Honors Earth and Space Science
2013 Midterm Exam Review
Test Dates: 10/18
Time Limit: 70 minutes
Exam Format: 100 questions, all multiple choice
Percentage Impact: Worth 25%-30% of your semester grade
The provided review sheet highlights many of the central concepts
that we’ve covered this year. Knowing this sheet will improve
your midterm exam score. However, you should ALSO know all
vocabulary words from chapters 1-5, and familiarize yourself with
all diagrams, tables, and charts provided in your textbook. In
addition, I recommend studying previous homework assignments,
quizzes, PowerPoint notes, and review your “Chapter Q&A”
PowerPoint questions. I wish you the best of luck, and study
hard!!
The exam questions are all based on
a) The chapter readings, and/or
b) Class powerpoints/handouts/lectures/activities/discussions
Chapter 1













What are the major branches of Earth Science?
What is the scientific method? What are the components
that lead to the establishment of theories?
What is the accepted theory regarding the formation of our
solar system? How did it happen?
What are the major “spheres” for Earth? How are they
defined?
What is the composition of Earth’s core? (know both inner
and outer)
The asthenosphere is defined as which part of inner earth?
What layer of inner Earth is the thinnest?
What energy source drives at lateral motion of Earth’s
lithospheric plates?
Where are active mountain belts most likely to be found on
a given continent?
Where is the continental shelf located in relation to the
continental slope, continental rise, and abyssal plains?
What is the difference between an open and closed system.
Be able to recognize examples of each.
What is the difference between positive and negative
feedback mechanisms? Be able to recognize examples of each.
What are the major energy sources that power the Earth
system?
Chapter 2


What is the definition of a rock? A mineral?
What are the fundamental particles that compose atoms?
Where are they located in relation to one another?















Atoms of the same element (e.g. Aluminum) have the same
number of _________
What is an isotope? What are some examples of isotopes?
What is the hardest substance in nature?
Be able to recognize a silicate mineral from a list of
four. There will be one silicate, and three non-silicates.
Define specific gravity, and be able to apply its
definition to a simple mathematical comparison of three
different substances.
Define streak, luster, hardness, and cleavage. You should
know ALL of the major mineral characteristics, and how they
are used by geologists to classify and identify minerals.
Silicate minerals are composed of which two elements?
Halite is commonly referred to as what food additive?
What is the most abundant element in Earth’s crust by
weight?
What is the relationship between mass number and atomic
number? Compare and contrast the two.
What are ALL of the defining characteristics of a mineral
What are the electrically charged components of an atom?
Which charge (positive or negative) is associated with each
particle?
What is the most unreliable diagnostic property for
identifying minerals?
What are the EIGHT most common elements in Earth’s crust?
Be sure to review all vocab words, and familiarize yourself
with the charts and diagrams throughout the chapter.
Chapter 3














What is the relationship between the cooling rate for a
crystal and the size of the crystal?
What are the major rock textures, and how are they defined?
What rock gets its name from a mountain range in South
America?
What determines the texture of igneous rock, and what do
the characteristics of igneous rock tell us about the rock?
How does igneous rock form?
What are the three minerals that make up granite?
What is the most important mechanical weathering process,
and how does the mechanism work?
It what climates is chemical weathering most effective?
In what climates is frost wedging most effective?
Does mechanical weathering change the mineral composition
of a rock? Does chemical weathering?
What are some of the factors that influence the type and
rate of weathering?
What is sedimentary rock? How does it form? What is the
importance of sedimentary rock?
What environments (e.g. swamps, deserts) would contain
detrital sediments?
Where is coal formed? How does the process work?



What rock is produced by the metamorphism of limestone?
What causes metamorphism?
Be sure to review all vocab words, and familiarize yourself
with the charts and diagrams throughout the chapter.
Chapter 4

















What are some of the factors that affect weathering?
How does temperature and humidity affect weathering rates?
In terrains with steep slopes, what crops and cultivation
techniques could maximize soil erosion? Minimize soil
erosion?
In mountainous areas, why do north-facing slopes typically
get more moisture and have denser forests than south-facing
slopes?
How does mechanical weathering contribute to the erosion of
rock?
What is soil erosion? Mass wasting? Weathering?
From a volume perspective, how does water behave as it
freezes? As it melts?
What are the five major soil horizons? Which is the top
horizon, and what material does it contain?
How does the inclination angle of a slope affect erosion
rates?
Which mass wasting event is most likely to be triggered by
an earthquake?
What is solifluction, where does it usually occur, and how
does it occur?
What is creep? Slump?
What mass wasting event has the slowest movement rate?
What are the major factors that affect mass wasting?
How does freezing, thawing, wetting, and drying contribute
to soil creep?
What observations can be considered evidence for soil
creep?
Be sure to review all vocab words, and familiarize yourself
with the charts and diagrams throughout the chapter.
Chapter 5






What are the major events in the hydrologic cycle (e.g.
precipitation, evaporation, transpiration) and how are they
defined?
What is stream gradient? How does it affect the movement of
water in a stream?
What are the factors that influence stream velocity?
What is the world’s largest river in terms of discharge? In
terms of drainage basin area?
How does gradient for a river change as the river
approaches base level?
At bends for a meandering river, erosion tends to happen
most where?















What is the definition of capacity? Competence? Discharge?
What is the difference between suspended load, dissolved
load, and bed load?
What type of stream patterns form in mountainous areas or
domed regions?
What is the most common drainage pattern?
What is an oxbow lake, and how is it formed?
If a stream starts 800 m above sea level and flows a
horizontal distance of 400 km to the ocean, what was the
average gradient for the stream? (Think slope from basic
algebra)
What are some of the characteristics of downcutting streams
in v-shaped valleys?
What features usually characterize wide streams and
valleys?
What is the most important erosional agent?
What is an aquifer? An aquitard?
A depression in a water table that looks almost parabolic
is usually called a _______________________
What is the difference between stalactite and stalagmite in
terms of formation and location?
What is defined as the volume of open space in a rock or an
unconsolidated material?
Where are hot springs typically located in the United
States?
Be sure to review all vocab words, and familiarize yourself
with the charts and diagrams throughout the chapter.