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Earth Science: Questions From Tests and Quizzes (with vocab)

Terms in this set (233)

Wind
The horizontal movement of air along Earth's surface
Convection
The flow of heat through liquids and gases
Conduction
The flow of heat through touch
Radiation
The flow of heat through open space
Front
A boundary separating two masses of air of different densities; the principal cause of weather outside the tropics.
Cold front
The transition zone where a cold air mass is replacing a warm air mass
Warm front
The transition zone where a warm air mass is replacing a cold air mass
Storm
A violent disturbance in the atmosphere
Weathering
The process of breaking down rocks and minerals
Erosion
The process of moving broken down rocks and minerals
Deposition
The process of depositing broken down soils and sediments
Earthquake
A violent shaking of the earth caused where two plates meet and slide up against each other to release potential energy
Fault
A break in the rock of the crust where rock surfaces slip past each other (plates)
Air pressure
The result of the weight of a column of air
Altitude
A measure of the distance an object is above sea level
Eye
The center of a hurricane that is calm
Eye wall
The area surrounding the center of the hurricane; contains the strongest winds
Spiral rain bands
The outermost part of the hurricane that contains heavy rain and minor storms.
Mass
The amount of matter in an object
Fossils
Old decayed plant and animal material
Fossil Fuels
Energy fuels formed from buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago
Non-renewable resources
Energy resources that cannot be replaced or can be replaced very slowly
Potential energy
Stored energy that hasn't been released yet
Wind Energy
One of the most common sources for alternative energy; not reliable because it is not constant
Hydro energy
Energy created by moving water
Solar energy
Energy from the sun that is gathered by panels
Kinetic energy
Energy in motion that has been released
Energy
The ability to do work
Mechanical energy
The energy force that causes an object to move
Renewable resources
Resources that can be replenished or replaced easily
Troposphere
Lowest layer of the atmosphere; 0-11 km above the surface; all weather occurs here; where people live; temperature decreases with altitude
Stratosphere
Above the Troposphere; 11-50 km above the surface; contains the ozone layer; temperature increases with altitude
Ozone layer
Blocks harmful UV rays (cause skin/eye damage)
Mesosphere
The middle layer; 50-80 km above the surface; temperature decreases; meteors burn here
Thermosphere
The last main layer; starts at 80 km and no defined end; temperature increases; contains Ionosphere and Exosphere
Ionosphere
80-400 km; where radio waves and Northern Lights are found
Exosphere
400km- space; Satellites orbit here
Wegener
The scientist who came up with the continental drift theory
Hess
The scientist who came up with the seafloor spreading theory
Cumulonimbus
Heaped, rainy; height varies
Cirrostratus
Layered, wispy; high altitude
Cirrus
Wispy; high-altitude
Cirrocumulus
Wispy, heaped; high altitude
Altocumulus
Heaped; mid-altitude
Altostratus
Layered; mid-altitude
Stratocumulus
Layered, heaped; low altitude
Cumulus
Heaped; low altitude
Stratus
Layered; low altitude
Nimbostratus
Layered, rainy; low altitude
Nimbo
Rainy
Strato
Layered
Alto
Mid-altitude
Cirro
Wispy
Cumulo
Heaped
Ice wedging
Water gets into cracks in rocks, freezes, expands, and creates larger cracks
Greenhouse gases
Gases that absorb solar radiation and can result in global warming
Chemical weathering
The process of breaking down rocks and minerals by changing what they are made of
Physical weathering
The process of breaking down rocks and minerals physically. Caused by running water, frost wedging, wind, etc. AKA mechanical weathering
Coriolis effect
The influence of Earth's rotation on objects that move; causes air winds from the equator to the poles to curve
Global winds
Winds that travel long distances in steady patterns over several weeks
Local winds
Winds that blow over short distances
Land breeze
Winds that blow from the land to the sea at night
Sea breeze
Winds that blow from the sea to the land during the day
Continental drift
The theory stating that continents are moving apart and used to be one landmass
Crust
Made of cooled, brittle rock
Lithosphere
Solid; broken into plates that glide and cause earthquakes
Upper mantle
Solid; contains the astenosphere; part of the lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Slightly liquid; plates glide on top of it; convection currents occur here
Lower mantle
Liquid; below asthenosphere; convection currents occur here
Outer core
Liquid; made of melted iron
Inner core
Solid; made of solid iron
Sea-floor spreading
The theory stating that new sea floor is created at mid-ocean ridges and pushes continents apart
What is the order (starting from the surface) of Earth's layers?
