Earth's Layers
The Rock Cycle
Plate Tectonics
Fossils & Human Impact
Rock Dating
100
Which layer of the Earth is under the greatest amount of pressure?
the solid inner core
100
Slate is a metamorphic rock that forms from the sedimentary rock, shale. Which of the following is needed for slate to form from shale?
Erosion and deposition
100
Earthquakes often form at transform plate boundaries. Which set of arrows represents a transform plate boundary?
A) 
B) 
C)
D) 
C
100
Which of these is geological evidence of continental drift?
A) the presence of different rocks on each continent
B) different rocks that are the same age on different continents
C) similar rocks that are different ages on different continents
D) similar rocks that are the same age on different continents
D) similar rocks that are the same age on different continents
100
What are isotopes?
atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons but the same number of protons
200
Imagine you could travel in a straight line through Earth from a point on one side and come out on the other side. What compositional layer would you travel through in the exact center of Earth?
Core
200
Gravity, water, wind and heat can all contribute to erosion. Which of the following natural landforms are primarily formed by wind erosion?
A) desert sand dunes
B) deep river canyons
C) mudslides
D) sinkholes
A) desert sand dunes
200
In some places on Earth, large tectonic plates are moving toward each other and collide with great force. Once such place is where the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate meet. What would you expect to occur where these two tectonic plates collide?
Mountains and Earthquakes
200
A trace fossil includes no physical remains of the organism’s body, but only a mark or structure that the fossil left behind. Which of these is NOT an example of a trace fossil?
A) Dinosaur tracks in sediment
B) An insect in amber
C) A burrow in the sea floor
D) Coprolite in sediment
A) Dinosaur tracks in sediment
200
What do scientists measure when determining the absolute age of a rock?
ratio of parent and daughter isotopes
300
The three compositional layers of Earth are the core, the mantle, and the crust. Which phrase best describes the crust?
A) the thin and solid outermost layer of Earth
B) the innermost layer of Earth’s interior below the mantle
C) the hot, slow-flowing layer of Earth’s interior above the core
D) The layer of gases surrounding the planet
A) the thin and solid outermost layer of Earth
300
What must happen in order for a metamorphic rock to be transformed into an igneous rock?
It must be pulled under Earth's crust, melted and forced out above the crust to cool.
300
A river starts high in the mountains as a steep channel. It then leaves the mountains and enters a flatter area of land. It meanders across a vast floodplain and then enters the ocean. At which point would this river form a delta?
When the river meanders across the plain
300
The Great Rift Valley in Africa is a land feature on Earth’s surface caused by the movement of crustal plates. Continued movement of the plates is gradually making the rift deeper. How are the plates around the Great Rift Valley moving?
The plates are spreading apart and moving in opposite directions
300
The oldest rock formation identified on Earth is found on the shoreline of Hudson Bay in Canada. This rock formed 4.28 billion years ago. What information does a scientist need to more accurately determine the age of a rock?
The amount of each radioactive element present in the rock
400
How do temperature and pressure change as the depth of the geosphere increases?
Temperature and pressure increase.
400
In places where loose sand and strong winds are prevalent, the wind can pick up the sand and carry it. When the runs into an obstacle and slows, it deposits the sand. Which of the following is formed by this process?
Sand dunes
400
Alfred Wegner's theory of continental drift is similar to the theory of plate tectonics. The theory of continental drift was not accepted and the theory of plate tectonics is widely accepted. What is the main difference between the two theories?
The theory of continental drift could not provide evidence.
400
Dams are barriers that prevent the flow of water. They are created to provide flood control, recreational areas, water for irrigation, and hydroelectric power. Although dams serve many important purposes, they can also have a negative impact on the environment by
A) Increasing fresh water sources for humans.
B) Preventing fish from moving along a river.
C) Serving as a place for people to have picnics.
D) Providing new wildlife habitats.
B) Preventing fish from moving along a river.
400
Leaves release acids into the soil as they decay. How could the decaying leaves affect the rocks in the soil underneath them?
A) They could increase the amount of chemical weathering
B) They could decrease the amount of chemical weathering
C) They could increase the amount of physical weathering
D) They could decrease the amount of physical weathering
A) They could increase the amount of chemical weathering
500
The Earth can be divided into three layers: the core, mantle, and the crust. How were these layers formed?
A) The most dense material sank to the core and the least dense material rose to the top to form the crust
B) The least dense material sank to the crust and the most dense material rose to the top to form the mantle
C) The least dense material sank to the core and the most dense material rose to the top to form the crust
D) The most dense material sank to the mantle and the least dense material rose to the top to form the core
A) The most dense material sank to the core and the least dense material rose to the top to form the crust
500
Human actions can cause significant changes to the plant’s surface. Vegetation has been cleared by humans. If there are any rains in that area, which of the following is most likely to increase?
A) erosion
B) earthquakes
C) volcanic activity
D) chemical weathering
D) chemical weathering
500
The Atlantic Ocean is growing in size by about one centimeter per year. How does an ocean become larger?
Trenches are formed by oceanic plates sliding under continental plates
500
A mountainous region has seen increased landslides after large-scale logging activities. What might be a direct impact of the logging on the stability of the slopes?
A) Increased root systems holding the soil together.
B) Reduced water absorption leading to drier soils.
C) Weakened soil structure due to loss of trees.
D) Enhanced water clarity due to reduced sediment.
C) Weakened soil structure due to loss of trees.
500
Which of these is the BEST indication of the relative age of a rock layer?
A) the position of the layer compared to other layers
B) the distance the layer extends over the Earth
C) the chemical make-up of the layer
D) the thickness of the layer
A) the position of the layer compared to other layers