Deck 1: Understanding Earth: a Dynamic and Evolving Planet

Question 1

Earth's composition was originally homogeneous.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The geologic time scale was first developed in the 19^th century using radiometric-dating techniques.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Earth consists of two types of crust: lithospheric and oceanic.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The principle of uniformitarianism is based on the idea that modern processes have operated throughout geologic time.

Question 5

At the moment of the Big Bang, ____.

A)all matter and energy were compressed into an infinitely small high-temperature and high-density state
B)all matter and energy were infinitely expanded to populate the exact size of the universe
C)the universe was entirely made of infinitely dense matter, because energy had not yet come into existence
D)the universe in existence up to that point collapsed and inverted to became the current universe
E)all of the chemical elements seen in the universe today were forged into existence

Question 6

Natural selection refers to the ability of organisms to choose the habitat in which they feel most comfortable.

Question 7

The central thesis of the theory of organic evolution is that the diversity of species on Earth in the past is the same as that of today.

Question 8

Earth's core is likely to be ____.

A)composed of rock with high silica content
B)hollow
C)molten throughout
D)composed of potassium and aluminum rich silicates
E)composed primarily of iron

Question 9

What comprises the ocean crust?

A)sedimentary rocks
B)peridotite
C)igneous rocks
D)metamorphic rocks
E)granite

Question 10

What type of rocks form at or near Earth's surface?

A)foliated rocks
B)nonfoliated rocks
C)sedimentary rocks
D)igneous rocks
E)metamorphic rocks

Question 11

According to the theory of creation, all living organisms are related and they descended, with some modifications, from organisms that lived in the past.

Question 12

According to most scientists, what is the greatest environmental problem facing the world today?

A)climate change
B)the ozone hole
C)water pollution
D)overpopulation
E)waste disposal

Question 13

What are the terrestrial planets?

A)Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
B)Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
C)Earth, Mars, and Jupiter
D)Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
E)Mercury, Earth, Mars, and Pluto

Question 14

Which of the following is a characteristic of the asthenosphere?

A)It lies beneath the lithosphere.
B)It is a rigid rock layer.
C)It is broken into plates.
D)It is more dense than the core.
E)It comprises the lower mantle.

Question 15

What is the zone between Earth's core and crust?

A)innersphere
B)lithosphere
C)mantle
D)convection center
E)molten zone

Question 16

What theory explains the formation of a differentiated Earth consisting of layers?

A)Darwin's theory
B)plate tectonic theory
C)Einstein's Theory of Relativity
D)homogeneous accretion theory
E)Big Bang

Question 17

According to the principle of uniformitarianism, processes have occurred at the same rates throughout geologic time.

Question 18

The solar nebula theory of the formation of the solar system accounts for the differences in composition between the terrestrial and Jovian planets.

Question 19

Geologists use the Principle of Uniformitarianism as a basis to interpret the past and predict the future.

Question 20

Most scientists believe that the Big Bang took place approximately ____ years ago.

A)140 billion
B)40 billion
C)14 billion
D)140 million
E)40 million

Question 21

What is the study of Earth materials and the processes operating within Earth and on its surface?

A)physical geography
B)meteorology
C)geomorphology
D)historical geology
E)physical geology

Question 22

Tentative explanations that are formulated to explain observed phenomena are known as ____.

A)tautologies
B)theories
C)conjectures
D)perspectives
E)hypotheses

Question 23

What technique injects fluids under very high pressure into organic-rich shales to recover trapped natural gas?

A)mechanical fracturing
B)hydraulic fracturing
C)pressurized mining
D)stress mining
E)hydraulic drilling

Question 24

What are the subdivisions of the geologic time scale, listed in order from longest to shortest time intervals?

A)eon, era, period, and epoch
B)epoch, eon, era, and period
C)eon, epoch, period, and era
D)era, eon, period, and epoch
E)eon, era, epoch, and period

Question 25

What are the two types of crust?

A)oceanic and continental
B)inner crust and outer crust
C)lower crust and upper crust
D)terrestrial and aquatic
E)metamorphic and sedimentary

Question 26

Which basic force is responsible for the breakdown of an atom's nucleus, thereby producing radioactive decay?

A)electromagnetic
B)weak nuclear
C)strong nuclear
D)molecular affinity
E)interstitial

Question 27

What are the three types of plate boundaries?

