High School Earth Science: Who Wants to Be a Dollaraire?

Igneous rocks are formed by--
1. heat and pressure on existing rocks
2. evaporation of water, leaving solids behind
3. cooling and hardening of molten rock
4. layers of mud on the bottom of a lake
What is the main advantage of using dams to produce electrical energy?
1. They can be built near most cities.
2. They do not produce much pollution.
3. They are inexpensive to build.
4. They do not damage wildlife homes.
1. Water any container in which the soil feels dry
2. Water all of the containers the same amount at the same time
3. Water any of the plants that seem to be growing more slowly than the others
4. Water the plants in compacted soil more than those in uncompacted soil
Which planet is often called "Earth's twin" because it is similar in mass and diameter to the Earth?
1. Mars
2. Mercury
3. Venus
4. Pluto
1. the heat rising from the inner core is melting the outer core
2. there is more water in the outer core and it dilutes the materials
3. the outer core is farther from the center, and there is less gravity holding it together
4. the pressure from all of Earth's layers keeps it in a solid state
A light-year measures--
1. brightness
2. distance
3. radiation
4. time
Which vertebrate did not live during the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic Era)?
Land breezes and sea breezes are created by the differences in--
1. the Earth's tilt on its axis
2. solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface
3. the heat capacity between water and land
4. the living organisms occurring in the land and sea
Which of the following minerals found in the northern Piedmont province is known as "fool's gold"?
1. Pyrite
2. Hematite
3. Galena
4. Limonite
1. cold air moving in the direction the triangles point
2. cold air moving opposite the direction the triangles point
3. warm air moving in the direction the triangles point
4. warm air moving opposite the direction the triangles point
1. Laser beams
2. Doppler radar
3. Sonar
4. Seismology
Which diagram correctly shows wind motion between pressure areas?
During droughts, lack of rain can lead to wells drying up. This is because the drought has lowered the--
1. water table
2. water trough
3. zone of aeration
4. zone of porosity
Which of these is the best evidence that the Earth's crust has undergone some major changes?
1. The location of major rivers
2. The amount of available water on Earth
3. The presence of marine fossils in mountain rock
4. The arrival of the vernal equinox
1. 5,700 years
2. 11,400 years
3. 17,100 years
4. 22,800 years
1. Black hole
2. Dwarf star
3. Main-sequence star
4. Stellar nebula
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
Of the following, the largest division on the geologic time scale is--
1. a year
2. an epoch
3. an era
4. a period
Saturn's volume is 762 times the volume of Earth, and yet its mass is only about 95 times that of Earth's mass. This is due to Saturn's--
1. low density
2. temperature
3. thousands of rings
4. distance from the sun
When placed in water, ice rises to the top of the liquid. Unlike most solids that sink when placed in their liquid forms, ice floats because--
1. it is colder than water
2. it is less dense than water
3. the pressure of the water holds it up
4. gases inside the ice make it buoyant
1. tension
2. shearing
3. compression
4. rifting
1. they can destroy roadways
2. tractors can fall into them
3. homes can be damaged by them
4. they can connect directly to the water table
Orbital velocity is the average speed of a planet moving through space in its orbit around the sun. Which of the following planets has the fastest orbital velocity?
1. Mercury
2. Jupiter
3. Mars
4. Pluto
1. They move along the bottom.
2. They stop moving as soon as they reach the ocean floor.
