Earth And Space Science: Midterm Exam
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Please read carefully and answer all questions in the test booklet. Continue answering questions until you have answered all questions in the test booklet. Mark all answers in a seperate scantron for them to be scored. Good luck, and take your time.
- 1.An atom is a basic chemical building block of matter. Which particles determine the mass of an atom?
- A.
Protons and neutrons
- B.
Neutrons and electrons
- C.
Protons and electrons
- D.
Neither of the above
- 2.Which particles refer to the atomic number for an element?
- A.
Neutrons
- B.
Protons
- C.
Electrons
- D.
Quarks
- 3.How is density calculated?
- A.
Area x Volume
- B.
Volume divided by Mass
- C.
Perimeter + Mass
- D.
Mass divided by Volume
- 4.What is the density of an object with a volume of 15 cm (cubed) and a mass of 45 g?
- A.
0.33 g/cm
- B.
3 g/cm
- C.
60 g/cm
- D.
675 g/cm
- 5.What is the density of an object with a volume of 30 cm and a mass of 60 g?
- A.
2 g/cm
- B.
30 g/cm
- C.
10 g/cm
- D.
9 g/cm
- 6.What is the density of an object with a volume of 30 cm and a mass of 25 g?
- A.
.45 g/cm
- B.
1.2 g/cm
- C.
.83 g/cm
- D.
.60 g/cm
- 7.If all three of these objects were placed in water (the density of water is 1.0 g/cm), where would the be placed?
- A.
3 g/cm would sink, 2 g/cm would sink, 0.83 g/cm would sink
- B.
3 g/cm would float, 2 g/cm would float, 0.83 g/cm would float
- C.
3 g/cm would sink, 2 g/cm would sink, 0.83 g/cm would float
- D.
3 g/cm would float, 2 g/cm would sink, 0.83 g/cm would sink
- 8.Which layer of the earth is the thicest, is mainly composed of iron and nickel, and measures a temperature of 5.900 degrees celsius?
- A.
Mantle
- B.
Crust
- C.
Outer Core
- D.
Inner Core
- 9.What layer of the earth is the asthenosphere located?
- A.
Inner Core
- B.
Outer Core
- C.
Mantle
- D.
Crust
- 10.A natural ocurring, inorganic crystalline solid with a narrowly defined chemical composition and physical properties.
- A.
Mineral
- B.
Color
- C.
Luster
- D.
Streak
- 11.Why is color NOT a very a good method to use while identifying minerals?
- A.
Most minerals tend to be the same color
- B.
In some cases, the streak of a mineral is different from its color
- C.
The color of a mineral can be changed and altered due to impurities
- D.
Every mineral has a thin gray coating
- 12.What is the crystal structure of a mineral?
- A.
The atoms in a mineral are arranged in a consistent geometric pattern
- B.
The color of a mineral in powdered form
- C.
The way a mineral reflects light
- D.
The physical color of a mineral
- 13.Examples of luster include
- A.
Metallic
- B.
Non-metallic
- C.
Pearly
- D.
All of the above
- 14.The measure of the ability of a mineral to resist scratching
- A.
Cleavage/Fracture
- B.
Acidity
- C.
Hardness
- D.
Magnetism
- 15.In geology, the tendency of a mineral to split along specific, smooth planes
- A.
Cleavage
- B.
Fracture
- C.
Both A and B
- D.
Neither A or B
- 16.Acidity (referring to minerals) can be best defined as
- A.
The tendency of a mineral to split along specific planes
- B.
The ability to attract small particles of minerals that contain iron
- C.
The measure of the ability of a mineral to resist scratching
- D.
The ability to break down as a result of chemical reactions
- 17.Which of the following is NOT one of the main types of nonsilicate minerals?
- A.
Carbonates
- B.
Feldspars
- C.
Oxides
- D.
Sulfates
- 18.Which minerals are silicates that contain higher levels of iron and/or magnesium and are dark colored?
- A.
Halides
- B.
Ferromagnesium minerals
- C.
Feldspars
- D.
Sulfides
- 19.Igneous rock forms when magma, or molten rock, cools and hardens.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 20.Sedimentary rock forms when rock is eroded and decomposes into sediment.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 21.Metamorphic rock forms when rock is changed by certain forces, which include intense heat and pressure.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 22.How does the cooling rate of an igneous rock affect its' texture?
- A.
Cools rapidly, larger crystals. Cools slowly, smaller crystals.
- B.
Cools slowly, larger crystals. Cools rapidly, smaller crystals.
- C.
Both A and B
- D.
Neither A or B
- 23.The texture of a foliated metamorphic rock is arranged in:
- A.
Parallel planes or bands
- B.
Perpendicular planes or bands
- C.
Parallel spheres or circles
- D.
Alternating colorful bands
- 24.An example of a silicate mineral is
- A.
Gypsum : CaSO4 x 2Hz0
- B.
Plagioclase : SiOCa
- C.
