Earth Science
Textbook Exam Questions
Course Introduction
Earth Science is an interdisciplinary field that explores the physical constitution of the Earth and its atmosphere, encompassing geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. Students learn about the structure and processes of the planet, including plate tectonics, mineral and rock formation, earthquakes, volcanoes, weather patterns, ocean currents, and the impact of human activity on Earth's systems. The course integrates laboratory and field investigations to analyze real-world data and phenomena, equipping students with a foundational understanding of Earth's dynamic systems and their vital role in supporting life.
Recommended Textbook
Essentials of Geology 4th Edition by Stephen Marshak
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
25 Chapters
1380 Verified Questions
1380 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/1700 Page 2
Chapter 1: The Earth in Context
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33684
Sample Questions
Q1) Earth's magnetic field is generated by the ____________.
A) flow of the liquid inner core
B) flow of the liquid outer core
C) convective flow of the mantle
D) magnetic minerals within the crust
Answer: B
Q2) A ____________ transmits energy from one point to another in the form of periodic motions and is defined by both the distance between these periodic motions ( __________ )and the number of them that pass a fixed point in a given time interval ( ___________ ).
A) frequency; wavelength; wave
B) wavelength; frequency; wave
C) wave; frequency; wavelength
D) wave; wavelength; frequency
Answer: D
Q3) In agreement with the Big Bang theory,our Universe is ____________.
A) expanding
B) contracting
C) static (unchanging)
Answer: A
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: The Way the Earth Works: Plate Tectonics
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33685
Sample Questions
Q1) Why is preserved oceanic bedrock only composed of primarily basalt?
A) Magma primarily cools to form basalt.
B) Oceanic bedrock does not experience changes in heat that produce different rock types.
C) Oceanic bedrock does not experience changes in pressure that produce different rock types.
D) All of the above are correct.
Answer: D
Q2) The thickness of oceanic lithosphere is ____________.
A) uniformly 100 km
B) greatest at the geographic poles and least near the equator
C) greatest near the mid-ocean ridges and thins out away from the ridges
D) least near the mid-ocean ridges and thickens away from the ridges
Answer: D
Q3) Hot spots can occur ____________.
A) only within continental plates
B) only within oceanic plates
C) within either continental or oceanic plates
D) only when the thickness of the crust is less than 10 km
Answer: C
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: Patterns in Nature: Minerals
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33686
Sample Questions
Q1) The most abundant minerals belong to a chemical group termed the ____________.
A) silicates
B) carbonates
C) halides
D) oxides
Answer: A
Q2) In nature most examples of minerals do NOT grow as large,well-formed,euhedral crystals.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) All minerals are chemical compounds (composed of more than one element).
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q4) The ____________ of new solid grains called _____________ results from oversaturated solutions.
A) precipitate; precipitation
B) precipitation; precipitate
Answer: B
Page 5
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 4: Up From the Inferno: Magma and Igneous Rocks
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
64 Verified Questions
64 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33687
Sample Questions
Q1) Why are igneous rocks important?
A) They provide information about the mantle.
B) They can be used to reconstruct tectonic activity.
C) They host important mineral deposits.
D) All of the above are correct.
Q2) Igneous rocks ____________.
A) are formed through the freezing of melt
B) can be produced at the surface of the Earth as well as deep below the surface
C) are the most common type of rocks within Earth
D) All of the above are correct.
Q3) Which of the following is NOT a factor controlling the cooling rate of magma?
A) depth of intrusion
B) shape and size of magma body
C) presence of circulating groundwater
D) All of the above are factors.
Q4) If a body of magma becomes more felsic,its viscosity will ____________.
A) increase
B) decrease
C) stay the same
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 6
Chapter 5: The Wrath of Vulcan: Volcanic Eruptions
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33688
Sample Questions
Q1) Pahoehoe ____________.
A) forms when a basaltic lava flow ceases flowing and solidifies simultaneously
B) has a smoother texture than a'a'
C) is easier to walk on than a'a' is
D) All of the above are correct.
