PSC 121
GAGE
SPRING 2004
NAME _______KEY_____________
DATE_______________
REVIEW QUESTIONS
____ 1.
Igneous rock is formed:
a.
by weathering of pre-existing rock
b.
by changes in mineral composition
c.
at great depth within the earth
d.
by crystallization of molten rock
____ 2.
Which of the following is not a factor in chemical weathering
a.
decomposition
b.
frost wedging
c.
hydrolysis
d.
oxidation
e.
solution
____ 3.
Which is the most abundant gas in Earth’s atmosphere:
a.
oxygen
b.
argon
c.
nitrogen
d.
carbon dioxide
e.
water
____ 4.
Your position on a spherical body north of its equator is called:
a.
meridian
b.
longitude
c.
parallel
d.
latitude
e.
altitude
____ 5.
When using a psychrometer, if the two temperature readings are identical you can
conclude that:
a.
your instrument is inaccurate
b.
a change in temperature is likely
c.
the humidity is very low
d.
the humidity is very high
e.
none of the above
___
6.
Pangea is:
a.
the Alaskan earthquake of 1964
b.
a portion of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
c.
the name of a fossil
d.
the German word for plate tectonics
e.
a supercontinent
1
_____ 7.
Subduction zones are associated with:
a.
transform fault boundaries
b.
divergent plate boundaries
c.
convergent plate boundaries
d.
all of the above
e.
none of the above
_____ 8.
A worm has a poor chance of being fossilized because:
a.
there are relatively few worms in the animal kingdom
b.
worms have no hard parts
c.
worms are not marine creatures
d.
worms do not contain materials that are radioactive
e.
none of the above
_____ 9.
The gently sloping submerged surface extending from a shoreline to the deeper
ocean is called the:
a.
continental rise
b.
continental shelf
c.
continental slope
d.
wave boundary
e.
ocean basin
_____ 10.
In Washington, D.C., the Sun’s rays are directly overhead:
a.
at noon each day
b.
at noon on the first day of summer
c.
at noon in the middle of the summer
d.
never
_____ 11.
Which of the following is a science process skill:
a.
theory
b.
experimenting
c.
using a spectroscope
d.
drawing a graph
e.
none of the above
_____ 12.
The release of water vapor to the air by plants is called:
a.
evaporation
b.
degassing
c.
infiltration
d.
transpiration
e.
photosynthesis
2
_____ 13
The lowermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere is called the:
a.
ionosphere
b.
troposphere
c.
mesosphere
d.
thermosphere
e.
stratosphere
_____14.
When there is a waxing first quarter Moon in the Maryland, people in Russia will
see this moon within the same time period:
a.
b.
c.
d.
waxing first quarter
waxing third quarter
waning first quarter
waning third quarter
_____ 15.
The presence of ice has been confirmed on:
a.
all planets
b.
all terrestrial planets
c.
some moons of Jupiter
d.
Earth only
_____ 16.
The region that separates one watershed region from another is a:
a.
stream
b.
drainage basin
c.
drainage divide
d.
floodplain
e.
river
_____ 17.
When rock in a hanging wall moves down relative to the other rock segment,
which type of fault has occurred:
a.
slip-strike
b.
reverse
c.
normal
d.
transform
a.
thrust
_____ 18.
Seismic activity describes:
a.
earthquake activity
b.
volcanic activity
c.
tsunamis
d.
a and b
e.
a, b, and c
3
_____ 19.
The asthenosphere is:
a.
a rigid zone above the lithosphere
b.
a part of the crust
c.
another term for the liquid outer core
d.
a source of magma at divergent boundaries
e.
none of the above
_____ 20.
Which of the following provides evidence of plate tectonics:
a.
patterns of earthquakes and volcanic activity
b.
sea-floor spreading
c.
patterns in oceanic magnetic reversals
d.
none of the above
e.
