation BEST describes how this happens?
A. The ozone layer blocks the sun's harmful radiation.
B. The greenhouse effect blocks the sun's harmful radiation.
C. The troposphere is responsible for blocking the sun's harmful radiation.
D. The layers of the atmosphere work together to block out all the sun's harmful radiation.
A. The ozone layer blocks the sun's harmful radiation.
What are the two ways that rocks are broken down into smaller pieces?
A. abrasion and erosion
B. deposition and erosion
C. physical weathering and deposition
D. chemical weathering and physical weathering
D. chemical weathering and physical weathering
Which of the following describes the part the Sun plays on a windy day at the beach?
A. The Sun stops the wind throughout the afternoon as everything warms up.
B. The Sun causes waves to be larger by directing solar energy into the water.
C. The Sun heats land quickly and as the warm air rises, cool air comes in from the water.
D. The Sun reflects off the water, making the air above the water unstable and more likely to move.
C. The Sun heats land quickly and as the warm air rises, cool air comes in from the water.
Earth is divided into five different spheres. Which statement is true about the interaction between two of these spheres?
A. Weather is an interaction between the hydrosphere and the geosphere.
B. A plant receiving water from precipitation is an interaction between the biosphere and the hydrosphere.
C. An ice cap providing shelter for an arctic animal is an interaction between the biosphere and the hydrosphere.
D. The formation of the Grand Canyon is an example of an interaction between the geosphere and the atmosphere.
B. A plant receiving water from precipitation is an interaction between the biosphere and the hydrosphere.
Why is the troposphere important to life on earth?
A. Most planes travel in this layer.
B. Weather occurs here sustaining life.
C. Meteors burn up here protecting life.
D. This is where most ozone gas is found.
B. Weather occurs here sustaining life.
In Florida, limestone bedrock can be found underneath the grass and soil. One of the many reasons sinkholes can form is because of the acidity in the groundwater. In this particular case what is the MOST likely reason for the formation of sinkholes?
A. deposition
B. animal action
C. physical weathering
D. chemical weathering
D. chemical weathering
Global ocean currents affect weather conditions around the world. What produces surface ocean currents?
A. a drop in air pressure
B. an increase in humidity
C. large ships moving through ocean waters
D. friction of wind against the ocean's surface
D. friction of wind against the ocean's surface
Water pollution is a major problem for plants and animals that depend on various types of water. Dead fish, crabs, birds, and many other animals often end up on beaches, killed by water pollution. What two MAIN spheres are interacting when life is affected by water pollution?
A. cryosphere, biosphere
B. hydrosphere, biosphere
C. atmosphere, cryosphere
D. geosphere, hydrosphere
B. hydrosphere, biosphere
The atmosphere that surrounds the Earth is divided into four layers. What is one property that distinguishes the layers from each other?
a. Percentage of precipitation
b. Changes in the state of matter
c. Decreasing air pressure
d. Changes in temperature
d. Changes in temperature
Which event is the best example of erosion?
a. Breaking apart of shale as a result of water freezing in a crack.
b. Dissolving of rock particles on a limestone surface by acid rain.
c. Rolling of a pebble along the bottom of a stream.
d. Crumbling of bedrock in one area to form soil.
c. Rolling of a pebble along the bottom of a stream.
Wind is the movement of air caused by differences in air pressure. What is the ultimate energy SOURCE for wind?
A. the sun
B. the water cycle
C. ocean surface currents
D. the curvature of the Earth
A. the sun
A tsunami is caused by the movement of tectonic plates on the ocean floor. The resulting wave of water can destroy cities near the coast. What two spheres interact to form the tsunami?
A. Biosphere and atmosphere
B. Cryosphere and atmosphere
C. Geosphere and hydrosphere
D. Hydrosphere and atmosphere
C. Geosphere and hydrosphere
Ozone is a form of oxygen that has three atoms in each molecule instead of two atoms. The ozone layer protects living things. Which of the following best describes how the ozone layer protects living things?
a. The ozone layer does not allow meteorites to hit Earth’s surface.
b. Ten percent of oxygen producing organisms live within the ozone layer.
c. Without this barrier in place, all the Sun’s radiation would reach Earth.
d. This protective barrier prevents the frigid air found in space from cooling the planet.
c. Without this barrier in place, all the Sun’s radiation would reach Earth.
Which event is an example of chemical weathering?
a. Rocks falling off the face of a steep cliff.
b. Feldspar in granite being crushed into clay-sized particles.
c. Water freezing in cracks in a roadside outcrop.
d. Acid rain reacting with limestone bedrock.
d. Acid rain reacting with limestone bedrock.
Which statement BEST describes how the jet stream affects weather?
A. It makes storms heavier and more severe.
B. It makes weather harder for meteorologists to predict.
C. It causes water to evaporate resulting in drier weather.
D. It moves weather patterns from one location to another.
D. It moves weather patterns from one location to another.
In the morning, over a cold mountain lake, a light fog will form. What two spheres are interacting for the fog to form?
A. Hydrosphere and atmosphere
B. Cryosphere and atmosphere
C. Geosphere and biosphere
D. Atmosphere and biosphere
A. Hydrosphere and atmosphere
Which of these is a positive result of Earth's greenhouse effect?
A. It traps heat energy from the Sun, creating temperatures that sustain life on Earth.
B. It removes harmful gasses from homes, decreasing the chances of respiratory problems.
C. It creates an increase in Earth’s temperature, melting ice at the poles and causing ocean levels to rise.
D. It increases when gases are added to the atmosphere, which may cause climate to be warmer than it was 100 years ago.
A. It traps heat energy from the Sun, creating temperatures that sustain life on Earth.
An oxbow lake is formed when it has been cut off from the rest of the river. What is responsible for the formation of an oxbow lake?
A. physical weathering of rocks
B. erosion and deposition of sediment
C. the breaking down of soil due to acid rain
D. alternating cycles of freezing and thawing
B. erosion and deposition of sediment
The eastern side of Florida is usually warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than other southeastern states in the United States. Why is the climate of eastern Florida milder than that of neighboring states?
A. The Gulf Stream ocean current keeps the climate of this area milder.
B. Florida receives a lot of rain, and the rain clouds make its climate milder.
C. Florida is a peninsula surrounded by ocean on three sides, so its climate is milder.
D. Winds come from the mainland of the United States to keep Florida’s climate milder.
A. The Gulf Stream ocean current keeps the climate of this area milder.