Q2) At continental rifts,vast bodies of basaltic lava flow forth from fissures,forming ____________.
A) flood basalts
B) pyroclastic flows
C) ash-fall tuffs
Q3) Why do all lava flows not look the same?
A) Eruptive styles of volcanoes vary by geography.
B) Chemical composition and gas content of lava vary.
C) Lava flows depend on the type of volcano from which they are erupting for their characteristics.
D) All of the above are correct.
Q4) Volcanoes are entirely detrimental to the planet and human civilization,offering no benefits to humankind.
A)True
B)False
Page 7
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: Pages of Earths Past: Sedimentary Rocks
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33689
Sample Questions
Q1) Which environment would most likely produce sedimentary deposits characterized by very well-sorted,very well-rounded grains that are nearly pure quartz?
A) river
B) glacier
C) beach
D) alluvial fan
Q2) Diagenesis requires ____________.
A) deep burial
B) high temperatures and pressures
C) warm groundwater
D) All of the above are correct.
Q3) Grains become rounded primarily during ____________.
A) weathering at outcrop
B) erosion
C) transportation
D) deposition
Q4) In which of the following phenomena are sediment records NOT preserved?
A) transgression
B) regression
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Metamorphism: a Process of Change
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
61 Verified Questions
61 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33690
Sample Questions
Q1) How does the banding in gneiss form?
A) by the well-understood process of metamorphic differentiation
B) from the evolution of bedding in the protolith
C) from compressional stress on the protolith
D) from fluids running through the rock during creation
Q2) Meteorite impacts have been known to induce metamorphism of sediments and rocks.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which type of metamorphism affects the greatest volumes of rock?
A) thermal metamorphism
B) dynamothermal metamorphism
C) dynamic metamorphism
Q4) If someone were to put a rock on the table in front of you,how might you determine that it was a metamorphic rock?
A) by looking for one specific mineral that is formed during metamorphism
B) by examining its specific gravity
C) by examining it for minerals typically found in other rock types, such as quartz
D) by looking for distinctive arrangements of mineral grains not found in other rock types
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: A Violent Pulse: Earthquakes
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33691
Sample Questions
Q1) A fault cannot slip forever because __________ .
A) it exhibits no elastic behavior
B) once the elastic bending that has built up is released, the blocks no longer move
C) the vibration caused by the slipping eventually ceases
D) friction eventually slows and stops the movement
Q2) The intersection between a fault plane and the ground surface is called the ____________.
A) dip line
B) plunge
C) fault trace
D) seismic interface
Q3) As a seismologist examining a seismogram,you would know that the third set of waves displayed ____________.
A) would cause the most damage
B) are S-waves
C) are P-waves
D) are an indication that the major earthquake is over and that the aftershocks have begun
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 10
Chapter
Deformation and Mountain Building
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33692
Sample Questions
Q1) Deformation brought on by orogeny can ____________.
A) metamorphose rock
B) produce folds in rock
C) produce faulting in rock
D) All of the above are correct.
Q2) A body of rock affected by compressive stress will likely undergo ____________. A) shortening
B) stretching
C) shear strain
Q3) Why do offshore volcanic arcs collide with and suture to an overriding plate?
A) They are too buoyant to subduct.
B) The melting involved in subduction sutures them to the plate.
C) Their predominant rock type is the same as the overriding plate.
D) When they collide, subduction stops.
Q4) Valleys and hillsides carved by glaciers are generally more ____________ in comparison to those produced by rivers and streams.
A) steep sided
B) shallow sided
Page 11
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 10: Deep Time: How Old Is Old
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33693
Sample Questions
Q1) In the area immediately surrounding an igneous intrusion,a host limestone is locally metamorphosed to produce marble.Which of the following statements is correct?
A) The intrusive igneous rock must be older than the limestone.
B) The limestone must be older than the marble.
C) The marble must be older than the intrusive rock.