all of the above
_____ 21.
is called:
The continuous movement of water from oceans to atmosphere to land to oceans
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
evapotranspiration
Kreb cycle
water cycle
atmospheric cycle
evaporation cycle
_____ 22.
The resistance of a mineral to abrasion is called:
a.
hardness
b.
cleavage
c.
fracture
d.
streak
e.
resistance
_____ 23.
Many metamorphic rocks:
a.
contain fossils
b.
have a linear orientation of minerals
c.
are unaltered sedimentary rocks
d.
form from molten rock material
e.
none of the above
_____ 24.
The volume in a rock soil sample occupied by air or water is called:
a.
permeability
b.
density
c.
flow rate
d.
pore space
e.
water retention
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_____ 25.
Which sediment would be transported farthest in a stream:
a.
boulder
b.
silt
c.
sand
d.
pebble
e.
cobble
_____ 26.
stream’s:
The vertical drop of a stream channel over a certain distance is called the
a.
b.
c.
d.
b.
discharge
gradient
laminar flow
alluvium
elevation
_____ 27.
To pinpoint your east-west position on the Earth you would state your:
a.
latitude
b.
longitude
c.
longitude and latitude
d.
parallel
e.
none of the above
_____ 28.
The elevation of a point on a topographic map is found using the:
a.
symbols
b.
contour intervals
c.
contour lines
d.
contour gradients
e.
none of the above
_____ 29.
Plates move apart leaving a gap at:
a.
divergent plate boundaries
b.
convergent plate boundaries
c.
transform fault boundaries
d.
synclines
e.
anticlines
_____ 30.
The Coriolis Effect:
a.
applies only to tides
b.
is caused by Earth’s rotation
c.
exists only in the Northern Hemisphere
d.
is greatest near the equator
e.
is caused by deep sea currents
5
_____ 31.
Practically all clouds and storms occur in this layer of the atmosphere:
a.
ionosphere
b.
stratosphere
c.
thermosphere
d.
dynamosphere
e.
troposphere
_____ 32.
The African rift valleys are associated with:
a.
divergent boundary
b.
oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary
c.
oceanic-continental convergent boundary
d.
continental-continental convergent boundary
e.
transform fault boundary
_____ 33.
The densest layer of the Earth is the:
a.
oceanic crust
b.
continental crust
c.
mantle
d.
outer core
e.
inner core
_____ 34.
If the half-life of material “X” is 1000 years and you find a specimen with 1/8 the
amount of X expected (plus the materials “X” changes to), the age of the rock specimen is about
how many years old?:
a.
125
b.
500
c.
1000
d.
3000
e.
8000
_____ 35.
Which of the following can be used to measure elevation of landforms:
a.
radio waves
b.
topographic maps
c.
tape measures
d.
geologic maps
e.
none of the above
_____ 36.
Impact features are sharper on the Moon than on the Earth or Mars because:
a.
the Moon has a more brittle surface
b.
Earth and Mars have an atmosphere
c.
the Moon is tectonically active
d.
the Moon used to have volcanic activity
e.
all of the above
6
_____ 37.
Summer occurs in the Northern Hemisphere when the:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
North Pole is tilted toward the Sun and Earth is closest to the Sun
North Pole is tilted toward the Sun and Earth is farthest from the Sun
North Pole is not tilted and the Earth is closet to the Sun
South Pole is tilted toward the Sun and Earth is closest to the Sun
South Pole is tilted toward the Sun and Earth is farthest from the Sun
_____ 38.
A lunar eclipse may occur during:
a.
full Moon
b.
new Moon
c.
gibbous Moon
d.
crescent Moon
_____ 39.
Which of the following processes releases heat:
a.
evaporation
b.
boiling
c.
sublimation
d.
condensation
e.
rotating
_____ 40.
Lines on a weather map connecting points of equal pressure are called:
a.
isovectors
b.
isotherms
c.
isogrids
d.