A)mid-ocean ridge, trench, and divergent
B)mid-ocean ridge, divergent, and convergent
C)divergent, convergent, and transform
D)convergent, transform, and trench
E)mid-ocean ridge, convergent, and trench

Question 28

What unifying theory of geology holds that large segments of Earth's outer part move relative to one another?

A)lithospheric zone theory
B)convection cell theory
C)subduction zone theory
D)plate cycle theory
E)plate tectonic theory

Question 29

Sudden or catastrophic events, such as volcanic eruptions and tsunami, can be explained by ____.

A)big bang theory
B)theory of natural selection
C)third law of thermodynamics
D)principle of uniformitarianism
E)scientific method

Question 30

What theory proposes that all living organisms are descendants of different life forms that existed in the past?

A)organic evolution
B)astrology
C)paleontology
D)plate tectonics
E)natural selection

Question 31

In the 1800s, what provided a means for dating rocks and allowed for a relative geologic time scale to be constructed?

A)seismic measurements
B)carbon dating
C)climate change studies
D)magma studies
E)succession of fossils in the rock record

Question 32

Which subsystem of Earth supplies heat for convection in the mantle?

A)atmosphere
B)hydrosphere
C)biosphere
D)core
E)lithosphere

Question 33

What are naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline solids that have definite physical and chemical properties?

A)rocks
B)minerals
C)stalactites
D)stalagmites
E)lithified deposits

Question 34

Compared with their overall size, the ____ planets have small rocky cores.

A)Descartes
B)terrestrial
C)Jovian
D)nebular
E)dwarf

Question 35

____ is known to be a dwarf planet.

A)Neptune
B)Pluto
C)Uranus
D)Mars
E)Titan

Question 36

What theory has the central thesis that all present-day organisms are related and that they have descended with modifications from organisms that lived in the past?

A)theory of relativism
B)best-fit theory
C)theory of organic evolution
D)unifying theory
E)theory of uniformitarianism

Question 37

Which basic force binds atoms into molecules?

A)gravity
B)molecular affinity
C)strong nuclear
D)electromagnetic
E)weak nuclear

Question 38

What parallel alignment of minerals is caused by the application of pressure, and gives a rock a layered or banded appearance?

A)striation
B)foliation
C)marbling
D)metamorphism
E)crystallization

Question 39

Which process results in the formation of sedimentary rocks?

A)precipitation of mineral matter from solution
B)chemical activity of fluids
C)crystallization of lava flow
D)accumulation of magma
E)heat compression of other rocks

Question 40

What is a characteristic of the greenhouse effect?

A)Short wavelength radiation from the sun is reflected back into space.
B)Most of Earth's radiant energy escapes into space.
C)Industrialization plays an exclusive role in the process.
D)Gases trap heat reflected back from Earth's surface.
E)Transpiration significantly increases levels of greenhouse gases.

Question 41

What three general characteristics account for the density differences among the concentric layers of Earth?

Question 42

The basic force that is the attraction of one body toward another is ____________________.

Question 43

Explain the connection between the rock cycle and plate tectonics.

Question 44

Provide a brief overview of the solar nebula theory.

Question 45

The increasing percentage of heavier elements in the universe results from nuclear fusion during the evolution of ____________________.

Question 46

Describe the steps involved in the scientific method.

Question 47

What is the basic premise of the principle of uniformitarianism?

Question 48

Rocks that form from the crystallization of lava or magma are ____________________ rocks.

Question 49

What are Earth's six principal subsystems?

Question 50

The state of matter of the material in Earth's inner core is ____________________.

Question 51

What are the primary characteristics of the terrestrial planets in our solar system?

Question 52

Earth's concentric layer that has the largest volume is the ____________________.

Question 53

Earth formed ____________________ billion years ago.

Question 54

A change in the frequency of a sound, light, or other wave caused by movement of the wave's source relative to the observer is known as the _______________.

Question 55

A combination of related parts that interact in an organized fashion is a(n)____________________.

Question 56

The crust and the underlying uppermost mantle make up the ____________________.

Question 57

List two fundamental phenomena that indicate that the Big Bang occurred.

Question 58

The study of the origin, evolution, and nature of the universe is _______________.