Regents Earth Science August 2014

Which evidence best supports the theory that the universe was created by an explosion called the Big Bang?

• (1) impact craters found on Earth

• (2) cosmic background radiation

• (3) the different compositions of terrestrial and Jovian planets

• (4) the blue shift of light from distant galaxies

The best evidence of Earth’s rotation is provided

by the

• (1) shape of Earth’s orbit

• (2) shape of the Milky Way galaxy

• (3) changes in the total yearly duration of

  insolation at a location on Earth

• (4) apparent changes in the direction of swing of

  a Foucault pendulum

At approximately what time on the following day

did the next high tide occur at this location?

• 4:40 a.m.

• 4:40 p.m.

• 5:40 a.m.

• 5:40 p.m.

This apparent path of the Sun was observed on

the first day of

• winter

• spring

• fall

• summer

Which processes are most likely to cause a rise in

the water table?

• (1) runoff and erosion

• (2) precipitation and infiltration

• (3) deposition and burial

• (4) solidification and condensation

Which two processes lead to cloud formation in

rising air?

• compressing and cooling

• expanding and warming

• compressing and warming

• expanding and cooling

What is the wind speed shown on the station

model and which instrument is used to measure

the wind speed?

• 25 knots, measured by an anemometer

• 25 knots, measured by a wind vane

• 15 knots, measured by an anemometer

• 15 knots, measured by a wind vane

Which event followed a massive volcanic eruption

and led to the cooling of global temperatures?

• (1) thunderstorms that developed near the

  eruption

• (2) the release of carbon dioxide and methane

  gases

• (3) the outflow of magma over Earth’s surface

• (4) the addition of ash particles into the

  atmosphere

Much of the evidence for the evolution of life-

forms on Earth has been obtained by

• (1) studying the life spans of present-day animals

• (2) radioactive dating of metamorphic rock

• (3) correlating widespread igneous ash deposits

• (4) examining fossils preserved in the rock

  record

Why did these caverns and sinkholes form?

• (1) The bedrock chemically reacted with acidic

  groundwater.

• (2) This type of bedrock contained large

  amounts of oxygen and silicon.

• (3) Glacial deposits altered the shape of the

  bedrock.

• (4) Crustal uplift formed gaps in the bedrock.