D) The relative ages of the three units cannot be determined with the information given.
Q2) When radioactively dating a rock,which of the following would NOT result in an inaccurate age reading?
A) using weathered rocks
B) homogenizing the rock material
C) using all of the minerals present
D) using only the daughter isotopes
Q3) When an unstable isotope decays,the daughter isotope that results is always a stable isotope.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
12
Chapter 11: A Biography of Earth
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33694
Sample Questions
Q1) Permian,Triassic,and Jurassic forests were dominated by large ____________.
A) angiosperms (flowering plants)
B) mosses
C) conifers and cycads
D) club mosses and scouring rushes
Q2) The Western Interior Seaway reached its greatest level of continental inundation during the ____________ Period.
A) Ordovician
B) Carboniferous
C) Jurassic
D) Cretaceous
Q3) Cells that house DNA within nuclei are termed ____________.
A) prokinetic
B) prokaryotic
C) eukaryotic
D) analgesic
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 13
Chapter 12: Riches in Rock: Energy and Mineral Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33695
Sample Questions
Q1) Which property of magmatic ore deposits causes them to be concentrated by magmas?
A) low temperatures of crystallization
B) high temperatures of crystallization
C) low density
D) high density
Q2) Blocks of rock used in construction are termed ____________.
A) dimension stone
B) gemstone
C) ore
D) lodestone
Q3) Which type of ore is most commonly concentrated in magmatic deposits?
A) oxides
B) sulfides
C) native metals
D) copper ores
Q4) Nearly all of the minerals that are commercially exploited are either native metals or ore minerals.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14
Chapter 13: Unsafe Ground: Landslides and Other Mass
Movements
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33696
Sample Questions
Q1) The principal difference between a debris flow and a debris slide is the
A) shape of the path taken by the moving mass
B) grain size of the moving mass
C) debris flow's abundant water, compared to the dry debris slide
D) debris flow's pyroclastic debris content from a volcanic eruption
Q2) ____________ are unlikely to occur in regions without volcanic activity.
A) Lahars
B) Rockfalls
C) Submarine mass movements
D) Avalanches
Q3) Why would a slope be more prone to slumping after storm A (ten successive days of 1/3-inch of rain every day)in comparison to storm B (a five-hour storm that totals 6 inches of rainfall)?
A) In storm A, much of the water is likely to run off and not percolate into the slope.
B) In storm A, the rainfall is slow and steady enough for nearly all of it to percolate into the slope.
C) In storm B, debris flows might occur rather than slumps.
D) All of the above are correct.
Page 15
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 14: Streams and Floods: the Geology of Running Water
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33697
Sample Questions
Q1) A 100-year flood is more catastrophic than a 50-year flood.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The sediment load of a stream consists of only those grains that are fine enough to stay in suspension.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which two of these factors set the stage for the 1889 Johnstown flood?
A) poor design and "cutting corners" during construction
B) "cutting corners" during construction and heavy sedimentation filling in behind the dam
C) poor design and heavy sedimentation filling in behind the dam
D) poor design and obstruction of the spillway with debris
Q4) At a waterfall,where two sedimentary lithologies are juxtaposed,which lithology is generally more likely to form a cliff over which the water falls?
A) sandstone
B) shale
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 16
Chapter 15: Restless Realm: Oceans and Coasts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
57 Verified Questions
57 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33698
Sample Questions
Q1) Black sand beaches are composed of ____________.
A) magnetite grains
B) dolomite fragments
C) iron ore fragments
D) basalt fragments
Q2) If you position a drill ship over a guyot,what would you expect to drill into?
A) limestone and then pillow basalts
B) limestone and then rhyolite
C) limestone or other sedimentary rock, then gabbror
D) limestone or other sedimentary rock, then basalt
Q3) A bathymetric map depicts ____________.
A) surface salinity
B) surface temperature
C) temperature at the sea floor
D) depth of the sea floor below sea level
Q4) Major surface ocean currents travel ____________.
