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






2. Can influence climate by sending tremendous volumes of dust - ash - and smoke into the atmosphere






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






4. 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






5. Sometimes called minor planets or planetoids - Bodies






6. Somewhat cooler disturbances in the photosphere






7. 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






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






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






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






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






12. 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






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






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






15. The farther from the tropics you are positioned - the ________ the angle of the sun - This causes those locations to be cooler due to the indirect sunlight






16. Takes place when the moon passes between the earth and the sun - with the moon blocking the sunlight for about two minutes - A total ___________ may be seen only from a small zone on the earth






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. Deviates by an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees - Thus - at any given time during summer or winter - one part of the planet is more directly exposed to the rays of the sun - This exposure alternates as the earth revolves in its orbit






19. 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






20. 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






21. The science of the atmosphere and weather






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






23. Maritime polar (wet - cold air)






24. 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






25. One tidal cycle per day






26. 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






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






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






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






30. 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






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






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






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






34. Faulting and folding






35. 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






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






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






38. Water returns to the land surface at __________ than where it entered - under the force of gravity or gravity - induced pressures






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






40. 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






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






42. The process of chemical or physical breakdown of earth rocks - soils - and their minerals






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






44. 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






45. 1 hour of time






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






47. The breakdown of rocks - soils and minerals through atmospheric chemicals or biologically produced chemicals (also known as biological weathering)






48. Human civilization has lasted only _____ years






49. Seas - gulfs - bays - and other names






50. 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