3. They are temperature-dependent.
4. They only occur in salt water.
In karst regions, caves are carved by the flow of water through limestone bedrock. How do the stalagmites and stalactites in the caves develop?
1. They are carbonate deposits formed by dripping water in air-filled cavities.
2. They are granite intrusions that remain behind after water dissolves the surrounding limestone.
3. They are crystals that grow as water hollows out the cavern.
4. They are carvings made in limestone by the swirling water as it hollows out the cavern.
1. Quartz is harder than topaz.
2. Calcite is harder than apatite.
3. Fluorite is harder than feldspar.
4. Gypsum is harder than talc.
1. Granite
2. Limestone
3. Marble
4. Shale
Ocean --> Evaporation --> Condensation
Which of these would come next in the water cycle?
1. Aeration
2. Sedimentation
3. Deposition
4. Precipitation
The edges of moving crustal plates are often defined by--
1. ocean basins
2. frequent seismic activity
3. intercontinental plains
4. Earth's largest rivers
1. Chromosphere
2. Photosphere
3. Core
4. Corona
The topographic map that may show a hill with a volcanic crater is--
1. 2 minutes
2. 3 minutes
3. 4 minutes
4. 5 minutes
The ozone layer protects life on Earth from--
1. ultraviolet rays
2. gamma rays
3. infrared rays
4. x-rays
1. 40 km
2. 300 km
3. 1200 km
4. 2100 km
All of the following features of the ocean indicate tectonic activity except--
1. abyssal plains
2. mid-ocean ridges
3. seamounts
4. trenches
Which of these causes days and nights?
1. The orbit of the Earth around the sun
2. The revolution of the moon around the Earth
3. The rotation of the moon on its axis
4. The rotation of the Earth on its axis
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
1. focus
2. epicenter
3. fault line
4. shock wave
Which of these facts is the best supporting evidence that the universe is expanding?
1. The stars vary in chemical composition.
2. The galaxies are moving away from each other.
3. The galaxies can spin to form eddies.
4. The universe is filled with galaxies of different sizes.
In which of the graphs would the precipitation at ground level most likely be rain?
Jellyfish have rarely been fossilized because they--
1. contain no carbon compounds
2. are very rare animals
3. are generally found in oceans
4. have soft bodies
Which of the landforms is most likely to result when two continents collide?
Why is the surface temperature of the oceans more variable than the water near the ocean floor?
1. Most energy is exchanged at the surface.
2. Most animals live near the surface.
3. The water is less dense at the surface.
4. The salt concentration is more variable at the surface.
1. lower layers subjected to less pressure
2. erosion of the upper layers' surfaces
3. less deformation than in the lower block
4. presence of more igneous rock in the block
More often than metamorphic or igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks have--
1. many holes from trapped gases
2. large quartz crystals
3. numerous fossils
4. a glassy appearance
Virginia has large deposits of sand and gravel. These are usually found in areas where--
1. water once flowed
2. lava once covered the ground
3. swamps once were present
4. the water table was once very low
Which of these energy sources originates from a nonrenewable resource?
1. Solar
2. Geothermal
3. Fossil fuel
4. Hydroelectric
What does Pangaea mean?
1. It is the name of an extinct volcano.
2. It is the French word for volcano.
3. It is the name of an ancient supercontinent.
4. It is a huge disruption of the Earth's atmospheric circulation.
1. Spring
2. Summer
3. Autumn
4. Winter
Which of these can determine the size
of grains in igneous rocks?
1. Amount of rare minerals
2. Distance from a plate boundary
3. Size of the volcano
4. Cooling rate of molten rock