Crust, lithosphere, upper mantle, asthenosphere, lower mantle, outer core, inner core
True or False: Seafloor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges (correct if false)
True
True or False: Tectonic plates move 2-5 miles every year (correct if false)
False; centimeters
True or False: Convection currents, that stir in magma in the earth, circulate in the core (correct if false)
False; mantle
True or False: Conduction currents are what drive the movement of the lithospheric tectonic plates (correct if false)
False; convection
True or False: The earth never gets bigger or smaller because subduction and seafloor spreading are balanced by one another (correct if false)
True
True or False: The core is the largest layer of the earth (correct if false)
False; mantle
True or False: Plate boundaries can converge, diverge, or slide (correct if false)
True
True or False: The outermost layer of the earth is the mantle (correct if false)
False; crust
True or False: Hess is the scientist that came up with the hypothesis of continental drift (correct if false)
False; Wegener
True or False: The lithosphere is rigid (correct if false)
True
True or False: Oceanic crust is thicker than continental crust (correct if false)
False; thinner
True or False: Tectonic plates are made of asthenosphere (correct if false)
False; lithosphere
True or False: The outer core is made of solid iron (correct if false)
False; liquid
True or False: Crust is thin and brittle because it is cooled rock (correct if false)
True
True or False: Where plates touch it is called a fault (correct if false)
True
True or False: Wegener proposed a model of what layers were in the Earth (correct if false)
False; continental drift
True or False: The Ring of Fire is where most volcanoes can be found (correct if false)
True
True or False: Scientists accepted the idea of continental drift when it was proposed (correct if false)
False; denied
True or False: Every volcano erupts violently (correct if false)
False; not every
True or False: Continental drift is a scientific law (correct if false)
False; theory
True or False: At this time, we do not have the capability to produce direct evidence of what is under Earth's surface due to lack of capable machinery (correct if false)
True
True or False: The force that causes a rock to change shape or volume is stress (correct if false)
True
True or False: Tension makes the rock thicker in the middle (correct if false)
False; thinner
True or False: Compression will squeeze the rock until it breaks (correct if false)
True
True or False: A volcano is caused by a sudden release of energy in the earth's crust (correct if false)
False; earthquake
True or False: There are only two types of faults (correct if false)
False; three
True or False: When plates converge they cause a mountain to form (correct if false)
True
In seafloor spreading, molten material rises from the mantle and erupts _________________. (choices: along mid-ocean ridges, anywhere in the ocean, at the north and south poles, or where continents collide)
along mid-ocean ridges
According to Hess's hypothesis of seafloor spreading... (choices: new seafloor is made at mid-ocean ridges which does push the continents, new seafloor is made at mid-ocean ridges which does NOT push the continents, Earth is made up of 7 continents, or the continents were joined together to form Pangaea)
new seafloor is made at mid-ocean ridges which does push the continents
The solid lithosphere floats and moves on the _____________. (choices: atmosphere, asthenosphere, lithosphere, or crust)
asthenosphere
Compare and contrast the inner core and the outer core. Describe at least one similarity and one difference. (bullet-pointed)
-Both primarily made of iron
-Outer core is liquid and inner core is solid
What are the three pieces of evidence for continental drift and how do they prove his theory?
-Fossils: similar fossils found on multiple continents- proves that continents used to be one landmass
-Climate change: evidence of glaciers in South America- proves that South America used to be in a cold area
-Land features: mountains in some continents line up with mountains from other continents- proves that plates collided when the continents were still together
How does gravity affect weathering, erosion, and deposition?
It fulls down rocks and causes rivers to flow downward. It can also cause landslides, rockfalls, mudslides, and avalanches to occur, which speeds up the process of weathering, erosion, and deposition. Gravity can also cause minerals to stop eroding by pulling it to the ground.
How does ice cause rocks to weather?
Water gets into the cracks in rocks and freezes to become ice. The ice expands and causes the rock to split apart.
How is a sailboat moving downstream similar to erosion?
When a sailboat moves downstream, it acts like erodes sediment. After rocks are weathered down, they can be eroded by water. They are moved away until they are deposited at the shore. When the sailboat reaches the shore, it also stops along with the other soils as if it were a weathered rock as well.
