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. Affected by factors such as weathering and impurities






2. Occurs at the instant when the sun's position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equatorial plane from the observer's hemisphere - Depending on the shift of the calendar - the winter solstice occurs some time betw






3. The motive force behind land breezes and sea/lake breezes - also known as on - or off - shore winds - Land absorbs and radiates heat faster than water - but water releases heat over a longer period of time






4. Tides may be...






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






6. Weather occurs primarily due to density (temperature and moisture) differences between one location and another - These differences can occur due to the angle of the sun at any particular spot - which varies by latitude from the tropics






7. Sometimes called minor planets or planetoids - Bodies






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






9. The science of the atmosphere and weather






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






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






12. Bbreaking along flat surfaces






13. 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






14. The flow of water underground - in the vadose zone and aquifers - Subsurface water may return to the surface (as a spring or by being pumped) or eventually seep into the oceans






15. A land form that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area - with a peak - Usually produced by the movement of lithospheric plates






16. Occurs when the moon sets at sunset - Then the moon is between the earth and the sun - so we see only the dark half of the moon






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






18. 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






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






20. The rising of the earth's ocean surface caused by the tidal forces of the moon and the sun acting on the oceans






21. 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






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






23. The breakdown of rocks - soils and minerals through direct contact with atmospheric conditions such as heat - water - ice - and pressure






24. Faulting and folding






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






26. The science that describes and interprets the earth Fields: - Geomorphology (land forms) - Petrology (rocks) - Stratigraphy (layered rocks) - Paleontology (fossils)






27. Mountains blocking the path of precipitation to the desert






28. Ancient astronomers found that eclipses occurred periodically and learned to predict them accurately - Lunar and solar






29. Solar Atmosphere is divided into the inner chromosphere with explosive prominences and the outer corona - a glowing halo visible only during a total eclipse - Constantly emitting particles as a...






30. Almost all familiar weather phenomena occur in the __________ (the lower part of the atmosphere)






31. Volcanoes are also found in __________ - where the denser oceanic plates are forced under continental plates; this adds massive volumes of water to the mantle - allowing magma to melt more readily and rise to the surface to form volcanoes






32. The center of the sun may have a temperature of millions of degrees; the visible surface - the ______ - is about 6000






33. Less than 1% of the earth; this relatively thin zone (5 to 25 miles) contains the only rocks we can study - even in the deepest mines or drill holes






34. The strength of gravity in our solar system depends on both the masses of the celestial objects and the _______ between them






35. 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






36. Most sediments were deposited in beds that were originally horizontal - and any tilting is due to later earth movements






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






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






39. The runoff produced by melting snow






40. Featherlike clouds that indicate fair weather






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






42. 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)






43. Test the item against materials of known hardness; for example - use your fingernail or the graphite in a pencil to attempt to scratch the items. This process should result in assigning a relative hardness to the unknown items.






44. The state change where a solid (ice or snow) changes directly to a gas (water vapor)






45. The earth is believed to be about ___ billion years old






46. Forms over land and is associated with dry air






47. 4 terrestrials: Mercury - Venus - Mars - Earth 4 gas giants: Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus - Neptune At least 5 dwarf planets: Ceres - Pluto - Makemake - Haumea - Eris






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






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






50. Smooth layers of low clouds that indicate a chance of drizzle or snow