A) parallel to the prevailing wind direction in the region
B) in direct opposition to prevailing winds as a result of the Coriolis effect
C) at an angle to prevailing winds as a result of the Coriolis effect
D) at an angle to prevailing winds as a result of the Doppler effect
Page 17
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 16: A Hidden Reserve: Groundwater
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
54 Verified Questions
54 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33699
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is not evidence for karst topography?
A) salt beds
B) sinkholes
C) limestones
D) disappearing streams
Q2) The elevation of the water table ____________.
A) is a constant for a given area as long as the topography remains the same
B) may rise during times of drought and sink during rainy periods
C) may rise during rainy periods and sink during droughts
Q3) A dry well will always result whenever the base of the well is above the water table.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Which statement about recharge areas is NOT true?
A) Recharge areas typically are elevated with respect to neighboring areas.
B) Recharge areas are regions of relatively high precipitation.
C) Recharge areas are the same as discharge areas.
D) Recharge areas are areas where water infiltrates the sediment from above.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 17: Dry Regions: the Geology of Deserts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33700
Sample Questions
Q1) The Atacama of Chile is a desert primarily because it is located ____________.
A) in the subtropics
B) near the South Pole
C) near the center of a large continent
D) next to a cold ocean current
Q2) The factors that control the shapes of sand dunes include all of the following EXCEPT for _________.
A) the average speed of wind when it blows
B) the constancy/variability in the direction that moderate and strong winds blow
C) the supply of sand
D) the size fraction of sand that composes the dunes
Q3) Which two terms go together?
A) lag deposit and playa
B) playa and talus
C) talus and evaporate
D) deflation and talus
E) lag deposit and deflation
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 18: Amazing Ice: Glaciers and Ice Ages
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33701
Sample Questions
Q1) A sharp bedrock ridge separating two bowl-shaped depressions formed by mountain glaciers is termed a(n)____________.
A) arête
B) cirque
C) horn
D) tarn
Q2) A boulder that is found in an unlikely place and/or has a different composition than the underlying or nearby rock is possibly a(n)___________.
A) kame
B) erratic
C) arête
D) ventifact
Q3) In a glacier,which of the following decreases with increased depth into ice,and/or age of ice?
A) the amount of sediment and rock particles found within it
B) porosity
C) loess content
D) the oxygen-18 (18O) content
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 19: Global Change in the Earth System
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33702
Sample Questions
Q1) Warmer temperatures generally mean that the ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16
____________ in both ice forming and in the calcite shells grown by plankton.
A) decreases a relatively small amount
B) does not change
C) increases a relatively small amount
D) increases a large amount
Q2) Ice and snow reflect much more of the sun's energy than soils or vegetation.What effect would a permanent,complete covering of the Arctic Ocean by floating sea ice have on the extent of permafrost in arctic and high latitude lands?
A) The areal extent of permafrost would increase.
B) The areal extent of permafrost would decrease.
C) The areal extent of permafrost would correlate more closely with the extent of the Arctic "ozone hole."
D) The areal extent of permafrost would correlate more closely with the extent of Arctic glaciers.
Q3) Change within the Earth system is unidirectional and cannot be reversed.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
21
Chapter 20: Rock Groups
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
25 Verified Questions
25 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33683
Sample Questions
Q1) Which is a physical characteristic used to classify a rock?
A) mineral stability
B) rock texture
C) water content
D) degree of weathering
Q2) How would you tell if a rock is crystalline?
A) It contains crystals that have been cemented together.
B) It does not contain crystals at all.
C) It contains interlocking crystals.
D) It contains all one type of crystal.
Q3) Where would you expect to find metamorphic rocks forming?
A) deep inside a mountain range
B) inside a lava flow on Hawaii
C) under the water at the mid-ocean ridge
D) at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea
Q4) Composition describes the _______________.
