Astronomy
Which characteristic is most common among Jovian planets?
A. Solid Surfaces
B. Thick Atmospheres
C. Slow Rotation Speeds
D. Lack of Rings
B. Thick Atmospheres
Which layer of the Earth is the most dense and located at the center of the planet?
A. Crust
B. Mantle
C. Core
D. Lithosphere
C. Core
What is the process called when water enters the soil from Earth's surface?
A. Percolation
B. Infiltration
C. Runoff
D. Evaporation
B. Infiltration
Fertilizer washes from several farms into a nearby river after heavy rain. What type of pollution is this?
A. Point-source pollution
B. Nonpoint-source pollution
C. Thermal pollution
D. Groundwater recharge
B. Nonpoint-source pollution
Which type of plate boundary occurs when two tectonic plates move away from each other and new crust forms?
A. Convergent
B. Transform
C. Divergent
D. Subduction
What role does solar radiation play in photosynthesis?
A. It creates soil nutrients
B. It generates energy
C. It provides oxygen
D. It forms the plant wall cells
B. It generates energy
In a convection cell, why does hot mantle material rise towards the crust?
A. Its density increases, causing cold things to rise
B. Its density decreases, making hot things rise
C. It is pulled by the moon
D. It turns into solid metal
B. Its density decreases, making hot things rise
What is the boundary between the zone of aeration and the zone of saturation?
A. Aquifer
B. Watershed
C. Water Table
D. Impermeable Layer
C. Water Table
Why does cold, salty water tend to sink?
A. It is less dense
B. It is more dense
C. It contains more oxygen
D. It has a higher specific heat
B. It is more dense
Why are the inner planets rocky while the outer planets contain much larger amounts of gases and ices?
A. The inner planets formed much later than the outer planets
B. Temperatures near the young Sun were too high for many gases and ices to condense
C. Jupiter pushed all rock toward the Sun
D. The outer planets receive more solar energy
B. Temperatures near the young Sun were too high for many gases and ices to condense
Which model explains the formation of the solar system as a cloud of gas and dust collapsing under gravity?
A. Big Bang Theory
B. Solar Wind Theory
C. Planetesimal Theory
D. Nebular Theory
D. Nebular Theory
The lithosphere is a structure composed of the crust and the very top of the __________
A. Inner Core
B. Outer Core
C. Mantle
D. Atmosphere
C. Mantle
Which combination of properties generally makes a material a good aquifer?
A. High porosity & High permeability
B. High porosity & Low permeability
C. Low porosity & High permeability
D. Low porosity & Low permeability
A. High porosity & High permeability
What is the primary role of the Global Conveyor Belt?
A. It creates tides
B. It moves heat and water around the world's oceans
C. It causes earthquakes
D. It removes salt from seawater
B. It moves heat and water around the world's oceans
According to the Nebular Theory, what force caused the cloud of gas and dust that formed our solar system to collapse?
A. Magnetism
B. Gravity
C. Friction
D. Solar radiation
B. Gravity
Why does the Northern Hemisphere experience winter when it is closest to the Sun?
A. The tilt away from the Sun is the main factor
B. The Sun is colder
C. Solar wind is stronger
D. Earth rotates slower
A. The tilt away from the Sun is the main factor
Which seismic wave travels the fastest and is the first to arrive at a seismograph station?
A. S Wave
B. Surface Wave
C. P Wave
D. Tidal Wave
C. P Wave
What is a watershed?
A. An underground layer that stores water
B. An area of land that drains water to a common body of water
C. The deepest part of a river
D. An area where saltwater and freshwater meet
B. An area of land that drains water to a common body of water
Which two processes are the main cause of sea-level rise as Earth warms?
A. Evaporation and condensation
B. Erosion and deposition
C. Thermal expansion and melting land-based ice
D. Infiltration and runoff
C. Thermal expansion and melting land-based ice
Cold ocean water becomes saltier as sea ice forms near the poles. What is most likely to happen to this water?
A. Its density decreases, causing it to rise
B. Its density increases, causing it to sink
C. Its density stays the same because salinity does not affect density
D. It evaporates immediately and enters the atmosphere
B. Its density increases, causing it to sink
A. The size of the planet
B. The gravitational force of the planet
C. The planet's mass
D. The distance from the Sun
D. The distance from the Sun
Which topographic feature is most likely to be found at a convergent boundary where subduction occurs?
A. Mid-Ocean Ridge
B. Ocean Trench
C. Rift Valley
D. Sand Dune
B. Ocean Trench
Where does the most erosion usually occur in a meandering river?
A. Inside of the bend
B. Outside of the bend
C. At the river's source
D. In the center of the river
B. Outside of the bend
A community pumps groundwater from an aquifer faster than it can naturally recharge. What is the most likely result?
A. The water table rises and flooding increases
B. The water table drops, potentially causing wells to dry up and land subsidence
C. The aquifer becomes more permeable
D. Infiltration stops completely
B. The water table drops, potentially causing wells to dry up and land subsidence
A city replaces a large area of grass and soil with roads, parking lots, and buildings. During a heavy rainstorm, what is the most likely effect?
A. Infiltration increases and flooding decreases
B. Groundwater recharge increases because water moves through pavement quickly
C. Runoff increases and infiltration decreases, increasing the risk of flooding
D. Runoff decreases because paved surfaces absorb more water
C. Runoff increases and infiltration decreases, increasing the risk of flooding