How are sand dunes formed from deposition?
Wind picks up sand and carries it along the beach until it drops it in a certain area. Over the course of a few years, wind deposits the material in the same area until it creates a tall mound of sand called a sand dune.
True or False: When rocks are worn down it is called erosion (correct if false)
False; weathering
True or False: When sediments settle in one spot it is called weathering (correct if false)
False; deposition
True or False: Caves can be made through chemical weathering (correct if false)
True
True or false: When rocks are scraped away by sand-filled wind, weathering is occurring (correct if false)
True
True or False: The Nile River Delta and the state of Louisiana are examples of deposition (correct if false)
True
True or False: The order of the cycle is erosion, deposition, and weathering (correct if false)
False; weathering, erosion, and deposition (WED)
True or False: Humans and other living things can be a part of the WED rock cycle (correct if false)
True
True or False: A worn down statue in a city is an example of mechanical weathering (correct if false)
False; chemical
True or False: When mechanical weathering occurs what the rock is made of does not change (correct if false)
True
True or False: The cycle of weathering, erosion, and deposition cannot occur in one day, it takes millions of years for it all to occur (correct if false)
False; can take seconds sometimes
What type of weathering is frost wedging?
Physical weathering
Which part of the WED cycle does wind fit into?
Every part of the cycle
When sediments are moved from one place to another the process is called ______________.
erosion
Weathering involves the... (choices: picking up of sediments, movement of sediments, mechanical and chemical breakdown of rocks, or formation of rocks by weather)
mechanical and chemical breakdown of rocks
What part of the WED cycle is this?: "Rocks are falling down a hill. As they hit the hill they force other rocks to break off the hillside."
Weathering
Radiation, Convection, or Conduction: The transfer of heat from the Sun through space
Radiation
Radiation, Convection, or Conduction: The transfer of heat through the movement of fluids
Convection
Radiation, Convection, or Conduction: The transfer of heat through direct contact between 2 objects
Conduction
Radiation, Convection, or Conduction: This form of heat transfer heats the Earth's surface
Radiation
Radiation, Convection, or Conduction: The air touching the Earth's surface is heated
Conduction
Radiation, Convection, or Conduction: This form of heat transfer causes most of the heating in the Earth's troposphere
Convection
What term describes the trapping of heat by gasses in the Earth's atmosphere?
Greenhouse effect
All of the following are examples of local winds except... (choices: sea breezes, land breezes, prevailing westerlies, thermals)
prevailing westerlies
Cumulonimbus clouds are formed when...
a cold front meets a warm front and wedges underneath it
Air masses over the United States are pushed around and moved by __________________ __________________.
prevailing westerlies
Air mass
A body of air that has the same type of temperature and humidity as the land it forms over
Which of the following is a type of storm? (choices: hurricane, tornado, thunderstorm, all of the above)
all of the above
Give the location, humidity, and temperature of the Maritime Polar air mass
Form over oceans; wet; cold
Give the location, humidity, and temperature of the Maritime Tropical air mass
Form over oceans; wet; warm
Give the location, humidity, and temperature of the Continental Polar air mass
Form over land; dry; cold
Give the location, humidity, and temperature of the Continental Tropical air mass
Form over land; dry; warm
How does a cold front replace a warm front and what does it result in?
It wedges underneath and results in thunderstorms and cumulonimbus clouds
How does a warm front replace a cold front and what does it result in?
It goes over the top and results in rain from nimbostratus clouds
How is a high-pressure area formed?
Cold, more dense air sinks
High is a low-pressure area formed?
Warm, less dense air rises
True or False: Tornadoes form from cumulonimbus clouds (correct if false)
True
True or False: The strongest tornado on the Fujita Scale is an F0 (correct if false)
False; F5
True or False: The most dangerous part of a hurricane is the eye wall (correct if false)
True
True or False: The highest winds in a hurricane occur in the rain bands (correct if false)
False; eye wall
True or False: There is only one type of tornado (correct if false)
False; many
True or False: Sea breezes blow from sea towards land (correct if false)
True
True or False: Winds are formed from low pressure sinking and high pressure rising (correct if false)
False; low rising and high sinking
True or False: Trade Winds affect the United States the most out of all global winds (correct if false)
False; prevailing westerlies
True or False: Maritime Tropical air masses that affect Georgia mostly come from the Gulf of Mexico (correct if false)
True
True or False: When I see heat coming off the surface of the Earth, I am seeing convection occur (correct if false)
False; radiation
Which of the following creates potentially nasty thunderstorms? (choices: occluded front, cold front, stationary front, warm front)
Cold front
Which type of heat transfer occurs below the Earth's surface?