Which element in Earth's atmosphere
is essential for human life and is
extremely rare or nonexistent in the
atmospheres of other planets in our
solar system?
1. Carbon dioxide
2. Hydrogen
3. Nitrogen
4. Oxygen
Which of the following is part of a
valid process for supporting a
hypothesis?
1. Altering results
2. Single trials
3. Experimentation
4. Limited research
The numerous rocks orbiting the sun
between Jupiter and Mars are --
1. comets
2. asteroids
3. meteorites
4. satellites
What property is shared by many
gemstones, such as diamonds, rubies,
sapphires, emeralds, and topaz?
1. Extreme hardness
2. High specific gravity
3. Carbon as the primary element
4. Ductility
1. Both types are predominately pyroxene.
2. Both types are predominately olivine.
3. Achondrites contain more feldspar.
4. Achondrites contain more nickel-iron.
The density of a mineral is determined
by its mass and --
1. hardness
2. luster
3. volume
4. shape
What causes currents in the
atmosphere?
1. Ocean waves and currents
2. Pressure from the ozone layer
3. Solar heating of the upper atmosphere
4. Warm air rising and cold air sinking
1. I, II, IV, III
2. III, I, II, IV
3. II, IV, III, I
4. III, II, IV, I
The first manned-mission to land on
the moon was commanded by Neil
Armstrong and was called --
1. Apollo 11
2. Gemini 3
3. Viking 2
4. Mariner 7
The Marianas Trench in the Pacific
Ocean is 36,160 feet below sea level.
This deep oceanic trench is caused
by --
1. swift ocean currents eroding away the ocean floor
2. the collapse of an empty magma chamber in a large volcano
3. excessive boat traffic disrupting the normal sedimentation process
4. two tectonic plates colliding and one plunging below the other
The sun emits energy by converting
hydrogen into helium. What is this
process called?
1. Fusion
2. Fission
3. Sunspot formation
4. Solar wind
One part of California is on the Pacific
Plate, while the remainder of the state
is on the North American Plate. The
two plates are moving to the northwest
at different speeds, causing one plate
to slide past the other. This movement
in plates creates a --
1. normal fault
2. reverse fault
3. strike-slip fault
4. thrust fault
1. 1260 feet
2. 1280 feet
3. 1300 feet
4. 1360 feet
Which of the following is not a fossil
fuel?
1. Coal
2. Wood
3. Petroleum
4. Natural gas
Periodically, there are spectacular
meteor showers on Earth. These
showers usually occur because the
Earth's orbit passes through the
remains of --
1. a star
2. a comet
3. solar flares
4. the rings of Saturn
Which of these pictures shows the last
in the sequence of events?
Which of these is important in the
formation of clouds?
1. The relative length of day and night
2. The Coriolis effect
3. The melting of the polar ice caps
4. The cooling of air as it rises
What is usually responsible for an
earthquake?
1. Pressure buildup within the mantle
2. Slippage along faults within Earth's crust
3. Weathering along coastlines
4. Force changes from the moon pulling on Earth
When Venus passes between the Earth
and the sun, it is visible as a tiny black
dot on the sun's bright disk. Why is
Mars never visible in this same way?
1. The orbit of Mars is more eccentric than that of Venus.
2. The orbit of Mars is outside that of Earth's orbit.
3. Mars is too small to be seen against the backdrop of the sun.
4. Mars shines too brightly to be visible against the sun.
Wetlands are more prevalent in which
physiographic province of Virginia?
1. Coastal Plain
2. Piedmont
3. Blue Ridge
4. Appalachian Plateau
If the polar ice caps were to melt, all of
the following would occur except --
1. increased coastal flooding
2. increased sea level
3. decreased ocean salinity
4. decreased tidal action
Caves are found in Virginia's Valley
and Ridge province because the area is
underlain by --
1. granite
2. shale
3. gneiss