Galena : PbS
- D.
Halite : NaCI
- 25.The natural process by which atmospheric and environmental agents, such as wind, rain, and temperature changes, disintegrate and decompose solids.
- A.
Weathering
- B.
Metamorphism
- C.
Oxidation
- D.
Uniformitarianism
- 26.The process by which rocs break down into smaller pieces by physical means.
- A.
Metamorphism
- B.
Sedimentarianism
- C.
Chemical Weathering
- D.
Physical Weathering
- 27.Which is an example of chemical weathering?
- A.
Ice wedging
- B.
Oxidation
- C.
Plant growth
- 28.Metamorphism can be best defined as
- A.
The process in which one type of rock changes into metamorphic rock because of chemical processes or changes in temperature and pressure
- B.
A change in the texture, structure, or chemical composition of a rock due to contact with magma
- C.
The theory that the continents formed one single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations
- 29.Contact metamorphism is the law that a sedimentary rock layer is older than the layers above it and younger than the layers below it if the layers remain undisturbed.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 30.Regional metamorphism is a change in the texture, structure, or chemical composition of a rock due to change in the temperature.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 31.What type of metamorphism is described in this example? Marble is created from limestone that has been subjected to heat from an igneous intrusion.
- A.
Regional Metamorphism
- B.
Oxidation
- C.
Contact Metamorphism
- D.
Chemical Metamorphism
- 32.What are factors that increase the rate of weathering?
- A.
Composition of rock
- B.
Climate
- C.
Topography
- D.
All of the above
- 33.Sedimentary rocks form from sediment. Explain how sediments are deposited along the bottom of an ocean floor according to size.
- 34.What are the two types of Earth's crust?
- A.
Oceanic crust
- B.
Continental crust
- C.
Both A and B
- D.
Neither A or B
- 35.
- A.
Is very dense
- B.
5-10 kilometers thick
- C.
Made up of rock that is rich in silica
- D.
Is the crust that makes up the continents
- 36.What is a fossil?
- A.
The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock
- B.
A break in the geologic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long time
- C.
A type of igneous intrusion
- D.
The solid, plastic layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere
- 37.What type of rock are fossils typically found in?
- A.
Igneous rock
- B.
Sedimentary rock
- C.
Metamorphic rock
- D.
All of the above
- 38.What are the two methods for identifying the age of rocks?
- A.
Relative dating and absolute dating
- B.
Oceanic dating and continental dating
- C.
Physical dating and chemical dating
- D.
Radiometric dating and carbon dating
- 39.There are several laws listed below. Choose the ones that are used in identifying the age of rocks.
- A.
Law of Superposition
- B.
Law of Horizontality
- C.
Law of Cross-Cutting Relationships
- D.
Law of Baked Contact (contact metamorphism)
- E.
Uniformitarianism
- F.
Law of Relativity
- 40.What is an unconformity?
- A.
A break in the geologic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long time
- B.
The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock
- C.
A occurrence at a convergent boundary; two oceanic plates collide and crumple
- D.
A goth kid from the infamous television show, "South Park".
- 41.What are the three types of unconformities?
- A.
Nonconformitiies
- B.
Angular unconformities
- C.
Disconformities
- D.
All of the above
- 42.Compare the age of continental rocks to those along the mid-ocean ridges. If needed, refer to the picture on page 5.
- 43.What principle tells us that a fault or igneous intrusion is younger than the rock layers they cut through?
- A.
Superposition
- B.
Absolute dating
- C.
Cross-cutting relationships
- D.
Radioactive decay
- 44.A dike is a kind of
- A.
Cross-cutting relation
- B.
Bridge
- C.
Intrusion
- D.
Granite
- 45.A half-life is the time it takes for a quarter of the atoms in a radioactive sample to decay.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 46.What is continental drift?
- A.
The theory that the continents once formed a single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations
- B.
The law that a sedimentary rock layer is older than the layers above it and younger than the layers below it if the layers are undisturbed
- C.
The law that states that sedimentary rock left undisturbed will remain in horizontal layers.
- D.
The principle that a fault or body of rock is younger than any other body of rock it cuts through
- 47.Which of the following supported the theory of continental drift?
- A.
Matching fossil plant remains on two different continents
- B.
Matching animal remains on tow different continents
- C.
Identical sedimentary rocks of the same age at widely separated locations
- D.
All of the above
- 48.There is also evidence that the continents are moving apart from one another due to magma rising out of the mid-ocean ridges. What do scientists call this form of evidence?
- A.
Plate tectonics
- B.
Sea-floor spreading
- C.
Slab pull
- D.
Ridge push
- 49.The three main types of lithospheric plates are
- A.
Convergent boundaries
- B.
Divergent boundaries
- C.
Transform boundaries
- D.
All of above
- 50.There are three major kinds of volcanoes. They are
- A.
Stratovolcanoes/composite
- B.
Cinder cone
- C.
Shield
- D.
All of the above
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