isobars
e.
isopressures
_____ 41.
Craters on planets are formed through:
a.
volcanic activity
b.
impacts
c.
ground subsidence
d.
impacts and volcanic activity
e.
all of the above
_____ 42.
Groups of fossil plants and animals succeed each other in definite and
determinable order and any period can be recognized by its fossils. This is a statement of the
principle of:
a.
superposition
b.
original horizontality
c.
faunal succession
d.
absolute dating
e.
fossil dating
7
_____ 43.
Convergent boundaries are zones where plates:
a.
slide past each other
b.
move together, causing one to slide beneath the other
c.
move apart, leaving a gap
d.
cause sea-floor spreading
e.
none of these
_____ 44.
Intrusions will be made of:
a.
igneous rock
b.
metamorphic rock
c.
sedimentary rock
d.
fossiliferous rock
e.
stratified rock
_____ 45.
Rock strata can be most accurately dated based on:
a.
cross-cutting relationships
b.
paleomagnetism
c.
radioactive emissions
d.
composition
e.
superposition
_____ 46.
In the Northern Hemisphere, winds associated with a high pressure system blow:
a.
clockwise and toward the center
b.
counterclockwise and toward the center
c.
clockwise and outward from the center
d.
counterclockwise and outward from the center
_____ 47.
on one side?
On a weather map, which type of front is shown by a line with triangular points
a.
b.
c.
d.
_____ 48.
stationary
cold
warm
occluded
Change of state from a gas to a liquid is called:
a.
evaporation
b.
transpiration
c.
condensation
d.
melting
e.
sublimation
8
_____ 49.
Which of the following is typical for sedimentary rocks:
a.
foliation
b.
stratification
c.
interlocking, angular crystals
d.
mineral obliteration
_____ 50.
were:
The early Earth was extremely dynamic. The first rocks on the Earth’s surface
b.
c.
d.
e.
sedimentary
igneous
metamorphic
clastic
_____ 51.
Which of the following is an erosion factor:
a.
wind
c.
gravity
d.
stream
e.
all of the above
_____ 52.
High permeability is associated with:
a.
low pore space
b.
low flow rate
c.
high water retention
d.
high pore space
e.
none of the above
_____ 53.
The dew point is the temperature at which:
a.
water in the liquid state changes to vapor
c.
sleet is formed
d.
water vapor condenses to liquid
e.
rain occurs
f.
none of the above
_____ 54.
New ocean crust forms at:
a.
transform fault boundaries
b.
subduction zones
c.
convergent plate boundaries
d.
trenches
e.
divergent plate boundaries
_____ 55.
The dark areas on the Moon are called:
a.
highlands
b.
rays
c.
craters
d.
maria
e.
rilles
9
_____ 56.
Low pressure systems cause:
a.
rain
b.
wind
c.
low barometer readings
d.
fair weather
e.
none of the above
_____ 57.
Constellations generally:
a.
rise in the east and set in the west
b.
rise in the west and set in the east
c.
rise at all different points along the horizon
d.
do not rise or set because they are always up
_____ 58.
because:
The elements in a star or distant planet’s atmosphere have been identified
a.
b.
c.
d.
they have be sampled and analyzed in the laboratory on Earth
have been collected and analyzed by spacecraft
are the same as what is on Earth
emit a unique pattern of visible light
TRUE-FALSE:
Decide if each of the following statements is true or false. If it is false, explain why.
_____ 1.
Misconceptions are generally easily overcome.
False, they are hard to overcome because they make sense to the possessor
_____ 2.
The following statement is a fact: “The Sun will continue as a yellow star for
another 10 billion years.”
False, this is a projection based on what we have observed/theorized, not a provable statement
_____ 3.
The tilt of Earth’s axis is responsible for its seasons.
_____ 4.
An eclipse of the Moon occurs approximately every 28 days.
