Introduction to Earth Science Test
Questions
Course Introduction
Introduction to Earth Science offers a comprehensive overview of the dynamic systems that shape our planet, covering topics such as geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. Students will explore the Earths structure, the processes that drive natural phenomena like earthquakes, volcanoes, and weather patterns, and the interactions between the solid earth, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. The course also emphasizes the importance of Earth Science in understanding environmental challenges, resource management, and the impact of human activities on the planet. Through lectures, hands-on activities, and real-world examples, students will gain a foundational understanding of Earths physical characteristics and processes, preparing them for further study in the geosciences.
Recommended Textbook
Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography 3rd Canadian Edition by Robert W. Christopherson
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Essentials of Geography
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Sample Questions
Q1) A circular surface area,when drawn on a map designed to preserve area,might appear as an oval.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) The meridian opposite Earth's prime meridian (0° longitude)is called
A)secondary meridian.
B)the anti-meridian.
C)the equator.
D)the International Date Line.
E)the martial meridian.
Answer: D
Q3) A great circle is
A)any parallel of latitude.
B)the longest distance between two places on the surface of Earth.
C)a circle of circumference whose center coincides with the center of Earth.
D)a correct magnetic compass direction on a flat map.
E)a line used to calculate meridians of longitude.
Answer: C
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Page 3
Chapter 2: Solar Energy to Earth and the Seasons
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Q1) The longest days of the year in the northern hemisphere are experienced during the A)time of 24-hour days at the South Pole.
B)vernal equinox.
C)winter solstice.
D)autumnal equinox.
E)time that the Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer.
Answer: E
Q2) According to the text,which of the following is true regarding the point of sunrise for a location in the northern hemisphere?
A)it migrates from southeast to northeast from winter to summer.
B)it remains fixed throughout the year only the Sun's altitude changes.
C)it moves to the south from winter to summer.
D)it is along the western horizon in summer,and the eastern horizon in winter.
E)it always appears on the northern horizon.
Answer: A
Q3) The Sun and Earth formed from a collapsing cloud of dust and gas.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Page 4
Chapter 3: Earth's Modern Atmosphere
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Sample Questions
Q1) Problems with air pollution occurred as far back in time as the Roman period (2000 years ago).
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) List three impacts of acid rain.
Answer: death of forests,damage to aquatic organisms,damage to buildings made of stone,decline in soil fertility,etc.
Q3) At CO levels of 100 ppm or less,
A)most humans develop a headache and can make errors on simple tests.
B)there is no noticeable health effect.
C)the human bloodstream is unaffected.
D)carbon monoxide can contribute to acid rain.
E)it has a noticeable odour.
Answer: A
Q4) Air pollution can easily cross national boundaries.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 4: Atmosphere and Surface Energy Balances
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Sample Questions
Q1) A vertical air current that is generated by temperature-induced density differences is an example of heat transfer by A)advection.
B)convection.
C)conduction.
D)transmission. E)diffusion.
Q2) Describe and analyze the various methods of tapping solar energy and explain why they do not enjoy more widespread use.
Q3) When light passes from one medium to another, A)transmission happens.
B)Rayleigh scattering is the predominant effect.
C)refraction occurs-a process that is important to the formation of rainbows.
D)it is usually not affected physically.
E)it changes direction,but not speed.
Q4) On a cloudy day,the downward component of scattered light is called refraction. A)True
B)False
Q5) Why is the sky blue?
Q6) Discuss the changes of temperature for a typical day in relation to insolation.
Page 6
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Chapter 5: Global Temperatures
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Q1) An isoline that connects all points of <u> highest</u> mean temperature on a world map is called
A)an isobar.
B)the highest mean temperature isoline.
C)the thermal equator.
D)min/max line.
E)the temperature range line.
Q2) Kinetic energy refers to
A)the energy an object possesses by virtue of its elevation above a surface.
B)the energy an object possesses because of its gravitational attraction to other objects.
C)the energy an object possesses in accordance with the law E = \( \mathrm{mc}^{2} \) .