A) degree of compaction and cementation
B) arrangement of minerals in a rock
C) presence of layers of minerals
D) chemical makeup of the rock
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 22
Chapter 21: A Surface Veneer: Sediments and Soils
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
25 Verified Questions
25 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33682
Sample Questions
Q1) Which soil horizon contains the most organic material?
A) A.
B) O.
C) B.
D) E.
Q2) Salt water is the end product of this weathering process.
A) hydrolysis
B) dissolution
C) jointing
D) frost wedging
Q3) Which soil horizon is the most important to farmers for planting crops?
A) O.
B) A.
C) E.
D) B.
Q4) Which of the following is a type of physical weathering?
A) thermal expansion
B) dissolution
C) oxidation
D) hydration
Page 23
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 22: The Rock Cycle
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
25 Verified Questions
25 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33681
Sample Questions
Q1) Identify the correct steps in the transformation of a sedimentary rock into a metamorphic rock.
A) rock eroded away and deposited in ocean basin à rock pulled into subduction zone and melted
B) rock eroded away and deposited in ocean basin à rock buried under many layers of sediments
C) rock eroded away and deposited in an ocean stream à volcano erupts through stream and melts rocks
D) rock eroded away and deposited in alluvial fan à rock buried deeply and melted by intrusion
Q2) What is the progression of rock types if the steps of a process are as follows? erosion and deposition à melting à melting à erosion and deposition
A) sedimentary à igneous à sedimentary
B) sedimentary à metamorphic à igneous à sedimentary
C) sedimentary à igneous à igneous à sedimentary
D) sedimentary à metamorphic à metamorphic à sedimentary
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 23: The Earths Interior Revisited: Insights From Geophysics
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
25 Verified Questions
25 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33680
Sample Questions
Q1) If a ship towing a magnetometer passes over a piece of crust with a "normal" polarity,what will the magnetic anomaly look like?
A) The magnetic anomaly will be greater than Earth's.
B) The magnetic anomaly will be lower than Earth's.
C) The magnetic anomaly will exactly match Earth's.
D) The magnetic anomaly will be exactly zero.
Q2) Which layer of the Earth has the highest density?
A) outer core
B) inner core
C) mantle
D) crust
Q3) If a P-wave is traveling through sandstone and then encounters peridotite,the P-wave will ________________.
A) slow down
B) speed up
C) remain at the same speed
D) not travel through the peridotite
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 25
Chapter 24: Memories of Past Life: Fossils and Evolution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
25 Verified Questions
25 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33679
Sample Questions
Q1) Imagine that a layer of leaves are scattered along a forest floor; what must happen in order to preserve these leaves as fossils?
A) The leaves must be picked up by wind or animals and carried to a desert.
B) The leaves must be buried slowly so that the leaves can begin to rot.
C) The leaves must be buried rapidly in order to keep out oxygen.
D) The leaves will never be preserved as they do not contain hard parts.
Q2) In which of the following rocks might you find fossils?
A) gneiss
B) limestone
C) granite
D) marble
Q3) Why is the preservation potential of feathers so low?
A) because birds usually die in dry environments
B) because birds do not contain hard parts
C) because virds are very small and thus are not well preserved
D) because birds die in forests, areas with high oxygen levels
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 25: An Introduction to Landscapes and the Hydrologic Cycle
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
25 Verified Questions
25 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/33678
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is NOT an example of a landform?
A) mesa
B) valley
C) water
D) dune
Q2) If two valleys are composed of the exact same type of material and under the exact same climactic conditions,what would the older valley look like compared to the younger?
A) The older valley would have steep sides, the younger would have gentle sides.
B) The younger valley would have steep sides, the older would have gentle sides.
C) The older valley would contain many more depositional features than the younger.
D) The younger valley would contain many more depositional features than the older.
Q3) Which progression best describes how water goes from the ocean to a river?
A) evaporation à precipitation à infiltration into the ground
B) evaporation à precipitation à runoff
C) evaporation à precipitation à evapotranspiration
D) evapotranspiration à runoff à precipitation
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 27