Earth Science Review 1

Which statement best explains why stars viewed from the Northern Hemisphere appear to revolve around Polaris?

• Polaris rotates on its axis
• Earth rotates on its axis.
•  Polaris revolves around Earth.
• Earth revolves around Polaris.

The hydrosphere covers approximately what percentage of Earth’s lithosphere?

• 100%
• 70%
• 50% 
• 25% 

The deflection of prevailing winds and ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere is called

• eccentricity
• refraction 
•  the Coriolis effect
•  the Doppler effect

Earth’s rate of revolution is approximately

• 1° per day
• 15° per day
• 23.5° per day
• 360° per day

The asteroid Ceres lies at an average distance of 414 million kilometers from the Sun. The period of revolution of Ceres around the Sun is approximately

• 438 days 
•  687 days 
• 4.6 years
• 12.6 years

Which planet has a density that is less than the density of liquid water?

• Mercury
• Earth
• Mars 
• Saturn 

The diagram represents two planets of equal mass, A and B, revolving around a star. The planets are represented at specific positions in their orbits.  When both planets are at the positions represented, planet B

• can be seen at night from planet A, and planet B is moving faster in its orbit
• can be seen at night from planet A, and planet B is moving slower in its orbit
• cannot be seen at night from planet A, and planet B is moving faster in its orbit
• cannot be seen at night from planet A, and planet B is moving slower in its orbit

Compared to terrestrial planets, Jovian planets have

• smaller equatorial diameters and shorter periods of revolution
• smaller equatorial diameters and longer periods of revolution
• larger equatorial diameters and shorter periods of revolution
•  larger equatorial diameters and longer periods of revolution

Clouds most likely form as a result of

• moist air rising, compressing, and warming
• moist air rising, expanding, and cooling
• dry air rising, compressing, and warming
• dry air rising, expanding, and cooling

The dewpoint is 15°C. What is the wet-bulb temperature on a sling psychrometer if the dry-bulb temperature is 18°C?

• 16°C
• 2°C
• 3°C 
• 20°C