Final Exam Study Guide

1. The ozone layer in the atmosphere shields the earth from

  UV Radiation2. The largest ecosystem is called the  Biosphere3. The red shift observed in a distant galaxy’s

spectra is evidence for the   Big Bang Theory (expansion of the universe) 4. The part of the earth that is solid but has the

ability to flow is the  asthenosphere5. The earth’s atmosphere is made up of mostly

oxygen and nitrogen

6.Seismic waves increase in speed when they enter  solid substances7. One characteristic of S waves is that they

travel  only through solids  8.Geologists believe the source of the earth’s

magnetic field may be in the  core9.The mass of an object is defined by the amount of matter in the object

10.When the earth is at the farthest point in its orbit from the sun, it is said to be at

  aphelion 11.How many standard time zones are there around

the earth?   2412.Circular lines that run perpendicular to the

equator are called  meridians13.The shortest distance between any two points on

the globe can be found by drawing a great circle

14.A contour line that is bold and labeled is called  contour interval15.On topographic maps, closely spaced contour lines

indicate  steep terrain16.On topographic maps, contour lines that form closed

loops indicate  hilltops 17.Which scientist first proposed that the continents

were once joined in a single landmass called Pangaea?

Wegener

18.Which of the following was used as evidence for the theory of continental drift?

  similarity in continental margins (edges)19.What discovery did scientists make in the 1940’s when

they compared continental rocks to rocks near centers of seafloor spreading

rocks at spreading centers were younger20.Seafloor spreading occurs at divergent boundaries21.The theory of plate tectonics is most directly based on

which of the following interactions? lithospheric plates riding on the asthenosphere

22.Where in the earth do convection currents occur?  asthenosphere23.Pieces of land bounded by faults that have

different geologic features from those of neighboring land are most likely to be

  microplate terrains24.Up-and-down motions of the crust are called  isostatic adjustments25.Which of the following is the major cause of

deformation of the earth’s crust? plate tectonics

26.What type of force has acted on the rocks in this diagram?

  tension27.Folding of rocks is most likely to happen when rocks

undergo compression28.In the diagram above, the rocks in Block 1 form  a hanging wall29.Which of the following usually form along convergent

plate boundaries?   mountains30.Which type of seismic wave travels the fastest? P waves

31.Which of the following generally causes the most damage during an earthquake?

  surface waves32.To determine how far away from a seismograph station an

earthquake occurred, scientists plot the difference in arrival times between

  P and S wave33.The magnitude of an earthquake is a direct measure of   how much energy it releases34.Which point in this diagram indicates a likely source of a tsunami?

  point A35.Most magma forms in the asthenosphere

36.Estimates of the earth’s inner temperatures and pressures are primarily based on heat flow measurements and the

37.Which of the following is an example of a mineral? a. quartz 38.The two most abundant elements in common minerals are silicon and oxygen39.According to the table above, which of the following minerals is white in

powdered form? garnet  40.According to the table, what is the approximate hardness of a mineral

that scratches quartz and can be scratched by topaz? 7.5

41.The most common magnetic mineral is magnetite42.Minerals that continue to glow after exposure to ultraviolet

light are called  phosphorescent 43.The parent material for all rocks is  magma44.Two processes responsible for changing sediments into

sedimentary rock are compaction and  cementation45.Which of the following types of rock is produced by magma

that cools deep below the earth’s crust? intrusive igneous

46.Which of the following describes the process by which sedimentary rock becomes metamorphic rock?

intense heat and pressure  47.Which of the following is a source of glass?   quartz 48.Hematite is a source of  iron49.The process of coal formation began in ancient  swamps 50.A serious environmental problem results from burning coal that

contains a large amount of sulfur (acid precipitation)

51.Which of the following reactions is represented by this diagram?

  fusion52.Which of the following is a type of mechanical weathering?  ice wedging 53.Lichens and mosses erode rocks by producing  acids54.Rusting is an example of which of the following processes?   oxidation55.Weathering is generally slow in climates with extended

periods of cold

56.Humus is made up mainly of  organic material57.Which of the following is usually the slowest type of mass

movement?   creep 58.In the diagram above, the arrow labeled X represents  evaporation59.The path that a river follows is called its  channel60.One difference between an alluvial fan and a delta is that

an alluvial fan is deposited on dry ground

61.The principle of uniformitarianism states that geologic processes that occurred in the past are still at work today 62.Elements that emit atomic particles and energy are called  radioactive63.Which of the following would most likely be dated using C-14?   an ancient skeleton64.Which process forms fossils by drying the organic matter in an

organism’s body  mummification  65.Which of the following rock layers in the diagram have the same

relative age? 2 and 9

66.When a sediment is well sorted, its particles are all about the same

  size67.A sloping layer of permeable rock sandwiched between two

layers of impermeable rock and exposed at the surface is

  artesian formation 68.What type of dune is pictured in this diagram?   barchan69.Which of the following is the source of the black sand at beaches?   volcanic rock70.What does coral extract from sea water to build its skeleton? calcium carbonate

71.Which of the following adds oxygen to the atmosphere?   photosynthesis72.The layer of the atmosphere in which weather change occurs

is the  troposphere73.What is the general name for a large body of air having

uniform temperature and moisture content?   air mass74.Which letter designation is used for an air mass that forms

over the southwestern United States?  cT 75.Which type of front is shown in this diagram? stationary

76.A barometer is used to measure  air pressure  77.What feature is shown on the weather map?   cold front78.Who first proposed a heliocentric model of the solar

system?   Copernicus79.The presence of a magnetic field indicates that a planet

may have  an iron core80.The terrestrial planets are composed mostly of solid rock

81.The earth is the only planet in the solar system that has oceans of water   82.Which planet in the diagram above is the only planet to support life

(has an atmosphere and water)?  three83.What is the name of celestial body that is no longer considered a

planet?   Pluto  84.Which part of the diagram represents the layer of the sun’s

atmosphere that can be seen only during an eclipse?   corona ( 4 ) 85.The surface of the sun (the part we see from earth) is called the photosphere

86.The sunspot cycle lasts an average of  11 years87.Cooler regions of the photosphere near strong

magnetic fields are called  sun spots88.A sudden outward eruption of electrically

charged atomic particles from the sun is called  solar flares89.Which of the following is best described as a

cloud of gas and dust? a nebula

90.Scientists proposed the meteorite-impact hypothesis to explain the extinction of the

  dinosaurs91.The zone of the earth that consists of a solid part and a liquid

part is the  the core92.The line of longitude that passes through Greenwich, England,

is called the  prime meridian93.The angle between the geographic North Pole and the direction

in which a compass needle points is called magnetic  declination94.The two types of crust that make up the surface of the earth are oceanic and continental crust

95.The term for the type of plate boundary shown at the point labeled X in this diagram is

  divergent boundary96.A boundary formed at the point where two plates slide past each

other is called a(n)  transform boundary 97.The term for the type of fold shown in this diagram is  anticline98.The general name for magma that flows onto the earth’s surface is  lava99.The major zone of active volcanoes that encircles the Pacific

Ocean is called the Pacific Ring of Fire

100.The two main groups of minerals are silicate minerals and  non-silicate minerals101.The bending of light rays as they pass through a mineral is

referred to as  refraction102.The mixture of gases and particles that surrounds the earth is

called the  atmosphere103.The layer of the atmosphere closest to the earth’s surface is

the  troposphere104.The deflection of wind caused by the earth’s rotation is called coriolis effect105.What is the name for a small storm that forms when a

thunderstorm meets high-altitude, horizontal winds? tornado