Name: 
 

2002 Earth Science



Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 

Igneous rocks are formed by —
a.
heat and pressure on existing rocks
c.
cooling and hardening of molten rock
b.
evaporation of water, leaving solids
behind
d.
layers of mud on the bottom of a lake
 

 2. 

What is the main advantage of using dams to produce electrical energy?
a.
They can be built near most cities.
c.
They are inexpensive to build.
b.
They do not produce much pollution.
d.
They do not damage wildlife homes.
 

 3. 

A student set up an experiment to test the effects of soil compaction on plant growth. The student put equal weights of moist soil into 10 containers, planted a bean seed one inch deep in each container, and then firmly compacted the soil in 5 of the containers. After the seeds sprouted, the student measured the height of each plant every day and kept a record of the results. What else must the student do over time to ensure a valid experiment?
a.
Water any container in which the soil
feels dry
c.
Water any of the plants that seem to be
growing more slowly than the others
b.
Water all of the containers the same
amount and at the same time
d.
Water the plants in compacted soil more
than those in uncompacted soil
 

 4. 

Which planet is often called “Earth’s twin” because it is similar in mass and diameter to the Earth?
a.
Mars
c.
Venus
b.
Mercury
d.
Pluto
 

 5. 


mc005-1.jpg

Even though the Earth’s inner core is hotter than the liquid outer core, it is still solid because —
a.
the heat rising from the inner core is
melting the outer core
c.
the outer core is farther from the center,
and there is less gravity holding it
together
b.
there is more water in the outer core
and it dilutes the materials
d.
the pressure from all of Earth’s layers
keeps it in a solid state
 

 6. 

A light-year measures —
a.
brightness
c.
radiation
b.
distance
d.
time
 

 7. 

Which vertebrate did not live during the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic Era)?
a.
mc007-1.jpg
c.
mc007-3.jpg
b.
mc007-2.jpg
d.
mc007-4.jpg
 

 8. 

Land breezes and sea breezes are created by the differences in —
a.
the Earth’s tilt on its axis
c.
the heat capacity between water and
land
b.
solar radiation reaching the Earth’s
surface
d.
the living organisms occurring in the
land and sea
 

 9. 

Which of the following minerals found in the northern Piedmont province is known as “fool’s gold”?
a.
Pyrite
c.
Galena
b.
Hematite
d.
Limonite
 

 10. 


mc010-1.jpg

On weather maps, there are lines with tiny triangles on one side. This represents —
a.
cold air moving in the direction the
triangles point
c.
warm air moving in the direction the
triangles point
b.
cold air moving opposite the direction
the triangles point
d.
warm air moving opposite the direction
the triangles point
 

 11. 


mc011-1.jpg

Pictured above is a shoebox with rows of holes in the top, large enough for straws to fit through. By placing straws through the holes, students have to determine the shape of an unseen object in the box. This activity simulates the technology used to map the seafloor. What is that technology called?
a.
Laser beams
c.
Sonar
b.
Dopper radar
d.
Seismology
 

 12. 

Which diagram correctly shows wind motion between pressure areas?
a.
mc012-1.jpg
c.
mc012-3.jpg
b.
mc012-2.jpg
d.
mc012-4.jpg
 

 13. 

During droughts, lack of rain can lead to wells drying up. This is because the drought has lowered the —
a.
water table
c.
zone of aeration
b.
water trough
d.
zone of porosity
 

 14. 

Which of these is the best evidence that the Earth’s crust has undergone some major changes?
a.
The location of major rivers
c.
The presence of marine fossils in
mountain rock
b.
The amount of available water on Earth
d.
The arrival of the vernal equinox
 

 15. 


mc015-1.jpg

According to the graph above, a piece of timber containing one-eighth of the amount of carbon-14 that is found in a living tree died about how many years ago?
a.
5,700 years
c.
17,100 years
b.
11,400 years
d.
22,800 years
 

 16. 


mc016-1.jpg

What is the first stage in the life cycle of a star?
a.
Black hole
c.
Main-sequence star
b.
Dwarf star
d.
Stellar nebula
 

 17. 


mc017-1.jpg

At which location are metamorphic rocks most likely to be found?
a.
A
c.
C
b.
B
d.
D
 

 18. 


mc018-1.jpg

According to the data shown in the graph, the hypothesis is only correct for latitudes —
a.
mc018-2.jpg
c.
mc018-4.jpg
b.
mc018-3.jpg
d.
mc018-5.jpg
 

 19. 

Of the following, the largest division on the geologic time scale is —
a.
a year
c.
an era
b.
an epoch
d.
a period
 

 20. 

Saturn’s volume is 762 times the volume of Earth, and yet its mass is only about 95 times that of Earth’s mass. This is due to Saturn’s —
a.
low density
c.
thousands of rings
b.
temperature
d.
distance from the sun
 

 21. 

When placed in water, ice rises to the top of the liquid. Unlike most solids that sink when placed in their liquid forms, ice floats because —
a.
it is colder than water
c.
the pressure of the water holds it up
b.
it is less dense than water
d.
gases inside the ice make it buoyant
 

 22. 


mc022-1.jpg

The formations at X and Y in the picture above were created by —
a.
tension
c.
compression
b.
shearing
d.
rifting
 

 23. 


mc023-1.jpg

The picture above shows that one of the main pollution problems associated with sinkholes is that —
a.
they can destroy roadways
c.
homes can be damaged by them
b.
tractors can fall into them
d.
they can connect directly to the water
table
 

 24. 


mc024-1.jpg

Which of these tracks was made last?
a.
mc024-2.jpg
c.
mc024-4.jpg
b.
mc024-3.jpg
d.
mc024-5.jpg
 

 25. 

