Quiz about Earth and Space Science

Question 1

A group of science students question whether the temperature of a liquid affects its pH.. Which of the following steps should the students take first as they attempt to research this question?

Accepted Answer

Form a Hypothesis

Answer

Design an experiment

Answer

Create a theory

Answer

Make Observations

Question 2

In an attempt to identify an unknown rock same, a student applies dilute hydrocholoric acid to test the reactivity of the rock. Which of the following safety precautions is it most important for the student to follow this procedure?

Accepted Answer

Putting eye protection prior to carrying out the procedure

Answer

Pulverizing the rock sample prior to testing it

Answer

Using a fume hood to trap gases given off during the test

Answer

Conducting the procedure wearing latex gloves

Question 3

In a scientific paper, an entormologist uses the formula shown below to describe a population of insects. Which of the following terms best describes this formula. E/N?

Accepted Answer

Mean

Answer

Mode

Answer

Median

Answer

Range

Question 4

The Bohr model of the atom combined the earlier atomic model of Ernest Rutherford with a model derived from which of the following theories?

Accepted Answer

Quantum Theory

Answer

General Theory of Relativity

Answer

Unified Field Theory

Answer

String Theory

Question 5

The concept of entropy refers to which of the following characteristics of a closed system?

Accepted Answer

Tendency of a system to become more disordered over time

Answer

Self-Regulation of a system through feedback mechanisms

Answer

Maintenance of balance among separate system components

Answer

Emergent properties resulting from interaction of system components

Question 6

A geoscientist using seismology to determine where the transition between two different Earth layers occurs applies which of the following concepts from physics in analyzing the seismic data?

Accepted Answer

Snall's law of refraction

Answer

Second law of thermodynamics

Answer

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

Answer

Bernoullis Principle

Question 7

To model the general circulation of Earth's atmosphere, scientists rely on mathematical formulas from which of the following areas of study?

Accepted Answer

Physics

Answer

Computer Science

Answer

Geochemistry

Answer

Environmental Engineering

Question 8

Although nuclear power is an energy resource that does not produce carbon emissionss, many people are still concerned about expanding the number of nuclear power plants in use in the United States. The primary concern is that the production of nuclear power...

Accepted Answer

Generates hazardous waste that has to be stored for thousands of years.

Answer

Requires large amounts of freshwater for cooling systems

Answer

Depends on a nonrenewable mineral resource that will eventually run out

Answer

Creates hazardous work environment for employees

Question 9

Weather forecasting has changed dramatically over the past century. Today, surface weather observations, as well as data from satellites, provide information for computer models to process into simulations. Which of the following is demonstrated by this example?

Accepted Answer

The practice of science is closely tied to available technologies and societal needs

Answer

Major advances in scientific knowledge depend on the development of new technologies

Answer

The accomplishments of science in today's world are more highly valued than in the past

Answer

The expansion of scientific literacy is essential to the development of a democratic society

Question 10

Which of the following changes occurs in the atmosphere between the lower troposphere and the upper mesosphere?

Accepted Answer

The concentration of oxygen per unit volume decreases

Answer

The concentration of nitrogen per unit volume increases

Answer

The percentage of nitrogen relative to other gases increases

Answer

The percentage of oxygen relative to other gases decreases

Question 11

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation has two phases traditionally referred to as El Nino and La Nina. Which of the following is a primary factor that drives the transition from an El Nino phase to a La Nina Phase?

Accepted Answer

Reversal of the dominant high and low atmospheric pressure regimes on either side of the equatorial Pacific Ocean

Answer

Variations in the frequency of sunspots over the course of a full solar cycle

Answer

Change in the circulation of deep-ocean currents that transfer heat energy from the equatorial regions to the poles

Answer

Fluctuations in the position of the polar front jet stream during different seasons

Question 12

The west coast of the United States experiences a relatively small range in annual temperatures compared with interior parts of the continent. Which of the following is the major geographic factor influencing the climate conditions in the coastal region?