D)the energy an object possesses by virtue of its motion.
E)the energy an object possesses within its chemical structure.
Q3) First distinguish between temperature and heat.Then describe the important characteristics of the three main temperature scales.
Q4) Why is the higher specific heat of water as compared to rock or soil an important factor in determining temperature characteristics and changes?
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Page 7
Chapter 6: Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations
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Sample Questions
Q1) The polar front zone
A)is usually located above the subtropical jet stream.
B)is a zone in which cold air descends before being spread throughout the atmospheric system.
C)It is a zone of frequently strong winds.
D)is a zone where jet airplanes travel best from North America to Europe.
E)was discovered only recently and is stronger as a result of climate change.
Q2) Air flow is initiated by the A)Coriolis force.
B)pressure gradient force.
C)friction force.
D)centrifugal force.
E)gravitational force.
Q3) An understanding of atmospheric air circulation was an impetus for the development of a nuclear test ban treaty for above-ground explosions. A)True B)False
Q4) A line connecting points of equal pressure on a weather map is called an isobar. A)True B)False
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Chapter 7: Water and Atmospheric Moisture
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Sample Questions
Q1) A mass of air always becomes saturated when it reaches the
A)highest temperature of the day.
B)lowest temperature of the day.
C)specific humidity point.
D)dew-point temperature.
E)freezing point.
Q2) Earth's waters originated at the surface-not from within the crust.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following is true regarding the amount of water in rivers,streams,and the atmosphere?
A)rivers,streams and the atmosphere contain 33 percent of the world's fresh water supply.
B)the total amount of water in these locations is equal to 14,250 km³.
C)the volume of water in these is 1/100 the volume of water in freshwater lakes.
D)the volume of water in these is equal to that in freshwater lakes.
E)the volume of water in these is unimportant in the hydrologic cycle.
Q4) Define and distinguish between relative humidity and specific humidity.
Q5) Why is the ability of water to form hydrogen bonds so important?
Q6) Present the important aspects of water's changes between phases.
Page 9
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Chapter 8: Weather
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Sample Questions
Q1) Cyclogenesis refers to the occluded and dissolving phases of a midlatitude cyclone.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The highest rainfall in the world occurs in an area whose rainfall is generated by
A)advectional cooling of air masses over cold ocean currents.
B)orographic uplift of warm,moist air.
C)convectional uplift of warm,moist air.
D)radiative cooling of cold,moist air.
E)convergent lifting of cold,moist air.
Q3) When hurricanes first form in the northern hemisphere,they usually travel from ________,and later from ________ as they move to higher latitudes.
A)east to west west to east
B)west to east east to west
C)north to south west to east
D)Any path is equally likely.
E)south to north east to west.
Q4) How do air masses form? What are their general characteristics?
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Chapter 9: Water Resources
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Q1) Population growth and wasteful water usage threaten to produce water shortages in many nations of the world.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following types of water is accessible to plants?
A)hygroscopic
B)capillary
C)deficit water
D)transpired water
E)distilled
Q3) As soil particle size decreases from silt to clay,the field capacity ________ and the available water ________.
A)increases increases
B)increases decreases
C)decreases increases
D)decreases decreases
E)increases remains the same
Q4) What are the two basic pathways precipitation can take once it reaches Earth's surface?
Q5) What are the various potential consequences of the overuse of groundwater?
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Chapter 10: Climate Systems and Climate Change
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Sample Questions
Q1) A climate that is mesothermal and has a long,hot,dry summer would be designated by which of the following?
A)Tropical savanna
B)Semiarid steppe
C)Mediterranean
D)Humid subtropical,hot summer
E)Humid continental,hot summer
Q2) Climate change over the next 50 years may be greater than that experienced during the last 18,000 years i.e. ,since the peak of the last ice age.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Antarctica is buried under thousands of feet of ice because heavy snowfalls occur there each year.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Climatic regions are characterized by distinctive weather patterns.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Are there reasons for concern about climate change? If so,list and explain them.
