WorksheetsUnit 4 Quiz
Total questions: 60
Worksheet time: 30mins
Which type of boundary is responsible for seafloor spreading?
Transform
Divergent
Convergent
Subductive
The Himalayas formed at which type of plate boundary?
Oceanic–Oceanic Convergent
Transform
Oceanic–Continental Convergent
Continental–Continental Convergent
Earthquakes are most commonly found at:
Mantle plumes
Plate boundaries
Continental interiors
Deep ocean trenches only
Subduction occurs when:
Two plates move apart
Two continental plates collide
An oceanic plate sinks beneath a continental plate
Two plates slide past each other
The San Andreas Fault is an example of which boundary?
Divergent
Transform
Convergent
Subductive
Which geologic feature forms at a divergent boundary between oceanic plates?
Mountain range
Rift valley
Mid-ocean ridge
Trench
The energy that drives plate movement comes from:
Tidal forces
Solar radiation
Convection currents in the mantle
Earth’s rotation
Which factor contributes most to the formation of fertile soil?
High temperature only
Parent material, climate, organisms, time, and topography
Earthquakes and volcanoes
Plate tectonics
The top layer of soil rich in organic matter is called the:
B horizon
A horizon
C horizon
R horizon
Which process breaks down rock into smaller pieces without changing composition?
Chemical weathering
Physical weathering
Biological decomposition
Erosion
Which human activity increases soil erosion most?
Reforestation
No-till agriculture
Overgrazing
Crop rotation
Soil erosion negatively affects water quality by:
Removing nutrients from plants
Increasing sedimentation in waterways
Decreasing runoff
Reducing turbidity
Which best describes humus?
A) A type of clay
B) Decomposed organic matter
C) Mineral layer
D) Weathered bedrock
A key way to reduce soil erosion on steep slopes is:
Overwatering
Terracing
Monocropping
Urbanization
Which soil particle type has the largest diameter?
Clay
Silt
Sand
Loam
Soils with high clay content tend to have:
High permeability
Low water retention
Poor drainage
High aeration
The texture triangle is used to determine:
Soil color
Soil nutrient levels
Soil texture
Soil pH
A loam soil is ideal for agriculture because it:
Is 100% clay
Retains water but drains well
Has no silt
Has no sand
Soil permeability is determined primarily by:
Color
Particle size
Organic content
Depth
Which soil test measures the availability of nutrients for plant growth?
Percolation test
pH test
Chemical test
Biological respiration test
Which factor most affects soil pH?
Organic matter
Precipitation and parent material
Texture
Age of soil
Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
The majority of weather occurs in the:
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Mesosphere
Exosphere
As altitude increases in the troposphere, temperature:
Increases
Decreases
Remains constant
Fluctuates randomly
The atmosphere is composed primarily of:
Oxygen and carbon dioxide
Nitrogen and oxygen
Argon and carbon dioxide
Nitrogen and hydrogen
Which layer has the highest temperatures due to solar radiation absorption?
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Troposphere
Exosphere
The Coriolis effect is caused by:
Earth's magnetic field
Earth's rotation
Solar flares
Gravitational pull of the moon
Air rises at the equator because:
It is cool and dense
It is warm and less dense
It is pushed by trade winds
It is pulled by gravity
The trade winds blow from:
East to west in the tropics
West to east in the tropics
North to south at the poles
East to west at the poles
Deserts are commonly found at 30° latitude because:
Air rises and cools
Air descends and warms
Rainfall is frequent
Oceans moderate temperature
Which cell drives circulation near the equator?
Ferrel cell
Polar cell
Hadley cell
Jet stream
The Coriolis effect causes winds in the Northern Hemisphere to curve:
Left
Right
South
East
A watershed is defined as:
The entire region drained by a river system
The lowest point of a mountain range
A groundwater aquifer
A man-made water reservoir
The boundary separating watersheds is known as a:
Divide
Confluence
Basin
Delta
Urbanization affects watersheds by:
Increasing infiltration
Increasing surface runoff
Reducing pollution
Increasing groundwater recharge
A dam can alter a watershed by:
Preventing soil erosion
Changing sediment flow
Increasing fish migration
Lowering water temperature uniformly
Which human activity most likely increases nutrient pollution in a watershed?
Logging
Urban paving
Agricultural fertilizer use
Mining
Watersheds with steep slopes tend to have:
Low runoff
High infiltration
High runoff
Stable water flow
Insolation refers to:
Heat loss from Earth
Incoming solar radiation
Ultraviolet absorption
Cloud reflection
The Earth experiences seasons because:
The distance from the Sun changes
The tilt of Earth’s axis
The Sun’s output varies
The orbit is circular
On December 21, the Northern Hemisphere experiences:
The longest day
The shortest day
The spring equinox
Equal day and night
The equator receives the most direct solar energy because:
It is closer to the Sun
It is perpendicular to the Sun’s rays year-round
It has higher albedo
It rotates faster
During the summer solstice, the Sun is directly overhead at:
The Equator
The Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Capricorn
The Arctic Circle
The tilt of Earth's axis is approximately:
15°
23.5°
30°
45°
During an equinox:
Both hemispheres receive equal sunlight
One hemisphere receives no sunlight
The poles receive direct sunlight
Earth is farthest from the Sun
Coastal areas typically have milder climates than inland areas because:
A) Water heats and cools more quickly than land
B) Water heats and cools more slowly than land
C) Water reflects all sunlight
D) Water absorbs no heat
The windward side of a mountain range usually receives:
More precipitation
Less precipitation
Hotter temperatures
Colder temperatures
The leeward side of a mountain is often dry because of:
Ocean currents
The rain shadow effect
Increased humidity
Monsoon cycles
Large bodies of water moderate climate by:
Absorbing and storing heat
Reflecting all sunlight
Increasing atmospheric CO₂
Reducing albedo
Which factor most influences a region’s average temperature?
Altitude
Longitude
Proximity to rivers
Ocean salinity
51. Snow belts near large lakes are caused by:
Warm air from deserts
Lake-effect precipitation
Oceanic upwelling
Polar wind belts
El Niño is caused by:
Strong trade winds
Weak trade winds and warm water moving east
Cooling of the Pacific Ocean
Increased upwelling
During La Niña, the eastern Pacific Ocean is:
Warmer than normal
Cooler than normal
The same temperature
Storm-free
One effect of El Niño is:
Increased upwelling
Drought in Australia
Heavy rainfall in Indonesia
Cooling of South America
Which of the following is a positive environmental effect of El Niño?
Enhanced fish populations
Temporary warming reducing frost damage
Increased hurricanes
Coral bleaching
Which phenomenon disrupts normal nutrient flow in the ocean?
La Niña
Upwelling
El Niño
Ocean acidification
The Southern Oscillation refers to:
The reversal of atmospheric pressure between the western and eastern Pacific
The tilt of Earth’s axis
The rotation of Earth’s mantle
Jet stream movement
During strong La Niña events, the U.S. often experiences:
Warmer winters in the North
Cooler, wetter winters in the Pacific Northwest
Drier summers in the Southeast
Increased Atlantic hurricanes
Upwelling zones are important because they:
Decrease nutrient content
Support high primary productivity
Are nutrient-poor
Lower biodiversity
The best description of El Niño is:
A wind pattern that strengthens normal conditions
A periodic warming of Pacific surface waters
A drought in the Pacific Islands
A hurricane cycle
