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. Forms over the Tropics and is warm






2. Maritime polar (wet - cold air)






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






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






5. 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






6. 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






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






8. 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






9. Temperature - pressure - and composition






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






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






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






13. Hotspot volcanoes are also found elsewhere in the Solar System - especially on...






14. Mountains blocking the path of precipitation to the desert






15. 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






16. 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






17. Composed of the fragments of other types of rocks - Cover 75 to 80% of the earth's land area - Often deposited in distinct parallel layers - Weather and erosion break down other rock types into sediments - Over time - the sediments become cemented an






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






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






20. The layers of sediment deposited in a quiet environment - Common sites of deposition are lakes - deltas at the mouths of rivers - beaches and sandbars along the coast - and (most important) the marine environment






21. The flow of water underground - in the vadose zone and aquifers - Subsurface water may return to the surface (as a spring or by being pumped) or eventually seep into the oceans






22. 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






23. The runoff produced by melting snow






24. Improved land - use practices can limit erosion by using techniques such as...






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






26. Human civilization has lasted only _____ years






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






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






30. 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






31. Evaporation often implicitly includes ___________ from plants - although together they are specifically referred to as evapotranspiration






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






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






34. Cirrus - Stratus - Cumulonimbus - Altostratus






35. Continental polar (dry - cold air)






36. The spectra of distant objects display a red shift - which is interpreted as meaning that they are rapidly receding from us - This apparent expansion of the universe has given rise to the big bang theory of cosmology - in which one primeval mass expl






37. 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






38. How much matter is in the object






39. 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






40. 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






41. Most sediments were deposited in beds that were originally horizontal - and any tilting is due to later earth movements






42. Occur twice a year - when the tilt of the earth's axis is oriented neither from nor to the sun - causing the sun to be located vertically above a point on the equator - The name derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night) - because at the e






43. Formed by sodium chloride






44. 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






45. 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






46. Runoff and groundwater are stored as ________ in lakes






47. The tidal force produced by the sun is ____ as large as that produced by the moon






48. Occur along plate boundaries






49. The motive force behind land breezes and sea/lake breezes - also known as on - or off - shore winds - Land absorbs and radiates heat faster than water - but water releases heat over a longer period of time






50. The degrees east or west of the prime meridian through Greenwich - England