Unit Test Answers

The movement of continents has affected weather patterns by _______.a.separating the continentsb.creating mountain rangesc.changing the location of the continentsd.all of the above

Where is oceanic crust thickest?a.at mid-ocean ridgesb.in the center of ocean plainsc.at deep-sea trenchesd.none of the above

The two principal ways to describe Earth’s structure are based on the _______.a.chemical composition and thickness of layersb.chemical composition and mechanical properties of layersc.mechanical properties and thickness of layersd.the composition and viscosity of minerals

A _______ is formed when tectonic plates collide.a.riftb.subduction zonec.faultd.all of the above

Weathering and erosion both contribute to the disintegration of rocks.

Which of the following is an example of chemical weathering?a.waves washing over rocks on the beachb.acid rain falling on sidewalksc.ice forming in the cracks of rocksd.wind blowing against rocks

Which of the following best describes the interaction between Earth’s crust and living organisms?a.Raw materials essential for life are cycled through Earth’s crust.b.Fossil fuels are a valuable energy source for the biosphere.c.The continental crust allowed the evolution of life on land.d.The crust recycles the organic materials in sedimentary rock.

What is true of both earthquakes and volcanoes?a.They are caused by movement of tectonic plates.b.They are potentially devastating to local environments.c.They occur inland less frequently than along coasts.d.All of the above are true of both earthquakes and volcanoes.

Which of the following is a result of natural erosion?a.desert sandsb.lost seed germinationc.widened valleysd.all of the above

Artificial erosion does not impact the environment any more than natural erosion does.

Animals do not contribute to natural erosion.

Which is an example of natural erosion?

Which of the following statements about artificial erosion is true?a.Artificial erosion can occur 100 times faster than natural erosion.b.Farming practices do not contribute to artificial erosion.c.Artificial erosion causes a loss of fertile soil.d.Artificial erosion is only caused by recreational activities.

Flooding can occur as a result of an earthquake.

Which of the following best explains the importance of Earth’s crust to living organisms?a.The continental crust allowed the evolution of life on land.b.The crust provides raw materials necessary for life.c.The crust allowed the formation of fossil fuels.d.The rock cycle recycles sedimentary rocks formed from animal shells.

Which of the following is true concerning continental crust?a.It does not contain radioactive elements.b.It mostly contains heavier and denser minerals than the mantle.c.It efficiently transfers heat from the mantle to the surface.d.None of the above

Erosion occurs based on the movement of water, wind, or ice over a surface and typically moves on the downward-creep slope because of

The Mohorovicic discontinuity is the _______.a.division between the lithosphere and asthenosphereb.boundary between solid and molten rockc.transition from granitic to basaltic crustd.boundary where crust gives way to mantle

Which of the following is associated with plates sliding past each other?a.riftsb.subduction zonesc.faultsd.all of the above

The Ring of Fire is _______.a.the arc stretching from New Zealand to the Aleutian Islandsb.composed of over 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoesc.can be found along the coast of North and South Americad.all of the above

Weathering occurs as a result of direct contact with the atmosphere.

The epicenter of an earthquake is the area where the least amount of damage takes place.

Which of the following types of boundaries is most likely to result in a subduction zone?a.divergentb.convergentc.transformd.all of the above

The Mohorovicic discontinuity was discovered by monitoring the speed of seismic waves through Earth.

Which of the following is an aspect of the elastic rebound theory?a.Energy built up when plates try to get past each other is released when plates break free.b.Fault zones are often located near major population centers.c.Earthquakes occurring along subduction zones cause tsunamis.d.None of the above are aspects of the elastic rebound theory.