Final Exam Study Guide
1. The ozone layer in the atmosphere shields the earth from
UV Radiation
2.The largest ecosystem is called the
Biosphere
3.The red shift observed in a distant galaxy’s spectra is
evidence for the
Big Bang Theory (expansion of the universe)
4.The part of the earth that is solid but has the ability to
flow is the
asthenosphere
5.The earth’s atmosphere is made up of mostly oxygen and
nitrogen
6.Seismic waves increase in speed when they enter
solid substances
7.One characteristic of S waves is that they travel
only through solids
8.Geologists believe the source of the earth’s magnetic
field may be in the
core
9.The mass of an object is defined by
the amount of matter in the object
10.When the earth is at the farthest point in its orbit from
the sun, it is said to be at
aphelion
11.How many standard time zones are there around the
earth?
24
12.Circular lines that run perpendicular to the equator are
called
meridians
13.The shortest distance between any two points on the
globe can be found by drawing a
great circle
14.A contour line that is bold and labeled is called
contour interval
15.On topographic maps, closely spaced contour lines
indicate
steep terrain
16.On topographic maps, contour lines that form closed
loops indicate
hilltops
17.Which scientist first proposed that the continents were
once joined in a single landmass called Pangaea?
Wegener
18.Which of the following was used as evidence for the
theory of continental drift?
similarity in continental margins (edges)
19.What discovery did scientists make in the 1940’s when
they compared continental rocks to rocks near centers of
seafloor spreading
rocks at spreading centers were younger
20.Seafloor spreading occurs at
divergent boundaries
21. The theory of plate tectonics is most directly based on
which of the following interactions?
lithospheric plates riding on the asthenosphere
22.Where in the earth do convection currents occur?
asthenosphere
23.Pieces of land bounded by faults that have different
geologic features from those of neighboring land are
most likely to be
microplate terrains
24.Up-and-down motions of the crust are called
isostatic adjustments
25.Which of the following is the major cause of
deformation of the earth’s crust?
plate tectonics
26.What type of force has acted on the rocks in this diagram?
tension
27.Folding of rocks is most likely to happen when rocks undergo
compression
28.In the diagram above, the rocks in Block 1 form
a hanging wall
29.Which of the following usually form along convergent plate
boundaries?
mountains
30.Which type of seismic wave travels the fastest?
P waves
31.Which of the following generally causes the most damage during an
earthquake?
surface waves
32.To determine how far away from a seismograph station an
earthquake occurred, scientists plot the difference in arrival times
between
P and S wave
33.The magnitude of an earthquake is a direct measure of
how much energy it releases
34.Which point in this diagram indicates a likely source of a tsunami?
point A
35.Most magma forms in
the asthenosphere
36.Estimates of the earth’s inner temperatures and pressures are primarily
based on heat flow measurements and the
37.Which of the following is an example of a mineral?
a. quartz
38.The two most abundant elements in common minerals are
silicon and oxygen
39.According to the table above, which of the following minerals is white in
powdered form?
garnet
40.According to the table, what is the approximate hardness of a mineral that
scratches quartz and can be scratched by topaz?
7.5
41.The most common magnetic mineral is
magnetite
42.Minerals that continue to glow after exposure to ultraviolet light
are called
phosphorescent
43.The parent material for all rocks is
magma
44.Two processes responsible for changing sediments into
sedimentary rock are compaction and
cementation
45.Which of the following types of rock is produced by magma that
cools deep below the earth’s crust?
intrusive igneous
46.Which of the following describes the process by which sedimentary rock
becomes metamorphic rock?
intense heat and pressure
47.Which of the following is a source of glass?
quartz
48.Hematite is a source of
iron
49.The process of coal formation began in ancient
swamps
50.A serious environmental problem results from burning coal that contains a
large amount of
sulfur (acid precipitation)
51.Which of the following reactions is represented by this
diagram?
fusion
52.Which of the following is a type of mechanical weathering?
