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. 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.






2. Oceans cover __ of the earth's surface






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






4. Temperature - pressure - and composition






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






6. 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






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






8. 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






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






10. An area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions associated with the plate boundaries surrounding the Pacific Ocean - In a 40000 km horseshoe shape - associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches - volcanic arcs - and volcanic






11. Somewhat cooler disturbances in the photosphere






12. 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






13. 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






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






15. 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






16. Under solar conditions - gases are undergoing _____ to heavier elements with the increase of prodigious quantities of energy






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






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






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






20. 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






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






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






23. Seas - gulfs - bays - and other names






24. 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






25. Occur when two plates slip past each other - Such faults are generally moderate and are relatively shallow Example: The San Andreas Fault






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






27. At any given time - regardless of season - the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience...






28. 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






29. Divided into two main types: large - low- density gas giants and smaller - rocky terrestrials - There are at least 341 identified _______ - 8 of which are in the Solar System






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






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






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






33. Human civilization has lasted only _____ years






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






35. 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






36. Runoff and groundwater are stored as ________ in lakes






37. 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






38. Continental polar (dry - cold air)






39. 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






40. Faulting and folding






41. Formed by sodium chloride






42. The runoff produced by melting snow






43. Forms over water and is associated with wet air






44. Sometimes called minor planets or planetoids - Bodies






45. Theory that the earth's continents were originally united as a supercontinent - Pangaea - Established by Alfred Wegener in the early 1900s






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






47. 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






48. The atmosphere is a __________ - and so small changes to one part of the system can grow to have large effects on the system as a whole - This makes it difficult to accurately predict weather more than a few days in advance






49. Characterized by similar temperatures and moisture levels






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