Earth Science Quiz

Why is Earth called “the living planet”?

• It sustains life.

• It has atmosphere.

• It has water at the surface.

• All of the above

What makes the planet Earth habitable compared to other planets?

• It has soil.

• It has trees.

• It has people.

• It has liquid water.

Which of the following best describes the surface of the planet Earth?

• a thick layer of hydrogen gas

• cloudy and hot with lots of volcano

• cold, rocky, and covered with red dust

• mostly water surface with some areas of land

Nitrogen is returned to the soil when dead plants decompose, is an interaction that occurs in what system?

• biosphere and atmosphere

• geosphere and atmosphere

• biosphere and geosphere

• atmosphere and geosphere

Carbon dioxide dissolving from the air into the ocean is an interaction that occurs in which system?

• atmosphere and hydrosphere

• atmosphere and atmosphere

• atmosphere and geosphere

• atmosphere and biosphere

A volcanic eruption releases ash and gases into the atmosphere, while lava flows across the land and alters nearby water sources. Which statement best explains how this event demonstrates the interaction of Earth’s subsystems?

• It shows the lithosphere and atmosphere working separately without affecting other subsystems.

• It demonstrates how energy and matter move only within the lithosphere.

• It illustrates the flow of matter and energy across the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

• It proves that only the biosphere is influenced by changes in the Earth’s surface.

A mineral sample has the following characteristics: • Hardness of 2 • Pearly luster • Soapy feel • No reaction with HCl Which conclusion is the most accurate?

• The mineral is talc, identified by its softness and greasy texture.

• The mineral is calcite, identified by its reaction with acid.

• The mineral is feldspar, identified by its cleavage and hardness.

• The mineral is quartz, identified by its conchoidal fracture.

A student tests an unknown mineral and observes the following: hardness of 3, strong reaction with dilute hydrochloric acid, and rhombohedral cleavage. Which conclusion is most accurate?

• The mineral is quartz because of its hardness and lack of reaction with acid.

• The mineral is calcite because its reaction with acid and cleavage fit the description.

• The mineral is feldspar because of its hardness and two cleavage planes.

• The mineral is mica because it splits into thin sheets.

What type of rocks are formed from sediments over long period of time?

• Igneous Rocks

• Sedimentary Rocks

• Metamorphic Rocks

• Minerals

A rock that forms when magma hardens beneath Earth’s surface is termed as:

• Intrusive metamorphic rock

• Extrusive sedimentary rock

• Intrusive igneous rock

• Extrusive igneous rock