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. 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






2. Occur along plate boundaries






3. 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






4. 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






5. Darkens the moon as the earth passes between it and the sun - casting a shadow on the moon - may be seen from anywhere the moon is visible - about half of the earth






6. 1 hour of time






7. A small Solar System body that orbits the Sun - When close enough to the sun - exhibits a visible coma (atmosphere) or a tail - both primarily from the effects of solar radiation upon the comet's nucleus - Have a variety of different orbital periods






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






9. 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






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






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






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






13. Believed to originate at a much greater distance from the Sun - in a cloud (the Oort cloud) consisting of debris left over from the condensation of solar nebula - Comets are thrown from the outer planets or nearby stars - or as a result of collisions






14. Condensed water vapor that falls to the earth's surface - Most precipitation occurs as rain - but also includes snow - hail - fog drip - graupel - and sleet






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






16. 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






17. 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






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






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






20. 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.






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






22. Featherlike clouds that indicate fair weather






23. Classified as warm - water or cold - water currents






24. 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






25. - The materials left over after the rock breaks down combine with organic material - The mineral content is determined by the parent material; thus - a soil derived from a single rock type can often be deficient in one or more minerals for good ferti






26. Gas giants Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus and Neptune have diameters far larger than Earth's and have far greater masses






27. The sun and oceans can also affect the weather of land - If the sun heats ocean waters for a period of time - water can evaporate - Once evaporated into the air - the moisture can spread over nearby land - thus making it cooler


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






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






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


31. The Pacific Ring of Fire has examples of volcanoes caused by ___________ coming together






32. Affected by factors such as weathering and impurities






33. Some water infiltrates deep into the ground and replenishes ________ - which store huge amounts of freshwater for long periods of time






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






35. Runoff and groundwater are stored as ________ in lakes






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






37. Forms over land and is associated with dry air






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






39. A major determiner of coastal climate






40. Forms over water and is associated with wet air






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






42. Seas - gulfs - bays - and other names






43. Forms over the Tropics and is warm






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






45. The transformation of water vapor to liquid water droplets in the air - producing clouds and fog






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






47. 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






48. Travels in an orbit that is slightly elliptical (oval) - and so the distance from the sun ranges from 91.5 to 94.5 million miles - Its daily rotation deforms the earth to a flattened spheroid - with a polar radius slightly less than the equatorial ra






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






50. Sometimes called minor planets or planetoids - Bodies