Convection
Earth's inner core is... (choices: a dense ball of solid metal, mostly made of iron; a layer of molten metal; a dense ball of solid metal, mostly made of nickel; or a layer of rock that forms Earth's outer skin)
a dense ball of solid metal, mostly made of iron
The lithosphere is composed of which two parts?
The crust and the upper mantle
Which layer of the Earth has the greatest pressure if pressure increases with depth?
Inner core
Which is not a piece of evidence that backs up the theory of Continental Drift? (choices: Similar land feature, Fossils, Change in climate in places around the Earth, or Earth's rotation)
Earth's rotation
Based on data collected through indirect evidence, Earth's inner core is ___________. (choices: a solid, a liquid, a gas, or none of the above)
a solid
True or False: Pressure decreases as you travel down towards the center of the Earth (correct if false)
False; increases
True or False: The core is the Earth's largest layer (correct if false)
False; mantle
True or False: The two types of crust on Earth are Oceanic and Continental (correct if false)
True
True or False: A preserved organism in rock is called a fossil (correct if false)
True
True or False: The asthenosphere is the layer where the crust and upper mantle are located (correct if false)
False; lithosphere
True or False: Continental crust is thinner than oceanic crust (correct if false)
False; thicker
True or False: Panlandia is the name of the super continent that can be made by putting all the continents together like puzzle pieces (correct if false)
False; Pangaea
Which of the following would be classified as a renewable resource? (choices: A barrel of oil that takes 8 million years to form; A large piece of coal that takes 4 million years to form; Solar rays from the Sun that take 8 minutes to reach Earth; or Methane gas from the ocean that takes 7 thousand years to outgas)
Solar rays from the Sun that take 8 minutes to reach Earth
Which of the following is true about nonrenewable resources? (choices: Takes a short time to reform after use; A lot of energy is made from a small source; It's expensive to produce; or None of the above)
A lot of energy is made from a small source
One benefit to using renewable energy resources would be that... (choices: Energy resources are inexpensive to build; Solar power is available everywhere all the time; They require less equipment to operate; They can be replenished within a short amount of time)
they can be replenished within a short amount of time
Which of the following would help lessen our impact on the environment? (choices: Walking, carpooling, or biking; Leaving the lights on when you leave the room; Taking extended time in the shower; or All of the above
Walking, carpooling, or biking
What is an example of kinetic energy? (choices: Jumping up and down; Staying completely still; The squatting before you jump; or None of the above
Jumping up and down
What is a disadvantage of wind energy? (choice: Loud; Not constant; Takes up a lot of space; or All of the above)
All of the above
True or False: Staying still is a form of kinetic energy (correct if false)
False; jumping
True or False: Holding a rubber band before releasing it is a form of potential energy (correct if false)
True
True or False: Renewable resources are more reliable than nonrenewable resources (correct if false)
False; nonrenewable are more reliable
True or False: There are never any negative effects that come from using renewable resources (correct if false)
False; some negative effects
True or False: We can reduce our impact on the planet by limiting the plastic products we use/throw away (correct if false)
True
True or False: Energy can never be created or destroyed; it can only change forms (correct if false)
True
True or False: There can be large issues when we mine for nonrenewable resources that can harm the environment (correct if false)
True
True or False: Chemical energy is the energy force that causes an object to move (correct if false)
False; mechanical
True or False: Electricity can only be generated from nonrenewable resources (correct if false)
False; generated from both renewable and nonrenewable
True or False: The Hoover Dam is an example of how we use solar rays to generated energy (correct if false)
False; hydropower
How do potential energy and kinetic energy work together?
Potential energy has to be created first in order for kinetic energy to occur. Without stored energy, no energy can be released.
What are two advantages of renewable energy?
-Unlimited
-Eco-friendly
What are two disadvantages of nonrenewable energy?
-Limited
-Not eco-friendly
Explain how we use mechanical and chemical energy in our bodies every day.
Chemical energy is stored in the food we eat. When we eat it, we absorb the chemical energy so we can move. Mechanical energy feeds off of the chemical energy in order to move ours body parts.