Accepted Answer

Prevailing westerly winds bring marine air to coastal regions, moderating coastal temperatures

Answer

Coastal mountains block warm humid air from the east, reducing summer temperatures

Answer

Subtropical surface currents transport warmth northward, increasing winter temperatures.

Answer

Evaporation from the heavily forested coastal plain minimizes temperature extremes

Question 13

Scientists agree that global warming would cause an increase in evaporation rates. Which of the following would be a direct consequence of the hypothesized increased evaporation rates?

Accepted Answer

An increase in the greenhouse effect

Answer

A reduction in the concentration of ozone in the upper athmosphere

Answer

A greater albedo of Earth's surface

Answer

A reduction in the salinity of surface waters in tropical oceans

Question 14

As air moves across Earth's surface is is deflected by the Coriolis force. In which of the following locations would the magnitude of the Coriolis force be the greatest if the direction and speed of the winds were the same?

Accepted Answer

Polar latitudes

Answer

Equatorial regions

Answer

Subtropical regions

Answer

Mid-latitudes

Question 15

Energy from the sun heats the equatorial regions more than the polar regions. This phenomenon most directly supports which of the following parts of the climate system?

Accepted Answer

Hadley cell circulation

Answer

North Atlantic Oscillation

Answer

Cyclical El Nino events

Answer

Geostrophic winds

Question 16

Which of the following is the primary driving force behind the development of polar and subtropical jet streams?

Accepted Answer

Steep pressure gradients at the boundaries of colder and warmer air masses

Answer

Converging upper level winds in the lower stratosphere

Answer

Strong updrifts that carry warn air formed at the surface into the colder air aloft

Answer

Differential heating of land areas and the surface of oceans

Question 17

When an air mass cools over Earths surface, the resulting change in density causes air to sink. This sinking air is associated with the development of?

Accepted Answer

high atmospheric pressure

Answer

Strong storm systems

Answer

converging surface winds

Answer

Counterclockwise rotation of winds

Question 18

The development of major tornados typically involves which of the following atmospheric phenomena?

Accepted Answer

Strong vertical wind shear

Answer

Adiabatic heating

Answer

Steady geostrophic winds

Answer

subsidence inversions

Question 19

Which of the following describes the conditions that produce lake-effect snows in the Great Lakes region?

Accepted Answer

Extremely cold, dry air from the Arctic flows over relatively warm lake water, causing steady snowfall on the lakes' eastern shores

Answer

Cool, moist air from the Ohio valley collides with colder arctic air over lakes, generating lift and heavy snow.

Answer

Relatively warn Midwestern air cools as it flows over the ice covered lakes, producing heavy snow in the hills east of the lakes

Answer

Moist air masses from the Pacific Ocean flow over cold lake water, causing steady snowfall over the lakes.

Question 20

Onshore breezes or sea breezes develop in the summer along the Atlantic coast under which of the following conditions?

Accepted Answer

Heating of the land surface during the day causes air to rise, drawing cooler air from the ocean inland

Answer

Cooling of the water surface overnight causes air to sink over the oceans and spread inland

Answer

The temperature difference between land and sea moderates during the day, reducing atmospheric pressure over the water

Answer

The pressure gradient between land and sea becomes steeper overnight, increasing the flow of cool air off of the water

Question 21

When air temperature falls toward the freezing point of water, shallow ponds cool, causing dense water to sink. Which of the following is the temperature of the water at the bottom of the pond.

Accepted Answer

4

Answer

0

Answer

2

Answer

8

Question 22

Which of the following is the primary cause of water's high viscosity?

Accepted Answer

The hydrogen bonding between water molecules

Answer

The low electronegativity of oxygen atoms

Answer

The high specific heat capacity of liquid water

Answer

The molecular weight of water molecules

Question 23

Deforestation in the tropics affects the movement of water through the hydrologic cycle by reducing?

Accepted Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Surface runoff

Answer

Percolation

Answer

Stream flow

Question 24

Which of the following has the greatest effect on the gradient of a stream?