ice wedging
53.Lichens and mosses erode rocks by producing
acids
54.Rusting is an example of which of the following processes?
oxidation
55.Weathering is generally slow in climates with extended
periods of
cold
56.Humus is made up mainly of
organic material
57.Which of the following is usually the slowest type of mass
movement?
creep
58.In the diagram above, the arrow labeled X represents
evaporation
59.The path that a river follows is called its
channel
60.One difference between an alluvial fan and a delta is that an
alluvial fan is
deposited on dry ground
61.The principle of uniformitarianism states that
geologic processes that occurred in the past are still at work today
62.Elements that emit atomic particles and energy are called
radioactive
63.Which of the following would most likely be dated using C-14?
an ancient skeleton
64.Which process forms fossils by drying the organic matter in an organism’s
body
mummification
65.Which of the following rock layers in the diagram have the same relative
age?
2 and 9
66.When a sediment is well sorted, its particles are all about the same
size
67.A sloping layer of permeable rock sandwiched between two layers
of impermeable rock and exposed at the surface is
artesian formation
68.What type of dune is pictured in this diagram?
barchan
69.Which of the following is the source of the black sand at beaches?
volcanic rock
70.What does coral extract from sea water to build its skeleton?
calcium carbonate
71.Which of the following adds oxygen to the atmosphere?
photosynthesis
72.The layer of the atmosphere in which weather change occurs is the
troposphere
73.What is the general name for a large body of air having uniform
temperature and moisture content?
air mass
74.Which letter designation is used for an air mass that forms over the
southwestern United States?
cT
75.Which type of front is shown in this diagram?
stationary
76.A barometer is used to measure
air pressure
77.What feature is shown on the weather map?
cold front
78.Who first proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system?
Copernicus
79.The presence of a magnetic field indicates that a planet may
have
an iron core
80.The terrestrial planets are composed mostly of
solid rock
81.The earth is the only planet in the solar system that has
oceans of water
82.Which planet in the diagram above is the only planet to support life (has
an atmosphere and water)?
three
83.What is the name of celestial body that is no longer considered a planet?
Pluto
84.Which part of the diagram represents the layer of the sun’s atmosphere
that can be seen only during an eclipse?
corona ( 4 )
85.The surface of the sun (the part we see from earth) is called the
photosphere
86.The sunspot cycle lasts an average of
11 years
87.Cooler regions of the photosphere near strong magnetic
fields are called
sun spots
88.A sudden outward eruption of electrically charged
atomic particles from the sun is called
solar flares
89.Which of the following is best described as a cloud of
gas and dust?
a nebula
90.Scientists proposed the meteorite-impact hypothesis to explain the
extinction of the
dinosaurs
91.The zone of the earth that consists of a solid part and a liquid part
is the
the core
92.The line of longitude that passes through Greenwich, England, is
called the
prime meridian
93.The angle between the geographic North Pole and the direction in
which a compass needle points is called magnetic
declination
94.The two types of crust that make up the surface of the earth are
oceanic and continental crust
95.The term for the type of plate boundary shown at the point labeled
X in this diagram is
divergent boundary
96.A boundary formed at the point where two plates slide past each
other is called a(n)
transform boundary
97.The term for the type of fold shown in this diagram is
anticline
98.The general name for magma that flows onto the earth’s surface is
lava
99.The major zone of active volcanoes that encircles the Pacific Ocean
is called the
Pacific Ring of Fire
100.The two main groups of minerals are silicate minerals and
non-silicate minerals
101.The bending of light rays as they pass through a mineral is referred to as
refraction
102.The mixture of gases and particles that surrounds the earth is called the
atmosphere
103.The layer of the atmosphere closest to the earth’s surface is the
troposphere
104.The deflection of wind caused by the earth’s rotation is called
coriolis effect
105.What is the name for a small storm that forms when a thunderstorm
meets high-altitude, horizontal winds?
tornado