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. 186000 miles/second






2. Huge systems of stars - Milky Way is estimated to have 100 billion stars arranged in a great disk






3. Continental polar (dry - cold air)






4. The lateral movement of the plates is typically at speeds of ___ mm annually






5. Pulls the planets toward the sun - while their inertia keeps them moving forward in an elliptical orbit around the sun

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6. A region of the earth that has uniform standard time - usually referred to as the local time - divided into standard and daylight saving (or summer)






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






8. Occur when two plates push together - Such faults are strong and relatively deep - Where the strongest earthquakes occur Example: mountain building in the Himalayas and the Andes






9. Takes approx. seven and a half earth months to revolve around the sun - Takes approx. eight earth months to rotate on its axis - a day on ________ is longer than a year






10. Seasons are marked by changes in the amount of sunlight - which in turn often cause cycles of dormancy in plants and hibernation in animals - These effects vary with latitude and with proximity to bodies of water






11. The resulting dust layer would act as a shield - blocking out much of the sun's rays - This would result in lower global temperatures and a general _____ of the earth






12. Spiral - elliptical - and irregular form are speckled throughout the visible universe - Largest telescope has detected galaxies to its limit of several billion light - years






13. The transformation of water vapor to liquid water droplets in the air - producing clouds and fog






14. Forms over the Tropics and is warm






15. The outermost part of the earth's interior is made up of two layers...






16. The strong temperature contrast between polar and tropical air gives rise to the ________






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






18. Both gravity and inertia work together to keep planets in orbit around the sun - Inertia makes a planet travel in a straight line






19. The layers of sediment deposited in a quiet environment - Common sites of deposition are lakes - deltas at the mouths of rivers - beaches and sandbars along the coast - and (most important) the marine environment






20. Defined by geometrically subdividing the earth's spheroid into 24 lunes (wedge - shaped sections) - bordered by meridians - each 15






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






22. Distance to closest stars can be calculated by measuring the _________ - a slight shift in apparent position against the background of more distant stars as the earth travels around the sun






23. Loose collections of ice - dust - and small rocky particles - measuring a few kilometers or tens of kilometers across






24. The fossiliferous strata record is only the last __% of the earth's history






25. Condensed water vapor that falls to the earth's surface - Most precipitation occurs as rain - but also includes snow - hail - fog drip - graupel - and sleet






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






27. The variety of ways by which water moves across the land - This includes both surface runoff and channel runoff - As it flows - the water may percolate into the ground - evaporate into the air - become stored in lakes or reservoirs - or be extracted






28. The best determiner of climate - as it is consistently and directly correlated with temperature - other factors: Rain shadows - as well as water currents - elevation and so forth






29. Some isolated mountains were produced by volcanoes - including many apparently ________ that reach a great height above the ocean floor






30. The evaporation of these oceans is how we get most of our __________ - and their temperature determines our climate and wind patterns






31. Largest zone of the planet (68%); crystalline silicates - rich in magnesium - calcium - and iron; very hot and mainly solid - but local melting to magma is the source of volcanic eruptions






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






33. Refers to the long - term weather patterns of a large geographical area and takes into account temperature - humidity - and precipitation






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






35. Take up about 1/3 of the earth's land surface - many are formed by rain shadows - Usually have a large diurnal (day) and seasonal temperature range - with high daytime temperatures






36. Two feldspars (orthoclase and plagioclase) - quartz - olivine - and augite - These five minerals are silicates - built from interlocking silicon and oxygen atoms






37. 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






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






39. Zero degrees latitude - generally has a tropical climate (warm and wet); at the extreme northern and southern latitudes (polar regions) - the climate is very cold and dry






40. Some infiltration stays close to the land surface and can seep back into surface - water bodies (and the ocean) as...






41. Cirrus - Stratus - Cumulonimbus - Altostratus






42. Rocks are placed into groups according to how they form...






43. Precipitation - Canopy interception - Snowmelt - Runoff - Percolation - Subsurface flow- Evaporation - Sublimation - Condensation






44. Nearest galaxy - about 20 million light - years away






45. 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






46. Around a new or full moon - when the sun - moon - and the earth form a line - the tidal forces due to the sun reinforce those of the moon - The tide's range is at a maximum and is called a spring tide (spring as in 'to jump/leap -' not the season)






47. Igneous rock that cools beneath the earth's surface - Examples: plutons - dikes - and batholiths






48. Comprises one global - interconnected body of salt water often (though generally recognized as several separate oceans) - A continuous body of water with relatively free interchange among its parts






49. Hotspot volcanoes are also found elsewhere in the Solar System - especially on...






50. The difference between levels of ocean water at high and low tides