Orbital velocity is the average speed of a planet moving through space in its orbit around the sun. Which of the following planets has the fastest orbital velocity?
a.
Mercury
c.
Mars
b.
Jupiter
d.
Pluto
 

 26. 


mc026-1.jpg

What does the diagram illustrate about turbidity currents?
a.
They move along the bottom.
c.
They are temperature-dependent.
b.
They stop moving as soon as they reach the ocean floor.
d.
They only occur in salt water.
 

 27. 

In karst regions, caves are carved by the flow of water through limestone bedrock. How do the stalagmites and stalactites in the caves develop?
a.
They are carbonate deposits formed by dripping water in air-filled cavities.
c.
They are crystals that grow as water
hollows out the cavern.
b.
They are granite intrusions that remain
behind after water dissolves the
surrounding limestone.
d.
They are carvings made in limestone by the swirling water as it hollows out the cavern.
 

 28. 


mc028-1.jpg

Which conclusion can be made based on the information in the chart?
a.
Quartz is harder than topaz.
c.
Fluorite is harder than feldspar.
b.
Calcite is harder than apatite.
d.
Gypsum is harder than talc.
 

 29. 


mc029-1.jpg

Which of the following rocks represents an igneous intrusion?
a.
Granite
c.
Marble
b.
Limestone
d.
Shale
 

 30. 

mc030-1.jpg

Which of these would come next in the water cycle?
a.
Aeration
c.
Deposition
b.
Sedimentation
d.
Precipitation
 

 31. 

The edges of moving crustal plates are often defined by —
a.
ocean basins
c.
intercontinental plains
b.
frequent seismic activity
d.
Earth’s largest rivers
 

 32. 


mc032-1.jpg

Which layer of the sun is the most dense?
a.
Chromosphere
c.
Core
b.
Photosphere
d.
Corona
 

 33. 

The topographic map that may show a hill with a volcanic crater is —
a.
mc033-1.jpg
c.
mc033-3.jpg
b.
mc033-2.jpg
d.
mc033-4.jpg
 

 34. 


mc034-1.jpg

An earthquake struck San Diego, California. The above map and table show that the approximate difference in arrival times between the P-wave and S-wave at Seattle is —
a.
2 minutes
c.
4 minutes
b.
3 minutes
d.
5 minutes
 

 35. 

The ozone layer protects life on Earth from —
a.
ultraviolet rays
c.
infrared rays
b.
gamma rays
d.
z-rays
 

 36. 


mc036-1.jpg

About how long is the Red Sea?
a.
40 km
c.
1200 km
b.
300 km
d.
2100 km
 

 37. 

All of the following features of the ocean indicate tectonic activity except
a.
abyssal plains
c.
seamounts
b.
mid-ocean ridges
d.
trenches
 

 38. 

Which of these causes days and nights?
a.
The orbit of the Earth around the sun
c.
The rotation of the moon on its axis
b.
The revolution of the moon around the
Earth
d.
The rotation of the Earth on its axis
 

 39. 


mc039-1.jpg

Which layer of the above soil profile would be affected the most by weathering and erosion?
a.
1
c.
3
b.
2
d.
4
 

 40. 


mc040-1.jpg

The point from which an earthquake originates is called the —
a.
focus
c.
fault line
b.
epicenter
d.
shock wave
 

 41. 

Which of these facts is the best supporting evidence that the universe is expanding?
a.
The stars vary in chemical composition.
c.
The galaxies can spin to form eddies.
b.
The galaxies are moving away from
each other.
d.
The universe is filled with galaxies of
different sizes.
 

 42. 

In which of the graphs would the precipitation at ground level most likely be rain?
a.
mc042-1.jpg
c.
mc042-3.jpg
b.
mc042-2.jpg
d.
mc042-4.jpg
 

 43. 

Jellyfish have rarely been fossilized because they —
a.
contain no carbon compounds
c.
are generally found in oceans
b.
are very rare animals
d.
have soft bodies
 

 44. 

Which of the landforms is most likely to result when two continents collide?
a.
mc044-1.jpg
c.
mc044-3.jpg
b.
mc044-2.jpg
d.
mc044-4.jpg
 

 45. 

Why is the surface temperature of the oceans more variable than the water near the ocean floor?
a.
Most energy is exchanged at the
surface.
c.
The water is less dense at the surface.
b.
Most animals live near the surface.
d.
The salt concentration is more variable
at the surface.
 

 46. 


mc046-1.jpg

More of the upper block’s formation is missing mainly due to —
a.
lower layers subjected to less pressure
c.
less deformation than in the lower block
b.
erosion of the upper layers’ surfaces
d.
presence of more igneous rock in the
block
 

 47. 

More often than metamorphic or igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks have —
a.
many holes from trapped gases
c.
numerous fossils
b.
large quartz crystals
d.
a glassy appearance
 

 48. 

Virginia has large deposits of sand and gravel. These are usually found in areas where —
a.
water once flowed
c.
swamps once were present
b.
lava once covered the ground
d.
the water table was once very low
 

 49. 

Which of these energy sources originates from a nonrenewable resource?
a.
Solar
c.
Fossil Fuel
b.
Geothermal
d.
Hydroelectric
 

 50. 

What does Pangaea mean?
a.
It is the name of an extinct volcano.
c.
It is the name of an ancient
supercontinent.
b.
It is the French word for volcano.
d.
It is a huge disruption of the Earth’s
atmospheric circulation.
 



 
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