Earth Systems and History Flashcards
The Earth’s outer layer is divided into sections called plates. These plates essentially float around on the mantle of the Earth. If two continent boundaries collide with one another, Earth’s crust is pushed together. Which of the following best describes the result of the collision?
A, Rift valleys
B. A reservoir
C. A magnetic field
D. Mountains
D. Mountains
When two plates collide, one plate typically sinks beneath the other. If most of the crust remains, a mountain range can form.
In general, fossils are:
A. minerals that have replaced deceased organisms
B. volcanic stone which surrounded the now-decayed organism
C. The soft body parts of organisms encased in stone
D. The skeletal remains of organisms
A. Minerals that have replaced deceased organisms
Most organisms decompose rapidly, but if an organism dies and is quickly buried, the hard body parts can eventually be replaced by minerals that fill in the spaces as the body parts decay.
Which of the following layers of Earth’s atmosphere contains the majority of the atmosphere’s water vapor?
A. Mesosphere
B. Ionosphere
C. Troposphere
D. Stratosphere
C. Troposphere
The troposphere is the layer closest to the Earth and contains the majority of clouds. Because of this, the atmospheric layer has the most water vapor. Between 0.3% and 4.0% of the troposphere is composed of water vapor, with the greatest concentrations in the tropics.
In which layer of the atmosphere does weather occur?
A. stratosphere
B. Thermosphere
C. Mesosphere
D. Troposphere
D. Troposphere
Which of the following geological features forms at a continent-ocean convergent plate boundary?
A. Subduction zone
B. Rift valley
C. Volcanoes
D. Trench
A, C, & D
A subduction zone forms when an oceanic plate is pushed under a continental plate at a convergent boundary.
Volcanoes are found inland from convergent boundaries because the ocean rock gets very hot and melts due to friction as it slides beneath the continental plate.
A tench is a deep place in the ocean where an oceanic plate is subducted beneath the continental plate.
What do aerosols that contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) do to the Earth’s atmosphere?
A. Help the ozone hole to shrink
B. Cause the ozone hole to grow
C. Decrease the greenhouse effect
D. Increase the greenhouse effect
B. Cause the ozone hole to grow
CFCs break ozone molecules apart, depleting atmospheric ozone and causing an increase in the size of the ozone hole.
Which of the following is not true regarding global warming and climate change?
A. Temperatures around the world are universally increasing.
B. Global warming is the same as global climate change.
C. Global warming is a result of the greenhouse effect.
D. Climate change can cause the polar ice caps to melt.
A. Temperatures around the world are universally increasing.
Temperatures may decrease in some parts of the world. For example, when the ice caps melt, they release cooler water into the ocean, which reduced the temperature in those locations.
In plate tectonics theory, the term “plastic” refers to:
A. molten rock
B. a polymer
C. a dense, viscous liquid
D. a solid material that can flow
D. a solid material that can flow.
The asthenosphere, or mantle beneath the tectonic plates, is solid, but is hot enough to slowly flow and push on the tectonic plates, The asthenosphere has a plastic quality.
Which of the following could best be used by a teacher to illustrate the difference between surface water and groundwater?
A. a bowl layered with difference kinds of dry breakfast cereal.
B. a visit to the school swimming pool or a pool at a nearby park.
C. A glass aquarium )no fish), sand, rocks, a small bowl, and water.
D. Colored water and oil mixed in a jar.
C. A glass aquarium (no fish), sand, rocks, a small bowl, and water.
A teacher could mix sand and rocks in the bottom half of an aquarium, fill it about 1/3 full of water, and place a bowl of water on top of the sand and rock mix to differentiate between groundwater and surface water.
Students in pairs place a mountainous plastic landform in a deep container. On their paper, the students draw a scale outline of the perimeter of the container. The pour water into the container until it is 1 in. deep. On the same paper, students draw outlines to show where the waterline meets the plastic landform. Students pour more water into the container to a depth of 2 in. and repeat the drawing of the water-shape intersection. Students add water and repeat the drawing 4 more times. What topic is the class most likely studying?
A. Topographic mapping
B. Glacial erosion
C. Mountain building at subduction zones.
D. Formation of rivers and lakes
A. Topographic mapping
The students are drawing topographic maps with contour lines indicating 1 in differences in height.
The ozone hole is above which part of the Earth?
A. Antarctica
B. China
C. Greenland
D. the equator
A. Antartica
The ozone later is the thinnest over Antartica. This is where the ozone hole forms.
Two points on a single contour line on a topographic map:
A. are connected by paved roads
B. have identical yearly rainfall averages
C. have the same average yearly temperatures
D. are at the same height above sea level
D. are the same height above sea level.
Contour lines on topographic maps each show a single elevation above sea level.