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Chapter 11: The Dynamic Planet
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Sample Questions
Q1) Approximately 90 percent of Earth's magnetic field is generated in the A)inner core.
B)outer core.
C)lower mantle.
D)upper mantle.
E)aesthenosphere
Q2) With <u> increasing </u>depth,the mantle becomes ________ due to greater ________.
A)more plastic pressures
B)more plastic temperatures
C)stiffer pressures
D)stiffer temperatures
Q3) The oldest rocks on Earth are between 3.96 and 4.3 billion years old.
A)True
B)False
Q4) When geologists or archaeologists dig downward into a unit of rock or sediment,they are digging "back in time." This fact is based on the principle of A)uniformitarianism.
B)superposition.
C)catastrophism.
Page 13
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Chapter 12: Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanism
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Q1) The Alps and alpine complex in Europe are an example of a third order of relief.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Seismic gap investigations involve
A)the study of surface cracks following an earthquake.
B)paleoseismology and the history of activity along specific plate boundaries.
C)perceptual studies by sociologists.
D)the study of places where volcanoes have occurred.
E)examining the record of magnetic reversal in the rock.
Q3) Geologically speaking,the continents began forming relatively recently.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The most detailed order of relief applies to ________ order relief features. A)first
B)second
C)third
Q5) In order for a batholith to become a mountain,<u>thousands </u> of feet of sedimentary rock may have to be eroded to expose the batholith.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 13: Weathering, Karst Landscapes, and Mass Movement
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Q1) Which of the following weathering processes does <u>not </u> involve water?
A)hydration
B)hydrolysis
C)crystallization
D)carbonation
E)pressure-release jointing
Q2) In 1973,part of the flat ground on which a subdivision was located became saturated and began to flow toward the Saint Lawrence River at speeds of up to 26 km · h ¹.The ground that flowed consisted of silts and clays-not large,rocky regolith.What type of mass wasting event was this?
A)debris avalanche
B)soil creep
C)earthflow
D)lahar
E)solifluction
Q3) Write an essay in which you describe the various processes of physical and chemical weathering.
Q4) What characteristics of slopes are important for determining mass movement?
Page 15
Q5) In what ways can water be involved in physical and chemical weathering processes?
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Chapter 14: River Systems and Landforms
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Q1) The base level concept was put forward by William Morris Davis in 1909.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Floodplains
A)are erosional features located within a depositional feature.
B)are associated with surface erosion.
C)are generally filled with layers of alluvium.
D)are covered by a surface layer of coarse material including cobbles and gravel.
E)prevent aggradation of the river.
Q3) A flood recurrence interval of 100 years means that floods of that size will occur only once every 100 years.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The suspended load of a stream consists of particles that are
A)rolled and bounced along the stream bed.
B)held aloft in the stream flow.
C)dragged along the stream bed.
D)dissolved in solution.
E)attached to the bed.
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Chapter 15: Eolian Processes and Arid Landscapes
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Sample Questions
Q1) Weathering that occurs by water in the desert is associated primarily with A)groundwater.
B)field water capacity.
C)hygroscopic water.
D)ephemeral streams.
E)flash floods.
Q2) The smallest features shaped by individual saltating grains are A)ripples.
B)dunes.
C)sand seas.
D)reg deserts.
Q3) Addition of more dams on the Colorado River would result in ________ available water because ________.
A)more of the obvious fact that dams create reservoirs which store water that would otherwise flow into the sea
B)less some of the impounded water would seep into rock and become unavailable
C)more less of the water would evaporate
D)more the pressure head from the surrounding area would force groundwater to flow into the area.
Q4) Discuss the factors that lead to the formation of a star dune.
Page 17
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Chapter 16: The Oceans, Coastal Processes, and Landforms
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Q1) As a wave approaches the shoreline and enters shallower water,energy and water move forward causing the water to rise and cascade down from the wave crest as a breaker.These waves are called
A)waves of translation.
B)swells.
C)waves of transition.
D)tidal waves.
E)bores.