4. limestone
What is one of the major indications
that the Earth's climate has varied
over time?
1. Land forms carved by glaciers in temperate areas
2. Depletion of oxygen in lakes and rivers
3. Ocean currents
4. Magnetic reversals in layers of rock
Why does water move more slowly
through clay than through humus?
1. Clay has greater permeability.
2. Clay has very small pore spaces.
3. Clay prevents capillary attraction of water.
4. Clay reduces evaporation rates.
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
Which of the following minerals, when
in the form of sand, can be used to
manufacture glass?
1. Gypsum
2. Diamond
3. Calcite
4. Quartz
The two most common ions found in
ocean water are --
1. chloride and sodium
2. potassium and calcium
3. phosphate and nitrate
4. magnesium and sodium
If there were a slight increase in the
amount of solar energy that reached
the Earth, there would be an
immediate increase in --
1. erosion
2. evaporation
3. volcanic activity
4. groundwater flow
Scientists use volcanoes and
earthquake activity to establish --
1. plate boundaries
2. lines of latitude
3. borders between countries
4. the density of rock layers
1. Hightown Valley
2. Monterey
3. Jack Mountain
4. Bull Pasture
Which of the following properties
refers to the colored powder resulting
from rubbing a mineral against a
harder surface?
1. Hardness
2. Luster
3. Cleavage
4. Streak
Metamorphic rocks whose minerals are
arranged in layers or bands are
called --
1. unfoliated
2. nonclastic
3. clastic
4. foliated
Slate is a fairly common rock that can
be used for roofing shingles. What
property makes it most suitable for
this use?
1. It can be split into thin, flat layers.
2. It feels soft and smooth.
3. It is hard and brittle.
4. It can occur in different colors.
1. Mercury
2. Mars
3. Jupiter
4. Saturn
Heat and pressure can transform
igneous rock into metamorphic rock.
What processes can transform igneous
rock into sedimentary rock?
1. Heat and pressure
2. Rifting and subduction
3. Erosion and sedimentation
4. Evaporation and condensation
1. pyrite
2. garnet
3. magnetite
4. topaz
1. 40 millibars
2. 120 millibars
3. 200 millibars
4. 400 millibars
Which of these is most important in
determining how a rock was formed?
1. Color and shape
2. Luster and hardness
3. Composition and texture
4. Size and weight
Which of these parts of a saber-toothed
cat was most likely to become
fossilized?
1. Hair
2. Skin
3. Muscles
4. Jaws
Government programs to reduce acid
rain have resulted in cleaner emissions
from U.S. industries in recent years. As
a result, the sulfate concentration in
rainwater has declined significantly.
But the sulfate concentration in some
lakes is showing little, if any, change.
Why might this be true?
1. There is no connection between emissions from industry and the acidity of lake water.
2. The sulfate in American lakes is actually coming from industries in Europe and Asia.
3. Sulfate that accumulated earlier in the soil is still being flushed into the lakes by run-off.
4. Individual industries produce fewer emissions but the amount of precipitation has increased.
Limestone is a valuable resource in
Virginia because limestone can be
processed to make --
1. plastic
2. steel
3. concrete
4. plywood
Lightweight and strong, the metal that
has been recycled with the greatest
success is --
1. steel
2. tin
3. aluminum
4. titanium
Photographs of the surface of Mars
reveal the presence of sand dunes that
shift over time. These dunes
demonstrate the presence of what
phenomenon on Mars?
1. Precipitation
2. Winds
3. Magnetic pole reversals
4. Plate tectonics
Which planet in the solar system has
an orbit so eccentric that it crosses the
orbit of another planet?
1. Mars
2. Mercury
3. Jupiter
4. Pluto
1. Allegheny Mountains
2. Chesapeake Bay
3. James River
4. Taconic Highlands