Accepted Answer

The base level of the stream

Answer

The carrying capacity of the stream

Answer

The sediment load of the stream

Answer

The sediments underlying the stream

Question 25

Which of the following Earth materials has the greatest permeability?

Accepted Answer

Medium sand

Answer

Silty clay

Answer

Fractured shale

Answer

Massive sandstone

Question 26

A perched aquifer is best described as an aquifer that is:

Accepted Answer

Above the regional aquifer and underlain by an aquitard

Answer

Below the regional aquifer and overlain by an aquitard

Answer

Part of the regional aquifer, but supplied with water from a different source

Answer

An aquifer within the saturated zone of the regional aquifer, but isolated from it hydrologically

Question 27

A mountainside that has many small tributaries draining the region's watershed is likely to have which of the following geologic characteristics?

Accepted Answer

Shallow soils overlying bedrock that has a low infiltration capacity

Answer

Deep sandy soils derived from glacial till that is easily eroded

Answer

Shallow soils underlain by highly permeable limestone bedrock

Answer

Deep soils derived from granite that support dense forests

Question 28

In an unpolluted aquifer, the chemical character of groundwater changes as it travels underground. Which of the following characteristics of unpolluted groundwater typically increases over time as groundwater moves through sediments and bedrock?

Accepted Answer

The concentration of total dissolved solids

Answer

The proportion of bicarbonate ions

Answer

The concentration of dissolved oxygen

Answer

The proportion of suspended solids

Question 29

In tropical oceans there is usually a high rate of evaporation at the surface of the ocean. Which of the following characteristics of the surface ocean water is most affected by evaporation?

Accepted Answer

Salinity

Answer

Acidity

Answer

Turbidity

Answer

Viscosity

Question 30

Which of the following explains the primary reason that open ocean waves in certain regions are consistently larger than others?

Accepted Answer

Persistence of prevailing winds

Answer

Velocity of major currents

Answer

Strength of tidal forces

Answer

Configuration of the seabed

Question 31

Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, the Kankakee River in northwestern Indiana was a meandering river that flowed through the vast wetlands that covered the region. Eventually the entire Kankakee wetland region was drained and the river was channelized and dredged. Which of the following is a predictable consequence of this modification of the Kankakee River and the surrounding wetlands?

Accepted Answer

The river has become particularly susceptible to seasonal flooding

Answer

The river has downcut its channel, heavily eroding wetland sediments

Answer

The elevation of the water table in the river's watershed has risen significantly

Answer

The recharge of groundwater underlying the watershed has decreased significantly

Question 32

Calculations based on the sun's brightness, temperature, and rate of fuel consumption indicate that the age of the solar system is approximately:

Accepted Answer

4.6 billion years

Answer

2.5 billion years

Answer

14.1 billion years

Answer

17 billion years

Question 33

Which of the following substances is most abundant in the nucleus of a comet?

Accepted Answer

Ice

Answer

Iron

Answer

Hydrogen

Answer

Methane

Question 34

Which of the following best describes how asteroids were most likely formed?

Accepted Answer

Planetesimals never coalesced into a planet due to the influence of Jupiter and broke into smaller pieces as they collided with one another

Answer

A large planet located between Jupiter and Mars was torn apart by Jupiter's gravity

Answer

A planetesmial struck Mars and ejected large amounts of material into space

Answer

Individual asteriods coalesced out of small concentrations of dust and gas in the solar nebula when the solar system began to form

Question 35

The think atmosphere surrounding Venus is made up primarily of?

Accepted Answer

Carbon Dioxide

Answer

Methane

Answer

Water vapor

Answer

Ozone

Question 36

The plane of the moon's orbit around Earth is tilted relative to the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun. This tilt is the reason that?

