Test your basic knowledge |

CSET Earth

Subjects : cset, science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The transformation of water vapor to liquid water droplets in the air - producing clouds and fog






2. A warm - water current that carries warm water from the Tropics to the Arctic regions of the North Atlantic Ocean - This accounts for higher temperatures and higher humidity on the Eastern Seaboard during the summer






3. 186000 miles/second






4. An individual weighing 200 lbs on Earth would weigh more on a _______________ - Weight is a function of gravity






5. Giant masses of solid rock that float upon the earth's mantle - These plates move in relation to one another at one of three types of plate boundaries...






6. Somewhat cooler disturbances in the photosphere






7. Darkens the moon as the earth passes between it and the sun - casting a shadow on the moon - may be seen from anywhere the moon is visible - about half of the earth






8. Volcanoes can be caused by '____________'; these so - called hotspots - as in Hawaii - can occur far from plate boundaries






9. The precipitation that is intercepted by plant foliage and eventually evaporates back to the atmosphere rather than falling to the ground






10. An opening - or rupture - in a planet's surface or crust - which allows hot molten rock - ash - and gases to escape from below the surface - Volcanic activity involving the extrusion of rock tends to form mountains or features like mountains over a p






11. Rising air currents take the vapor up into the atmopshere where cooler temperatures cause it to condense into ____






12. Runoff and groundwater are stored as ________ in lakes






13. Bbreaking along flat surfaces






14. Common: wind - clouds - rain - snow - fog - dust storms - Less common: natural disasters such as tornadoes - hurricanes - and ice storms






15. Can thaw and melt - and the ensuing water flows overland as snowmelt






16. Different visual appearance; when discovered - comets show a perceptible coma while asteroids do not






17. Texture is important in classifying ______ sedimentary rocks






18. The movement of rainwater as it filters through soil and rocks into the ground - becoming groundwater






19. Not all runoff flows into rivers; much of it infiltrates into the ground through...






20. Thought to originate in the Kuiper Belt - or associated scattered discs - which lie beyond the orbit of Neptune






21. Some precipitation falls as ____ and can accumulate as ice caps and glaciers - which can store water for thousands of years






22. A natural flow of water - usually freshwater - traveling toward an ocean - a lake - or another stream






23. When the moon is at first quarter or third quarter - the sun - earth and moon form a 90- degree (right) angle with the earth at the vertex - The combined effect of this alignment of the sun - earth - and moon results in tidal ranges on the earth - Wh






24. Forms south of the Arctic and is cold






25. Officially defined as sustained sea surface temperature anomalies of magnitude greater than 0.5






26. The transformation of water from liquid to gas phases as it moves from the ground or bodies of water into the overlying atmosphere






27. Believed to originate at a much greater distance from the Sun - in a cloud (the Oort cloud) consisting of debris left over from the condensation of solar nebula - Comets are thrown from the outer planets or nearby stars - or as a result of collisions






28. Sedimentary rocks containing large fragments of other rock material - e.g. Sandstone






29. Forms over the Tropics and is warm






30. Forms over land and is associated with dry air






31. Characterized by similar temperatures and moisture levels






32. Volcanoes are generally found where ________ are diverging or converging






33. Cirrus - Stratus - Cumulonimbus - Altostratus






34. Large - dark clouds that indicate thunderstorms






35. Some groundwater finds openings in the land surface and emerges as...






36. Occur along plate boundaries






37. A major determiner of coastal climate






38. Formed from calcium carbonate - also an example of chemical sedimentary rocks - like roock salt - can contain organic or once - living matter and can record the history of that matter's formation in features such as strata - fossil evidence - and rip






39. The result of the buildup of once - living things






40. A huge ball of incandescent gases - Its mass is more than 300000 times that of the earth - Principal constituents are the lightest elements - hydrogen and helium






41. Composed of the fragments of other types of rocks - Cover 75 to 80% of the earth's land area - Often deposited in distinct parallel layers - Weather and erosion break down other rock types into sediments - Over time - the sediments become cemented an






42. After the moon has waxed through crescent - quarter - and gibbous phases - a ________ appears - At that time - the moon rises at sunset - and we see all of its illuminated side - Then the phase wanes gradually to another new moon






43. The runoff produced by melting snow






44. Cause pressure differences - A hot surface heats the air above it and the air expands - lowering the air pressure and its density






45. Form when magma or lava cools and solidifies - Depending on the rate of cooling - can contain visible crystals - while others can appear glassy






46. Characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the same area - Atlanta tropical cyclone activity is generally enhanced during La Nina - Often follows the El Nino - especially when the latter is strong






47. Some water infiltrates deep into the ground and replenishes ________ - which store huge amounts of freshwater for long periods of time






48. Bodies similar to the sun but immensely distant - Closest stars are 4 light - years away






49. Continental tropical (dry - warm air)






50. Improved land - use practices can limit erosion by using techniques such as...