Earth Science Review

At the end of August, the constellation Virgo will no longer be visible to the same observer at 40 degrees North. Which of the following BEST explains why?

• Earth revolves, or orbits, around the Sun.

• Virgo revolves, or orbits, around the Sun.

• Virgo rotates, or spins, on its axis.

• Earth rotates or spins, on its axis.

Based on these data, what is the MOST likely time of the next low tide?

• 11:00 AM

• 4:30 AM

• 11:00 PM

• 4:25 PM

Determine the amount of time it takes for Jupiter to complete one period of rotation on its axis.

• 11.9 years

• 9 hours, 50 minutes, and 30 seconds

• 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 23 seconds

• 29.5 years

Scientists understand our universe to be about 13.8 billion years old. Which two pieces of evidence BEST support this understanding?

• Radiometric dating of rocks and the fossil record.

• Red-Shift in the light from distant galaxies and cosmic background radiation in space.

• The fossil record in Earth's crust and red-shift in the light from distant galaxies.

• Cosmic background radiation in space and radiometric dating of rocks.

The diagram below represents Earth as viewed from space. Letter A represents the angle of the tilt of Earth's rotational axis. Letter B is a point on Earth's surface that will receive direct sunlight on June 21st. Line XY is perpendicular to the plane of Earth's orbit.

• 23.5 degree N

• 0 degree

• 23.5 degree S

• 30 degree N

It is most likely for rain to infiltrate into soil that is

• supersaturated

• saturated

• unsaturated

• frozen

Which type of surface would cause the highest rate of runoff after precipitation?

• Unsorted sand

• Loam

• Shale

• Sorted sand

What type of weather conditions would most likely produce snow in Ithaca, NY?

• High pressure and fast-moving wind

• Low humidity and high dewpoint

• High humidity and low temperature

• Low pressure and high temperature

Which gas absorbs the most infrared radiation in the Earth's atmosphere?

• Carbon dioxide

• Methane

• Water vapor

• Nitrous oxide

The photograph below was taken of a floating village, called Kampong Phluk, located on Tonle Sap Lake near Siem Reap, Cambodia. The photo shows the village at the end of the dry season when water levels are at their lowest levels.

The meteorological events the two distant seasons, known as the dry season and the wet season, at locations on Earth similar to Kampong Phluk are

• the typhoon season in the Western Pacific Ocean.

• the seasonal shifting of prevailing winds resulting in monsoons.

• the shifting of ocean currents that results in increased rainfall worldwide

• Change in the amount of insolation at a given location.