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






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






3. Two high waters and two low waters each day - in most locations - tides are semidiurnal






4. A major determiner of coastal climate






5. 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)






6. Further caused by the elliptical orbit of the earth - Earth reaches perihelion (the point in its orbit closest to the sun) in January - and it reaches aphelion (farthest point from the sun) in July - Also depend on factors such as proximity to oceans






7. 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






8. The North Pole is in the Arctic Ocean - and thus its temperature extremes are buffered by the water - The result is that the South Pole is consistently _______ during the southern winter than the North Pole during the northern winter






9. 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...






10. This upslope wind is called a...






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






12. The movement (carrying away or displacement) of solids (sediment - soil - rock - and other particles) - usually by the agents of currents such as wind - water - or ice by downward or down - slope movement in response to gravity






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






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






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






16. A semi - closed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it - and with a free connection to the open sea - Often associated with high levels of biological diversity - They are made up of brackish water - Often given names






17. 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






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






19. 4 terrestrials: Mercury - Venus - Mars - Earth 4 gas giants: Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus - Neptune At least 5 dwarf planets: Ceres - Pluto - Makemake - Haumea - Eris






20. Sun heats water in the oceans - Water evaporates as vapor into the air - Ice and snow can sublimate directly into water vapor...- Over time - the water reenters the ocean - where the water cycle started






21. Scientists theorize that massive volcanic eruptions on a global scale contributed to the earth's cooling - resulting in the onset of the...






22. The major mountains tend to occur in __________ - indicating tectonic plate boundaries and activity






23. The sun is not at the center of the disk - but out toward the perimeter - and is revolving around the ________






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






25. A continuous drill would find gas - oil - and water in that order - The three substances occur in their order of density - with the lightest substance on top and the heaviest on the bottom






26. Mountains blocking the path of precipitation to the desert






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






28. The cold - water current that flows north to south off the _____________ keeps the West Coast fairly cool during the summer - Cold - water currents create cooler temperatures in areas that would otherwise be much warmer






29. Natural chemical compounds that are the crystals that make up rocks - Each has a specific composition or narrow range of composition






30. Occur when two plates pull away from each other - Such faults are generally weak and shallow Example: the Mid - Atlantic Range in the Atlantic Ocean






31. The source of energy for evaporation is primarily through ___________






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






33. On maps - the characteristics of an air mass are represented by two letters: The lowercase letter represents ________ - and the uppercase letter represents temperature






34. The tendency of a moving object to stay in a straight line or a stationary object to remain in place - Without _______ - a planet would be pulled into the sun






35. Forms over water and is associated with wet air






36. Comprised of the crust and the rigid uppermost part of the mantle - broken up into tectonic plates (7 major and many minor) - ride on the asthenosphere






37. 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






38. Two types of mountains are formed - depending on how the rock reacts to the tectonic forces






39. Continental polar (dry - cold air)






40. Igneous rock that forms on the earth's surface - Examples obsidian - basalt - and pumice






41. Method of using the present to interpret the past - Processes occurring today are observed carefully and their effects are measured - Then - geologists assume that similar effects in ancient rocks were caused by processes similar to those of the pres






42. Formed by sodium chloride






43. Result from the earth's axis being tilted to its orbital plane - NOT the result of the variation in the earth's distance to the sun (Because of its elliptical orbit - the earth as a whole is slightly warmer when away from the sun; this is because the






44. Typically the tidal mouths of rivers and are often characterized by _____________ or silt carried in from terrestrial runoff - frequently from offshore






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






46. The process in which one type of rock changes into another






47. Characterized by similar temperatures and moisture levels






48. Generally forms deep in the mantle as one type of rock changes into another - Due to intense pressure - can show signs of bending and distortion - Examples: schist - marble - gneiss - and slate






49. 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






50. 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