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. 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






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






3. Continental tropical (dry - warm air)






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






5. 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






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






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






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






9. Stars with the highest ___________ appear blue - while stars with the lowest surface temperature appear red






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






11. Tides may be...






12. Oceans cover __ of the earth's surface






13. (or summer time zones) include an offset (typically +1 hour) for daylight saving time






14. After the moon has waxed through crescent - quarter - and gibbous phases - a ________ appears - At that time - the moon rises at sunset - and we see all of its illuminated side - Then the phase wanes gradually to another new moon






15. Forms south of the Arctic and is cold






16. Thought to originate in the Kuiper Belt - or associated scattered discs - which lie beyond the orbit of Neptune






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






18. Traces of ancient life preserved in the strata as shells - footprints - and the like - Soft plant and animal tissues decompose quickly in the presence of decay bacteria - which exist wherever oxygen exists






19. 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






20. 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






21. 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)






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






23. Erosion in many places is increased by human land use - Poor land - use practices include deforestation - overgrazing - unmanaged construction activity - and road building






24. The degrees north or south of the equator






25. 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






26. 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






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






28. Large - scale movements of the earth's lithosphere - - The theory encompasses the older concepts of continental drift (first half of 20th century) and seafloor spreading (1960s)






29. Maritime tropical (wet - warm air)






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






32. 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






33. Characterized by similar temperatures and moisture levels






34. 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






35. Large - dark clouds that indicate thunderstorms






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






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






38. Faulting and folding






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






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






41. Tends to move slowly and is replenished slowly - and so it can remain in aquifers for thousands of years






42. Form when dissolved mineral solutions crystalize out of lakes and oceans






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






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






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


46. Continental polar (dry - cold air)






47. (in descending order of size) the Pacific Ocean - the Atlantic Ocean - the Indian Ocean - the Southern Ocean and the Arctic Ocean






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






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






50. 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