High School Earth Science: Who Wants to Be a Dollaraire?

Multiple-Choice Exercise
Content © 2009 Tami Maloney; Author of Activity: Tami Maloney; All rights reserved. No commercial, for-profit use of this material is allowed. E-mail comments and questions to Tami Maloney.

Igneous rocks are formed by--

What is the main advantage of using dams to produce electrical energy?

Which planet is often called "Earth's twin" because it is similar in mass and diameter to the Earth?

A light-year measures--

**Which vertebrate did not live during the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic Era)?**

Land breezes and sea breezes are created by the differences in--

Which of the following minerals found in the northern Piedmont province is known as "fool's gold"?

Which diagram correctly shows wind motion between pressure areas?

During droughts, lack of rain can lead to wells drying up. This is because the drought has lowered the--

Which of these is the best evidence that the Earth's crust has undergone some major changes?

Of the following, the largest division on the geologic time scale is--

Saturn's volume is 762 times the volume of Earth, and yet its mass is only about 95 times that of Earth's mass. This is due to Saturn's--

When placed in water, ice rises to the top of the liquid. Unlike most solids that sink when placed in their liquid forms, ice floats because--

Orbital velocity is the average speed of a planet moving through space in its orbit around the sun. Which of the following planets has the fastest orbital velocity?

In karst regions, caves are carved by the flow of water through limestone bedrock. How do the stalagmites and stalactites in the caves develop?

Ocean --> Evaporation --> Condensation
Which of these would come next in the water cycle?

The edges of moving crustal plates are often defined by--

The topographic map that may show a hill with a volcanic crater is--

The ozone layer protects life on Earth from--

All of the following features of the ocean indicate tectonic activity except--

Which of these causes days and nights?

Which of these facts is the best supporting evidence that the universe is expanding?

**In which of the graphs would the precipitation at ground level most likely be rain?**

Jellyfish have rarely been fossilized because they--

**Which of the landforms is most likely to result when two continents collide?**

Why is the surface temperature of the oceans more variable than the water near the ocean floor?

More often than metamorphic or igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks have--

Virginia has large deposits of sand and gravel. These are usually found in areas where--

Which of these energy sources originates from a nonrenewable resource?

What does Pangaea mean?

High School Earth Science: Who Wants to Be a Dollaraire?

Multiple-Choice ExerciseContent © 2009 Tami Maloney; Author of Activity: Tami Maloney; All rights reserved. No commercial, for-profit use of this material is allowed. E-mail comments and questions to Tami Maloney.

Igneous rocks are formed by--

What is the main advantage of using dams to produce electrical energy?

Which planet is often called "Earth's twin" because it is similar in mass and diameter to the Earth?

A light-year measures--

Which vertebrate did not live during the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic Era)?

Land breezes and sea breezes are created by the differences in--

Which of the following minerals found in the northern Piedmont province is known as "fool's gold"?

Which diagram correctly shows wind motion between pressure areas?

During droughts, lack of rain can lead to wells drying up. This is because the drought has lowered the--

Which of these is the best evidence that the Earth's crust has undergone some major changes?

Of the following, the largest division on the geologic time scale is--

Saturn's volume is 762 times the volume of Earth, and yet its mass is only about 95 times that of Earth's mass. This is due to Saturn's--

When placed in water, ice rises to the top of the liquid. Unlike most solids that sink when placed in their liquid forms, ice floats because--

Orbital velocity is the average speed of a planet moving through space in its orbit around the sun. Which of the following planets has the fastest orbital velocity?

In karst regions, caves are carved by the flow of water through limestone bedrock. How do the stalagmites and stalactites in the caves develop?

Ocean --> Evaporation --> CondensationWhich of these would come next in the water cycle?

The edges of moving crustal plates are often defined by--

The topographic map that may show a hill with a volcanic crater is--

The ozone layer protects life on Earth from--

All of the following features of the ocean indicate tectonic activity except--

Which of these causes days and nights?

Which of these facts is the best supporting evidence that the universe is expanding?

In which of the graphs would the precipitation at ground level most likely be rain?

Jellyfish have rarely been fossilized because they--

Which of the landforms is most likely to result when two continents collide?

Why is the surface temperature of the oceans more variable than the water near the ocean floor?

More often than metamorphic or igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks have--

Virginia has large deposits of sand and gravel. These are usually found in areas where--

Which of these energy sources originates from a nonrenewable resource?

What does Pangaea mean?

Multiple-Choice Exercise
Content © 2009 Tami Maloney; Author of Activity: Tami Maloney; All rights reserved. No commercial, for-profit use of this material is allowed. E-mail comments and questions to Tami Maloney.

**Which vertebrate did not live during the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic Era)?**

Ocean --> Evaporation --> Condensation
Which of these would come next in the water cycle?

**In which of the graphs would the precipitation at ground level most likely be rain?**

**Which of the landforms is most likely to result when two continents collide?**