AIR test prep

What are the two sources of thermal energy in Earth’s interior?

• solar heater and gravity
• combustion and solar heating
• gravity and radioactive decay
• radioactive decay and combustion

One bar magnet sits on a table, and a rubber band suspends another magnet above it. In the view on the left, the upper magnet is held in place and cannot move. In the view on the right, the upper magnet has been released. 

• Magnetic, elastic and gravitational potential energy increased. 
• Magnetic, elastic and gravitational potential energy decreased
• Magnetic and elastic potential energy increased, and gravitational potential energy decreased.
• Magnetic and gravitational potential energy decreased, and elastic potential energy increased.

 An engineer is collecting data on four different satellites orbiting Earth. The engineer records the satellites’ distances from Earth in kilometers (km) and their forces due to gravity in Newtons (N). Estimate the values for the two missing quantities. 

• 16000, 6000
• 15000,5000
• 10000,1000
• 20000,2000

Which term is an example of force?

• Energy
• Mass
• Weight
• Work

Instruments located around Earth record seismic wave activity during an earthquake. The epicenter of the earthquake and locations of four instrument stations around Earth are shown. Which stations will record fewer waves than the others?

• Station 1 and 4
• Station 2 and 3
  
• Station 3 and 4
• Station 1 and 2

Select the one of statements that explain why fewer waves were recorded at some stations.

• Part of Earth's interior bent some of the waves.
  Different materials in earth reflect some of the waves.
• Some waves are blocked by the water on the Earth's surface.
  Weather events near the station can prevent waves from being recorded.

As magma rises from the mid-ocean ridge, it cools and solidifies. As this magma solidifies, some of the minerals align with Earth’s magnetic field. Every few million years, Earth’s  magnetic field reverses. This reversal is recorded in the magma that solidified after leaving the mid-ocean ridge. In the picture, these magnetic reversals are indicated by dark and light bands.
How can scientists tell when the reversals of the magnetic field occurred?

• by measuring the thickness of the different bands of the oceanic crust
• by measuring the distance between the mid-ocean ridge and the ocean flood band
• by measuring the amount of minerals that aligned to Earth's magnetic field in the different bands
• by measuring the strength of Earth's magnetic field recorded in the solidified magma of the oceanic crust

An environmental change occurs, causing a change in the color of snails present in an ecosystem. The graph shows the color distribution in a snail population at two different times. Select the 4 possible explanations for the results shown in the graph.

• Predators could more easily catch lighter-colored snails.
  The lighter-colored snails had few offspring to pass the trait along.
   The darker coloration was an existing trait in the original population.
   Snails with the lighter coloration moved into another ecosystem to survive.
• The lighter-colored snail are all extinct.
  Snails with the lighter coloration moved into another ecosystem to survive.
  The darker coloration was an existing trait in the original population.
  The lighter-colored snails had few offspring to pass the trait along.

Horizontal forces act on two boxes, initially at rest, as shown. The magnitude and direction of the horizontal forces are also shown.

• Box X starts moving, speeding up, and Box Y remains at rest.
• Box X starts moving at constant speed, and Box Y remains at rest.
• Box X starts moving at constant speed, and Box Y starts moving, speeding up.
• Box X starts moving, speeding up, and Box Y starts moving at a constant speed.

A geologist wants to date several samples. Descriptions are provided for each sample. Because sampling can be expensive and time consuming, the geologist only wants to use the dating methods that are likely to provide a reliable date. Select the boxes to show all methods that can be used to date each sample.

• Method 4
  method 1 and 3
  Method 1 and 4
  Method 2 and 4
• Method 1
  Method 2 and 3
  Method 4
  Method 2 and 4
• Method 3
  Method 3 and 4
  Method 1 and 2
  Method 3
• Method 2
  Method 2 and 3
  Method 1 and 4
  Method 4