False, because of the tilt of the Moon’s orbit it will not always fall in the Earth’s shadow
_____ 5.
The amount of the lunar surface that is illuminated by the Sun changes over a
period of about 28 days. False, approximately 50% of the Moon’s surface is always illuminated
but because of Earth’s position, we may only see part of that illuminated surface.
_____ 6.
The objects at your zenith change during the course of the evening.
_____ 7.
The spectrum of hydrogen looks different when hydrogen is in the Sun compared
to when it is analyzed on Earth.
False, spectrum is characteristic of an element not its location
_____ 8.
A mineral many contain more than one type of rock.
False, a rock may contain more than one mineral
_____ 9.
The best way to identify a mineral is by its streak. False, no one property is best
10
_____ 10.
A sedimentary rock can be foliated.
False, foliation occurs through pressure and heating in metamorphic processes
_____ 11.
Erosion is the same as weathering.
False, erosion requires transport from site of degradation
_____ 12.
All regolith started out as igneous rock.
_____ 13.
The greater the grain size of an Earth material sample, the greater the water
retention.
False, smaller particles have larger surface area therefore more sites for water retention
_____ 14.
The ocean floor can be mapped with radar.
_____ 15.
There is no weathering on planets without atmospheres.
False, there can be micrometeorite bonbardment that affects surfaces
_____ 16.
A meridian marks a series of points at a given longitude.
_____ 17.
Contour lines cross each other at extremely low elevations.
False, contour lines never cross since they denote specific elevations.
_____ 18.
Headwaters originate at the highest point in a stream’s elevation.
_____ 19.
In an anticline, rock strata reverse their positions.
False, the strata are folded or bent but the order does not change
_____ 20.
Volcanoes are dry landforms.
False, they can exist underwater in island arcs or at mid-ocean ridge
_____ 21.
Oceanic crust is older than continental crust.
False, newer because it is forming from mid-ocean ridge
_____ 22.
Most fossils represent marine animals.
_____ 23.
Footprints preserved in mud over millions of years are not true fossils.
False, any documentation of life processes can be classified as a fossil
_____ 24.
Maryland has a state fossil.
_____ 25.
A watershed is also called a drainage divide.
False, watershed is a drainage basin
_____ 26.
Most of the western segment of Maryland is in the watershed of the Susquehanna
River.
_____ 27.
As snow forms, the surrounding air heats up.
_____ 28.
Air pressure is caused by changes in altitude.
False, pressure is generated by number and motion of air particles
_____ 29.
Relative humidity compares the mass of water in the air to the mass of air it is in.
False, mass of water in air is compared to maximum amount that can be in air
_____ 30.
Rain occurs most often at the meeting of two air masses.
False, only if the masses have different pressures or temperatures
_____ 31.
The temperature drops when a low pressure system moves into an area.
False, low temperature is not the same as low pressure.
11
_____ 32.
All ocean gyres circulate counterclockwise.
False, the direction depends on the hemisphere (cc in south)
_____ 33.
Density differences in ocean waters can cause ocean currents.
_____ 34.
High tides occur when the Moon is at right angles to the region experiencing the
high tide.
False, occur when the Moon is directly above or 180 degrees away
_____ 35.
When studying the timing of the tides, the amount of sunlight is a variable.
False, the position of the Sun, not the amount of sunlight is a variable
12
This is a diagram (not to scale)
of the orbit of the Earth around
the Sun. Use it to answer the
questions below.
1.
Which position represents summer in the Southern Hemisphere?
_____4_____
2.
Which position represents spring in the Northern Hemisphere?
_____1_____
Write or draw the answers for #3 and 4 on the diagram below.
3.
For Earth position 3, draw the position of the Moon that will result in a New Moon phase.
4.
For Earth position 4, draw in the position of the Moon for a lunar eclipse.
M
5.
M
Identify the type of geologic formation in the photos below.
_syncline____
_______anticline_____
___reverse fault__
13