Earth Science Quiz

Which is the result of faulting?

• A. The slow folding up of mountains as tectonic plates collide.

• B. A sudden earthquake as bent tectonic plates release tension.

• C. A cascade of rock and ash that spews forth along tectonic plate boundaries.

• D. The destruction of undersea mountains as ocean plates slide under continental plates.

Why would a geographer think understanding our solar system is important?

• A. to track asteroids and comets so they don’t collide with Earth

• B. to map the positions and orbits of our solar system’s planets around the sun

• C. to understand how Earth fits into this system, much as how different areas of Earth fit together

• D. to determine which planets may have supported life in the past or be able to sustain life now

The main reason for the creation of desalination plants is

• A. to provide freshwater to support human activities.

• B. to promote jobs in high-tech industries and decrease agricultural careers.

• C. to expand trade exports of excess salt and brine processing.

• D. to provide economic stability to undeveloped countries.

How can desalination plants negatively affect the environment?

• Desalination plants emit salt into the atmosphere.

• Desalination plants will eventually cause lowering of sea levels.

• Desalination plants produce water that can destroy arable land.

• Desalination plants burn fossil fuels that contribute to pollution.

Earth’s lithosphere consists of

• all the land and water on Earth’s surface.

• molten rock and toxic gasses.

• a mix of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.

• the crust, continents, and ocean basins.

Of Earth’s three structural layers, the hottest is

• the core, which includes a solid inner core and liquid outer core.

• the crust, which is heated by solar radiation.

• the atmosphere, which experiences hot summer weather.

• the mantle, which contains the magma that makes volcanoes.

Scientists think that Pangaea separated due to

• climate changes.

• continental drift.

• weathering.

• glaciers.

What does the expression “This year’s rain is last year’s snow” refer to?

• Rain in the spring can sometimes freeze due to unseasonable temperatures.

• Snow consists of water in the frozen state and this water becomes rain when subjected to higher temperatures.

• The amount of water on Earth does not change and is cycled in an unending process despite its changing physical state.

• The amount of rain and snow changes due to the changing amount of water that cycles through Earth’s atmosphere.

The sun activates the water cycle by

• condensing water in lakes and rivers.

• causing weather systems to occur.

• evaporating water from the surfaces of bodies of water.

• causing precipitation.

Most of Earth’s freshwater is in

• polar ice caps.

• oceans.

• rivers, lakes, and streams.

• vapor in the atmosphere.