Q2) Define and discuss the formation of the following: shore platform,barrier spit,bay barrier,lagoon,tombolo,barrier beach,barrier island.
Q3) Given present global warming trends and predicted climate change for the next century,sea level is estimated to rise
A)between 1.0-1.4 m.
B)in an amount unrelated to the temperature of the ocean.
C)more than 30 m.
D)in a way that will not threaten coastal inhabitants.
E)between 1 and 3 m.
Q4) Describe the three main zones of the ocean.
Q5) Follow a wave from the time it first forms until it breaks on a beach.
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Chapter 17: Glacial and Periglacial Processes and Landforms
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Q1) Thermokarst refers to landscapes developed by the dissolution of limestone rock by glacial meltwater.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Melting and refreezing of snow acts to ________ ice density and ________ the sphericity (roundness)of the original snowflakes.
A)increase increase
B)increase decrease
C)decrease increase
D)decrease decrease
Q3) 18 000 years ago,average sea-surface temperatures were
A)15 C° lower than they are today.
B)between 1.4 C° and 1.7 C° lower.
C)similar to today's temperatures.
D)warmer than today's air temperatures.
E)20 C° warmer than today.
Q4) During the Pleistocene up to 11% of Earth was covered with ice.
A)True
B)False
Q5) How have glaciers changed the landscape of North America?
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Chapter 18: The Geography of Soils
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Q1) Rounded peds have ________ space between them than other peds,and are therefore ________.
A)less worse for plant growth
B)less better for plant growth
C)more worse for plant growth
D)more better for plant growth
Q2) A roughly equal mixture of sand,silt,and clay is called A)humus.
B)regolith.
C)solum.
D)loam.
E)illuviation.
Q3) Define illuviation,define how it works,what it does,and its importance in soil horizon development.
Q4) Vertisolic soils have several very distinct horizons.
A)True B)False
Q5) The C horizon lies within the zone of significant biological activity.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 19: Ecosystem Essentials
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Q1) There are fig trees in the tropical rain forest that are pollinated by only one species of wasp,and these wasps are entirely dependent upon the one species of fig tree they pollinate for their food supply.This is an example of a(n)________ relationship.
A)symbiotic
B)opportunistic
C)parasitic
D)exclusionary
E)inclusion
Q2) Lake turnover occurs during the summer.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Describe the arguments for and against wildfire suppression.
Q4) The rate at which energy is stored in organic substances,such as in plants,is
A)photosynthetic rate.
B)respiration rate.
C)primary productivity.
D)sugar detention.
E)growth rate.
Q5) Distinguish between mutualistic and parasitic relationships.
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Chapter 20: Terrestrial Biomes
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Q1) Local names for tropical savanna vary worldwide and include A)brigalow scrub.
B)campo cerrado.
C)chaco.
D)dornveld.
E)caatinga
Q2) A structural classification of plants based on the outward physical properties of individual plants,or the general form of a vegetation cover (tree,shrub,herb,thallophyte,etc. )is called
A)formation class.
B)biome.
C)plant life-form designation.
D)ecosystem.
E)biogeographic realm
Q3) The characteristic vegetation of the Mediterranean shrubland is a type called A)muskeg.
B)sclerophyllous.
C)taiga.
D)caatinga.
E)xeriphytic.
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Chapter 21: Earth and the Human Denominator
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Q1) According to the text,who should speak for Earth?
A)economists
B)military leaders for nuclear superpowers
C)physical geographers and other scientists who study the natural world
D)politicians
Q2) In the fall of 2011,Earth's population reached
A)five billion.
B)six billion.
C)seven billion.
D)eight billion.
E)ten billion
Q3) List the "twelve paradigms for the twenty-first century" presented in chapter 21 of the text.
Q4) Define and describe the I=PAT equation.Assess the relative impacts of the inhabitants of More Developed Countries (MDCs)and Less Developed Countries (LDCs).Which group has a larger population? Which group has a larger planetary impact and by how much?
Q5) Most population growth is in less-developed countries.
A)True
B)False
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