Multiple Choice
Identify the
letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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1.
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Why
do we study science? a. | To help us make informed
decisions | c. | To better
protect our planet that sustains life | b. | To satisfy our
curiosity | d. | All of the
preceding | | | | |
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2.
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Which of the following is NOT one of the main areas of Earth
science? a. | geology | c. | astrology | b. | oceanography | d. | astronomy | | | | |
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3.
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What
is the study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather and climate? a. | oceanography | c. | meteorology | b. | geology | d. | astronomy | | | | |
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4.
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The area of Earth science that examines the physical and biological
changes that have occurred in Earth’s past is called ____. a. | meteorology | c. | physical
geology | b. | oceanography | d. | historical geology | | | | |
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5.
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According to the nebular hypothesis, our solar system formed from a
huge rotating cloud made mostly of ____. a. | carbon and hydrogen | c. | oxygen and helium | b. | helium and
hydrogen | d. | nitrogen and
oxygen | | | | |
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6.
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Earth’s four major spheres are the ____. a. | hydrosphere,
atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere | b. | hydrosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and
biosphere | c. | hydrosphere, asthenosphere, lithosphere, and
biosphere | d. | hydrosphere, geosphere, lithosphere, and
asthenosphere | | |
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7.
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Which of Earth’s spheres includes the oceans, groundwater, lakes,
and glaciers? a. | the
atmosphere | c. | the
biosphere | b. | the hydrosphere | d. | the geosphere | | | | |
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8.
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The
life-forms of the biosphere are located in the ____. a. | geosphere
only | b. | hydrosphere and
atmosphere only | c. | atmosphere, hydrosphere, and
geosphere | d. | hydrosphere only | | |
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9.
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What are the three main parts of the geosphere? a. | atmosphere,
crust, core | b. | crust, mantle, core | c. | lithosphere,
mantle, core | d. | asthenosphere,
lithosphere, atmosphere | | |
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10.
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The theory of plate tectonics helps scientists explain
____. a. | how ocean
currents move over Earth’s surface | b. | why hurricanes
occur | c. | how earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
occur | d. | why Earth’s core is less dense than the
mantle | | |
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11.
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What
is the driving force for the movement of the lithospheric plates? a. | heat from the
sun | b. | unequal
distribution of heat within Earth | c. | heat in the atmosphere | d. | unequal
distribution of heat in the oceans | | |
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12.
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The
distance, measured in degrees, north and south of the equator is referred to as
____. a. | longitude | c. | the prime
meridian | b. | latitude | d. | the poles | | | | |
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13.
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On the global grid, the prime meridian is at ____. a. | 0 degrees
latitude | c. | 0 degrees
longitude | b. | 90 degrees latitude | d. | 90 degrees
longitude | | | | |
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14.
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How
could two points 35 degrees north of the equator—one in North America and the other in
China—be distinguished using map coordinates? a. | by their
elevation | c. | by their
longitude | b. | by their map projection | d. | by their latitude | | | | |
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15.
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Differences in elevation are best shown using a ____. a. | Mercator
projection map | c. | Robinson
projection map | b. | gnomonic projection map | d. | topographic map | | | | |
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16.
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On a topographic map, contour lines that form a circle indicate a(n)
____. a. | lake | c. | hill | b. | ocean | d. | depression | | | | |
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17.
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Earth is considered a system because all of its parts
____. a. | represent
separate closed systems | b. | interact | c. | were formed at
the same time | d. | are powered by the same energy source | | |
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18.
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Any
size group of interacting parts that form a complex whole is a(n) ____. a. | sphere | c. | tectonic
plate | b. | energy source | d. | system | | | | |
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19.
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Which
of the following would be one of the interacting parts in a weather system? a. | weather
satellite | c. | clouds | b. | tectonic plate | d. | Earth’s inner core | | | | |
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20.
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What
are the two sources of energy for the Earth system? a. | lightning and
the sun | c. | the sun and
wind | b. | the sun and
Earth’s interior | d. | Earth’s
interior and the winds | | | | |
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21.
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The
sun’s energy drives which of the following processes? a. | volcanic
eruptions | c. | weather and
ocean circulation | b. | earthquakes | d. | mountain building | | | | |
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22.
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Which of the following is powered by energy from Earth’s
interior? a. | erosion | c. | weather | b. | a volcano | d. | ocean circulation | | | | |
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23.
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Which of the following is an environmental hazard created by
humans? a. | air
pollution | c. | hurricane | b. | flood | d. | earthquake | | | | |
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24.
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Which
of the following is NOT caused by human interactions with the Earth system? a. | air
pollution | c. | mountain
building | b. | water pollution | d. | deforestation | | | | |
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25.
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Which of the following is an example of a renewable
resource? a. | iron | c. | energy from
flowing water | b. | petroleum | d. | coal | | | | |
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26.
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Resources that can be replenished over a relatively short time span are called
____. a. | fossil
fuels | c. | nonrenewable
resources | b. | renewable resources | d. | mineral resources | | | | |
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27.
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Which
of the following is NOT an example of a nonrenewable resource? a. | solar
energy | c. | copper | b. | natural gas | d. | oil | | | | |
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28.
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Which
of the following is NOT an example of a renewable resource? a. | cotton | c. | chicken | b. | lumber | d. | iron | | | | |
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29.
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A
preliminary untested explanation that tries to explain how or why things happen in the manner
observed is a scientific ____. a. | law | c. | fact | b. | theory | d. | hypothesis | | | | |
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30.
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A
scientific idea that is well tested and widely accepted by the scientific community is called a
scientific ____. a. | hypothesis | c. | theory | b. | inquiry | d. | method | | | | |
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31.
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Which
of the following describes the true process of science? a. | It requires
creativity | c. | It engages
scientists in many different activities in many different sequences | b. | It is open to
change | d. | All of the
preceding | | | | |
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