Accepted Answer

A solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth approximately every six months

Answer

A solar eclipse occurs in one Earth hemisphere at the same time as a lunar eclipse occurs in the other

Answer

A lunar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth every month

Answer

A lunar eclipse never occurs within six months of a solar eclipse

Question 37

Which of the following only occurs during a new moon?

Accepted Answer

A solar eclipse

Answer

A neap tide

Answer

A lunar eclipse

Answer

A spring tide

Question 38

Large solar flares that eject a quantity of particles from the corona of the sun often give rise on Earth to unusually:

Accepted Answer

Bright and extensive auroras

Answer

High tides

Answer

High temperatures

Answer

Colorful sunrises and sunsets

Question 39

Which of the following is the most likely explanation for the formation of the moon?

Accepted Answer

The moon was formed from material ejected after a violent collision between Earth and a smaller planet

Answer

The moon coalesced as a smaller twin of Earth from two adjacent concentrations of debris and gases in the solar nebula

Answer

The moon was a small planet that was captured by Earths gravity as it passed by on an eccentric orbit around the sun

Answer

The moon was formed from a bulge on the molten Earths surface that formed and ripped free when Earths rotation was much faster

Question 40

In the early 1600s, Johannes Kepler described the orbits of the planets around the sun as ellipses. Which of the following is one important consequence of the elliptical nature of planetary orbits?

Accepted Answer

The speed of each planet varies as it orbits around the sun

Answer

All planets exhibit some form of seasonal variation in temperature

Answer

The orbits of adjacent planets intersect twice a year

Answer

Each planet's orbit lies in a different plane relative to all other planets

Question 41

Which of the following best explains the apparent retrograde motion of Mars as seen from the surface of Earth?

Accepted Answer

Earth completes its orbit more quickly than Mars and overtakes and passes Mars every 780 days

Answer

The speed of Mars varies greatly at different points in its orbit

Answer

Earth's distance from Mars varies greatly because the orbit of Mars is highly eccentric

Answer

The orbit of Mars intersects the orbit of Earth

Question 42

In 1965, scientist Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson discovered microwave radiation emanating uniformly from all directions in the sky. This discovery provided important evidence supporting:

Accepted Answer

The Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe

Answer

The steady-state theory of the universe

Answer

The cosmological principle

Answer

The law of universal gravitation

Question 43

Which of the following events provided evidence to support the idea that the universe is expanding?

Accepted Answer

The discovery that distant astronomical objects are receding from Earth at a faster rate than those that are nearer

Answer

The determination that dark matter has altered the rate of expansion of the universe since shortly after the Big Bang

Answer

The calculation that the total mass of the universe is insufficient to counteract the effects of cosmological inflation

Answer

The detection of the bending of light waves from distant parts of the universe through the gravitational lensing effect

Question 44

Which of the following processes is most directly responsible for the formation of the heaviest elements found in the universe?

Accepted Answer

Supernovae of massive stars

Answer

The collision of stars during galactic mergers

Answer

High-energy meteor impacts

Answer

The expansion of space during the Big Bang

Question 45

Astronomers have been able to verify the existence of supermassive black holes in a particular region of space primarily by analyzing which of the following types of data?

Accepted Answer

The effects that black holes have on the behavior of surrounding matter

Answer

The distribution of younger and older stars surrounding suspected black holes

Answer

The distortion of space and time by a black hole's large gravitational field

Answer

The energy released as a matter is annihilated within a black hole's event horizon

Question 46

Which of the following is the main factor that determines whether or not a particular star will become a supernova at the end of its life cycle?

Accepted Answer

Mass

Answer

Location

Answer

Composition

Answer

Diameter

Question 47

The Milky Way Galaxy is classified as which of the following types of galaxy?