What gasses make up the atmosphere?
Nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and trace gasses (1%)
What two main gasses is the atmosphere made of?
Nitrogen and oxygen
Air has pressure because... (choices: the stratosphere is thick; wind moves the air; air has mass; or temperature warms the air)
air has mass
The air pressure action on the roof of the school... (choices: comes form all the air above your roof; only comes from air within a few feet of the roof; is much greater on top of the roof than below; or is much greater underneath the roof than on top)
comes form all the air above your roof
Why doesn't the roof of the school cave in due to air pressure pushing down on it?
The air in the building pushes up on the roof and balances the air outside pushing down
What instrument measures air pressure?
Barometer
What happens to air pressure as you go higher in altitude? Why?
Air pressure decreases because there is less air above you that's pushing down on you.
The layers in the atmosphere are classified according to changes in ____________________.
temperature
Which layer?: Where Earth's weather occurs
Troposphere
Which layer?: Where the ozone is located
Stratosphere
Which layer?: Where the radio waves bounce back to Earth
Ionosphere
Which layer?: 75% of the atmosphere mass is in this layer
Troposphere
Which layer?: Where satellites orbit the Earth
Exosphere
Which layer?: Where the temperature is very hot, but not felt as heat
Thermosphere
Which layer?: Where meteors burn up because of friction with air molecules
Mesosphere
Which layer?: The coldest layer in the atmosphere
Mesosphere
Which layers?: Temperature increases as you travel through these 2 main layers
Stratosphere and Thermosphere
Radio waves are reflected back to Earth by electrically charged particles called ________.
ions
A hole in the ozone layer is caused by _________.
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)
Name two ways the atmosphere helps living things survive on Earth.
-Blocks meteors
-Absorbs harmful UV radiation
Earth's ________ on its axis is responsible for the warmth of summer and the coolness of winter
tilt
One ________________ of Earth around the Sun takes one year.
revolution
Earth's revolution around the Sun causes us to experience ________________.
seasons
The _______________ of Earth takes one day.
rotation
When the northern hemisphere is pointed toward the Sun, we (in Georgia) experience _____________.
summer
During Earth's rotation, the side of Earth facing the sun will experience _________________.
daylight
What is a meteorologist?
A scientist who uses scientific principles to explain, understand, observe, or forecast Earth's weather
Winds are caused in differences in _______ ______________.
air pressure
What type of heat transfer causes winds to form on Earth?
Convection
Which global winds are experienced between 0˚-30˚ latitude?
Trade winds
Which global winds are experienced between 30˚-60˚ latitude?
Prevailing westerlies
Which global winds are experienced above 60˚ latitude?
Polar easterlies
True or False: Wind is a vertical movement across Earth's surface (correct if false)
False; horizontal
True or False: Low-pressure systems occur due to hot air sinking (correct if false)
False; rising
True or False: High-pressure systems occur due to cold air sinking (correct if false)
True
True or False: Low-pressure systems can cause stormy, unstable weather (correct if false)
True
True or False: High-pressure systems can cause low temperatures to occur (correct if false)
False; low-pressure
True or False: High-pressure systems and low-pressure systems are both monitored to see what weather patterns could be occuring (correct if false)
True
True or False: A sea-breeze blows from the land out towards sea (correct if false)
False; sea to land
True or False: If the planet did not rotate, the winds would not follow the Coriolis effect pattern (correct if false)
True
True or False: Warm air sinks and cool air rises which cause wind to occur (correct if false)
False; cold air sinks and warm air rises
True or False: When you touch something warm, you are experiencing radiation (correct if false)
False; conduction
What does 0˚ latitude represent?
The equator
Why do winds blow in the directions they do and at the different times of the day during land breezes and sea breezes?
-Land breezes occur at night because the ocean has absorbed heat throughout the day and the land has already released its heat. The land sends wind out towards the sea to fill the low-pressure gap created from the ocean's heat
-Sea breezes occur during the day because the land has absorbed heat throughout the day and the ocean hasn't absorbed as much yet. The sea sends wind out towards the land to fill the low-pressure gap created from the land's heat
How do radiation and convection heat the troposphere?
-Radiation from the Sun reaches Earth and bounces off of the surface. This heat is then taken into convection currents, where it either rises as arm air or sinks as cool air to heat the troposphere
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