EARTH SCIENCE MID-TERM STUDY GUIDE ’11-‘12
Name:
Date:
 This midterm covers the following topics & chapters in your textbook:
1. Scientific Investigations (Ch. 1 & 2)
2. Mapping (Ch. 3)
3. Earth’s formation/composition (Ch. 4)
4. Plate Tectonics & Mountain Building (Ch.’s 8, 10, & 11)
1. Define or describe the following words: (They may not all be in the glossary!!!)
a. model
b. closed system
c. open system
d. atmosphere
e. biosphere
f. geosphere/lithosphere
g. hydrosphere
h. cycle
i. process
j. albedo
k. geothermal energy
l. tidal energy
m. solar energy
n. carbon cycle
o. water cycle
p. hypothesis
q. evidence
r. scientific method
s. law
t. theory
u. technology
v. map projection
 Mercator projection
 Polyconic projection
 Gnomonic projection
w. equator
x. prime meridian
y. tropic of cancer
z. tropic of Capricorn
aa. plane-table surveying
bb. map scale
 graphical/bar scale
 verbal scale
 fractional/ratio
cc. Global Positioning System (GPS)
dd. contour line
ee. contour interval
ff. latitude
gg. longitude
Block:
hh. condensation
ii. evaporation
jj. precipitation
kk. plate boundaries
 convergent boundary
 divergent boundary
 transform boundary
ll. hot spot
mm.
earthquake
nn. travel-time graph
oo. epicenter
pp. focus
qq. seismic wave
 p-wave
 s-wave
 l-wave
rr. seismograph
ss. seismogram
tt. fault
 normal fault
 reverse fault
 thrust fault
 strike-slip/transform fault
uu. Richter Scale
vv. magnitude
ww.
sonar
xx. map profile
yy. conduction
zz. convection
aaa.
radiation
bbb.
continental margin
 active
 passive
ccc.
density
ddd.
mass
eee.
volume
fff. convection cell/current
ggg.
layers of the earth
hhh.
Theory of Continental Drift
iii. Theory of Plate Tectonics
jjj. stress
 shear
 tension
 compression
2. What are the units of latitude and longitude and how are coordinates written to describe a
location on the surface of the Earth?
-degress, minutes, seconds
3. What is the difference between open and closed systems?
NRG can exchange in an open system but not in a closed system
4. Name the four spheres of the earth system and list examples for each sphere.
geosphere-rocks
atmosphere- layer of gases
hydrosphere – all H 0
biosphere – all life
5. Where is most of earth’s fresh water located?
glaciers
6. Where is most of the earth’s water located?
oceans
7. The Carbon Cycle is a biogeochemical cycle. Describe how carbon is passed from one sphere to
the next.
Photosynthesis, volcanoes, burning fossil fuels
8. Where does the majority of Earth’s energy come from?
solar
9. What would happen if the Earth took in more energy than it released?
Get warmer
10. List surfaces on the earth that would have a HIGH albedo.
Oceans, lakes, snow fields
11. Where does the earth’s tidal energy come from?
Moon’s gravity
12. What is the goal of science?
To understand the natural world
13. How do scientists test their ideas?
experiments
14. What do depression contours show (i.e. what is a depression)?
Holes, craters, etc.
15. Draw a depression contour.
16. What does it mean when many contour lines are close together?
Steep slope / cliff
17. Describe the “Rule of V’s” as it relates to rivers on topographic maps.
V’s point upstream / source
18. Look at the topographic map to the right.
a. In which direction are the v’s pointing? E
b. Which direction is the river flowing? W
19. What tools are needed to make a topographic
map profile?
Paper and pencil
20. How many time zones are there in the world?
24
21. How do travelers going west across the International
Date Line change their calendars?
Gain 1 day
22. Where are you if your longitude is 0°?
Prime Meridian
23. What types of technology do scientists use to create
maps today?
Satellites, airplanes, computers, photos
24. What is Earth’s original surface thought to have been
made of?
Craters like the moon
25. Earth’s imperfect shape is the result of what?
rotation
26. Why does an object weigh less at the Equator than at the poles?
Because the Earth is not a perfect sphere
27. List the initial sources of Earth’s heat when it was first formed.
Radioactive, collision with other materials
28. What is the composition of Earth’s inner core?
Solid Fe & Ni
29. What type of plate boundary does new ocean and volcanoes occur at?
Diversing / spreading
30. What will ultimately happen to all of our glaciers if humans keep burning fossil fuels for energy?
melt
31. How many seismograph stations are needed to locate the epicenter of an earthquake?
3
32. Look at the travel-time graph to the right.
a. What is the arrival time of the first p-wave if the
distance from the epicenter is 1000 miles?
3.2 secs (3)
b. What is the arrival time of the first s-wave if the
distance from the epicenter is 1000 miles?
7.2 secs (7)
c. What is the difference in arrival times of p and s waves
if the distance from the epicenter is 1000 miles?
4 secs
33. What two gases make up 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere?
0 N
34. What type of mountains form at subduction zones?
volcanic
35. What type of continental margin do mountains occur along?
collision
36. Describe and draw a convection cell.
37. Who was the scientist to come up with the theory of
continental drift?
Alfred Wegner
38. Where do the majority of earthquakes and volcanoes occur?
Plate boundaries
39. Describe the “Ring of Fire”.
Pacific Ocean basin subduction zones
40. What is the formula for density?
d=m/v
41. What are the units for density?
Grams / cm
42. How do you measure the density of an irregular object? Describe this method.
Water displacement
43. What is the volume of this cube?
8cm
44. If the mass of this cube is 36g, what is its density?
2cm
4.5 grams / cm
45. Base your answers to the following questions on the diagrams below. Objects A and B are made
of the same uniform material.
a. If Object B has a mass of 173g, what is its density?
b. What is the density of Object A?
4 cm
Object A
Object
B
4 cm
4 cm
46. What is the time difference between point A and point B?
5 hours behind
47. Which point is ahead of the other point?
A
48. If it is 12 noon at point B, then what time is it at point A?
5pm
B
A
49. What is the location of Shanghai, China?
31 5`N, 122 0`E
50. What is the location of Tokyo, Japan?
35 2`0” N, 139 0`0” E
51. What type of plate boundary does each of the following letters represent? (Be specific!)
a. Hawaii – hot spots
b. Los Angeles, CA - transform
c. West coast of South America- subduction
d. Iceland – on a spreading / diverging boundry
e. East Africa – rift valley / diverging
f. Northern India – colliding / converging
52. Trace the border of the “Ring of Fire”.
53. How many centimeters are in a meter?
100cm
54. How many millimeters are in a centimeter?
10mm=1cm
55. What are the units for mass and volume?
Liter, milliliter, gram, kilogram