Accepted Answer

Spiral

Answer

Elliptical

Answer

Irregular

Answer

Disk

Question 48

Galaxies such as the Milky Way galaxy and other relatively large local galaxies are known to contain spherical clusters of stars called globular clusters. These globular clusters orbit a galaxy's galactic center and typically contain stars that:

Accepted Answer

Formed early in the evolution of the galaxy and that are metal poor

Answer

Are rich in carbon and oxygen and are surrounded by clouds of dust and gas

Answer

Are dense and massive and formed relatively late in the galaxy's evolution

Answer

Formed outside of the galaxy and were pulled in as the galaxy grew by accretion

Question 49

The most massive galaxies in the universe are elliptical in shape. These types of galaxies typically appear to have limited star formation and most often occur in relatively crowded regions of the universe. In addition, observation of elliptical galaxies indicates they were less common in the early universe and are primarily composed of old stars. Astronomers believe that many of these characteristics are the result of the manner in which elliptical galaxies come into existence. which of the following explanations best describes current theory on the evolution of elliptical galaxies?

Accepted Answer

Various types of galaxies can collide and eventually merge through gravitational attraction to form elliptical galaxies

Answer

Rotating galactic clusters that lack black holes at their center can develop into much larger elliptical galaxies

Answer

Spiral galaxies eventually expand and cool from inertial forces to form larger, lower-density elliptical galaxies

Answer

Multiple globular clusters that are pulled into orbit around a galactic core can evolve into irregular or elliptical galaxies

Question 50

The development of astronomical interferometry in radio astronomy during the 1940s improved the results of radio astronomy primarily by:

Accepted Answer

Combining the signals from multiple separate radio antennas into a higher-resolution image

Answer

Accounting for the spectral shift of the wavelengths detected from rapidly moving objects

Answer

Compensating for the signal distortion caused by the effect of temperature change on receiving antennas

Answer

Separating incoming radio waves detected by a radio telescope receiver into their constituent wavelengths

Question 51

Which of the following components of the atmosphere increases the acidity of water as it moves through the water cycle from the gaseous phase to the liquid phase?

Accepted Answer

Carbon Dioxide

Answer

Diatomic nitrogen

Answer

Aerosols

Answer

Ozone

Question 52

The production and use of Portland cement emits a large amount of carbon dioxide. A significant portion of the carbon dioxide is emitted by the burning of fossil fuels during the production, transport, and construction processes. Which of the following processes is an additional major source of carbon dioxide resulting from the production and use of Portland cement?

Accepted Answer

Decarbonation of limestone to produce free lime

Answer

Formation of calcium carbonate during drying

Answer

Crushing of limestone to prepare for heating

Answer

Chemical weathering of carbonates in old concrete

Question 53

Excess phosphorus entering the environment as a result of human activity can negatively affect the health of freshwater ecosystems by causing eutrophication. A major consequence of eutrophication is a drop in the concentration of dissolved oxygen in affected freshwater ecosystems. This reduction in dissolved oxygen levels is most directly caused by:

Accepted Answer

Bacterial breakdown of the biomass from algal blooms

Answer

Increasing populations of freshwater invertebrates

Answer

Rapid initial growth of aquatic plants

Answer

Lowering of the pH of the body of water

Question 54

Gypsum is an important industrial mineral mined beneath Martin County in Indiana. The gypsum mined in Indiana formed during the Early Carboniferous Period and is now found deep underground in deposits that can be more than 20 feet thick. Which of the following scenarios best describes how the gypsum deposits in Indiana formed?

Accepted Answer

Shallow inland seas repeatedly expanded and then dried up, leaving behind a chemical precipitate

Answer

Windblown carbonate dust produced by the weathering of limestone was deposited into shallow seas

Answer

Pressure and heat from burial underground altered the mineral composition of dolomitic limestone

Answer

Lime mud containing sulfur settled on the bottom of a deep off-shore basin and lithified over time

Question 55

Which of the following represents the most significant challenge in the continued development of coal resources?

