The highest elevation on this topographic map can be no more than about:

In an area where a river has cut deep into Earth, there are several layers of very different rock exposed. The oldest rock layer is most likely to be the layer that is:

Which of the following statements best describes how the planets of the solar system formed?

Evidence suggests that Earth is about 4.6 billion years old, even though no Earth rocks have been found that can be dated at more than 4 billion years old. This discrepancy is most likely caused by Earth’s original crust being:

Which of the following is the best evidence that Earth’s continents were once in vastly different positions than they are today?

Early telescopes showed stars as only points of light, while the planets appeared to be much larger, providing evidence that stars must:

Although many ancient civilizations designated certain patterns of stars as constellations, they never included planets in their constellations. What feature of planets, as opposed to stars, explains this?

What is the source of energy for the Sun?

Fusion is a form of nuclear reaction resulting in an enormous release of heat energy. The fusion of hydrogen to helium is a reaction that commonly occurs in:

The surfaces of planet Mercury and our moon contain some very large craters that are most likely the result of:

As part of the modern theory of the origins of the elements, it is hypothesized that before the formation of the stars, most of the matter in the universe consisted of what atoms?

Stars begin their life cycle in:

Astronomers have discovered vast differences in stars through their observations. One theory used to explain these differences is that

Which of the following provides evidence for plate tectonics?

A rift valley is evidence of which kind of plate boundary?

The convergence of two continental plates would produce

Earthquake vibrations are detected, measured, and recorded by instruments called

At which location would earthquakes be least likely to occur?

The Richter scale measures which of the following earthquake characteristics?

Which of the following energy sources is most likely to be abundant in California due to its position on a plate boundary?

Geothermal energy is possible where there is

Earthquake activity in California is primarily caused by

About 50% of the solar energy directed toward Earth penetrates directly to the surface. What happens to the rest of the radiation?

The Moon is very hot on the side facing the Sun and very cold on the dark side. This extreme temperature difference is primarily due to the Moon’s

Venus is warmed by solar radiation, but its thick cloud cover increases the temperature because the clouds

Which of these could increase average global temperatures?

More solar energy reaches the equatorial regions than the polar regions because the equatorial regions:

What causes the wind deflection from the north and south poles?

Air moving from the poles toward the equator turns west. The primary cause of this global deflection is:

At which location on the map would a rain forest most likely be found?

Which of these effects generally occurs as the result of a warm air mass and a cooler air mass converging at Earth’s surface?

Snow on the ground prevents polar climates from gaining heat by what mechanism?

Scientists have found fossils of tropical plants in Antarctica. How could tropical plants have grown in Antarctica?

Which of these statements is best illustrated by this diagram?

From Earth’s atmosphere, carbon dioxide is used by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria during the process of ___?

The table below lists the gases coming from a modern Hawaiian volcano. If ancient volcanoes gave off the same gases, which gas would have been most helpful in the development of early life-forms that could carry out photosynthesis?

Carbon in the atmosphere is most often found as which of the following compounds?

The diagram above shows four layers of Earth’s atmosphere. Which of the following correctly labels the layers represented by A, B, C, and D (from Earth moving upward) in the correct sequence?

The primitive atmosphere of Earth was deficient in free oxygen. What process was primarily responsible for the development of the present percentage of free oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere?

Most of the molecular oxygen in the early atmosphere of Earth resulted from

Which of the following human activities reduces the level of ozone in the atmosphere?

Which layer of the Earth is the thinnest?

Weathering is best defined as:

Approximately how long does it take the moon to revolve around the Earth?

The hydrosphere of the Earth is best described as:

A hurricane has formed in the Atlantic Ocean as shown in the diagram below. The hurricane is forecast to move towards the southern coast of the United States. What general direction is the hurricane traveling?

The planet Earth is approximately ___ water

The gas in the atmosphere that has the greatest effect on weather conditions is:

The diagram below shows layers in the crust of the Earth. Layer A represents the surface of the Earth. Which is true about layers in the diagram?

The diagram represents the Earth and its orbit around the Sun. The arrow labeled F represents the force that keeps the Earth in its orbit. What is the name of the force that keeps the Earth in its orbit?

One year on Earth is equal to the time it takes

The majority of earthquakes that occur on Earth are caused by

Most scientists agree that an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide and other gases entering Earth’s atmosphere causes

The mixture of gases surrounding the Earth is called the

The map shows long mountain ranges on the west coast of North America. What caused the formation of these mountain ranges?

Which diagram best represents the tilt of Earth’s axis in June?

When you look up in the night sky and are able to see the moon, it is because the moon:

Which energy resource is considered non-renewable?

Which type of air mass is likely to form over the ocean near the equator?

Use the diagram of the rock cycle to answer: What most likely happens at point A in the diagrams?

What conditions will cause sedimentary rocks to form metamorphic rocks?

The diagram below shows the movement of two large blocks of rock along a crack. What is the diagram illustrating?

Rocks are classified as sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous on the basis of the:

The energy for the water cycle is provided by the

Which type of weather usually accompanies a cold front?

The diagram below shows two locations where fossils of a dinosaur were found. The fossils dated back to 250 million years ago. Which statement best explains why these dinosaur fossils are found today in both South America and Africa?

The thin layer of rock on top of the mantle is called the

Base your answers to question 69 on the map below which shows longitude and latitude lines. A and B represent the locations of two cities. Which statement is true?

The tilted axis of the Earth as it revolves around the sun is the reason why there are

Base your answers to question on the table below. The table shows the physical properties of four minerals. Which mineral is soft and has the same color and streak?

Which layer of the Earth contains convection currents that are responsible for the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates?

The atmosphere of the Earth is best described as

Which evidence has led scientists to conclude that the Earth is composed of different layers?

What type of rock are you most likely to find fossils?