Accepted Answer

Managing environmental problems associated with coal mining

Answer

Transporting coal from the regions where it is extracted to power plants

Answer

Locating deposits of coal that are large enough to be worth developing

Answer

Limiting public exposure to coal dust during mining operations

Question 56

Oil deposits are believed to form primarily from which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Plankton and other organisms that accumulated on the ocean floor

Answer

The decay of vegetation that grew in ancient swamps

Answer

The chemical breakdown of carbon-rich rock buried deep underground

Answer

Limestone and the organisms associated with coral reefs

Question 57

Which of the following processes best describes the physical phenomenon that is central to the functioning of a photo-voltaic panel?

Accepted Answer

Photons in light excite electrons to a higher energy state, allowing them to carry charge and generate direct current electricity

Answer

Photons striking a semiconductor in a closed circuit cause a redistribution of charge, producing voltage across the circuit

Answer

Electrons struck by photons are moved into a valence state and then fall back again, generating an alternating electric current

Answer

Electrons ejected from an electrode by photons travel through a vacuum to another electrode, inducing an electric charge

Question 58

Indiana homeowners and businesses have taken advantage of geothermal heat to help provide a less-expensive means to heat and cool homes and businesses. A variety of geothermal ground-source heat pump systems have been developed for different uses; however, all of these systems rely on the same characteristic of geothermal heat to operate. The fundamental characteristic of geothermal heat that makes geothermal ground-source heat pump systems practical as an energy source in Indiana is:

Accepted Answer

The relative stability of the year-round average temperature at depths greater than about 20 feet below the ground surface

Answer

the increased rate at which bedrock temperature rises at depths below approximately 1000 feet underground

Answer

The change in the thermal gradient between the bedrock and ground surface during the colder months of the year

Answer

The thermal conductivity of the sands and gravels that make up much of the regions surface sedimentary deposits

Question 59

Over the past decades, scientists studying Greenland's ice sheet have observed an increase in the rate of ice loss, mostly from the calving of large glaciers along the coast. Between 2000 and 2008, however, research showed that melting was causing as much mass loss from the ice sheet as calving glaciers and changes in regional snowfall. Between 2011 and 2014, this trend accelerated, with up to 70% of the annual mass lost from the ice sheet coming exclusively from melting. While an increase in the annual average temperature over Greenland has played a role in the acceleration of this seasonal melting, scientist have determined that another factor has been responsible for much of the accelerated melting since 2011. The largest single contributing factor responsible for the increased rate of mass loss from the ice sheet since 2011 has been a change in the what?

Accepted Answer

Albedo of Greenland's ice sheet caused by darkening of the surface from soot, algae, and water

Answer

Elevation of the grounding line of ice shelves that terminate many of Greenland's glaciers

Answer

Temperature and strength of the West Greenland Current along the west coast

Answer

Level of the primary accumulation zone of the ice sheet in Greenland's interior

Question 60

Air near Earth's surface that is contaminated with carbon-based compounds and nitrogen oxides can create new pollutants when exposed to sunlight. Which of the following gases is most likely to be produced under these conditions?

Accepted Answer

Ozone

Answer

Ammonia

Answer

Carbon Dioxide

Answer

Molecular Nitrogen

Question 61

Which of the following is a major risk associated with mercury pollution generated by power plants?

Accepted Answer

Bioaccumulation in organisms

Answer

Contamination of drinking water

Answer

Destruction of the ozone layer

Answer

Production of photochemical smog

Question 62

Scientists have determined that the increase in the concentration of particulates in the atmosphere between 1960 and 1990 is likely to have:

Accepted Answer

Reduced the effects of global warming

Answer

Increased the incidence of skin cancer

Answer

Increased global average precipitation

Answer

Reduced the damage to the ozone layer

Question 63

Which of the following minerals displays rhombohedral cleavage and reacts strongly with hydrochloric acid?

Accepted Answer

Calcite

Answer

Gypsum

Answer

Orthoclase

Answer

Quartz

Question 64

Rocks are classified into three main groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Which of the following includes a rock from each of the three groups?

Accepted Answer

Granite, Breccia, Gneiss

Answer

Basalt, shale, gabbro

Answer

Andesite, sandstone, siltstone

Answer

Rhyolite, conglomerate, limestone

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