Varves are
A. rock deposited directly by glaciers.
B. made from sediment deposited in glacial lakes.
C. rock deposited by glaciers as they pass over lakes.
D. annual layers of sediment deposited on glaciers.
ANSWER: 

The overall effect of the atmosphere's circulation is to
A. lift heat away from the Earth.
B. cool the equatorial zone and warm the polar areas.
C. hold heat near the Earth.
D. move heat from east to west.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

The lower layer of the atmosphere
A. is called the stratophere.
B. is called the stratospause.
C. is called the tropopause.
D. constantly mixes and overturns.
E. extends out to a distance of about 1000 miles. 
ANSWER: 

Cyclones (eddies) in the atmosphere rotate
A. counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere and clockwise in the northern hemisphere.
B. counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
C. counterclockwise or clockwise depending on which way continental mountain ranges deflect them
D. None of the above.
ANSWER: 

Weather prediction is based on data collected from weather stations and satellites around the world. The most important measurements that are used are the atmosphere's pressure, temperature,
A. moisture content and altitude.
B. altitude and location.
C. altitude and wind speed.
D. moisture content and wind speed.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

Past climates can be studied by measuring the
A. size of stalactites in limestone caverns.
B. rate of growth of stalactites in limestone caverns
C. ratio of isotopes in stalactites in limestone caverns.
D. ratio of stalactites to stalagmites in limestone caverns.
E. rate of growth of stalagmites in limestone caverns.
ANSWER: 

Glaciers
A. form when snow piles up to at least a depth of 100 feet and persists for years.
B. form when snow crystals are compressed into ice.
C. move downslope under the influence of gravity.
D. usually move a few inches to a few feet each year
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning the atmosphere.
A. Most (99%) of the atmosphere is found within 50 miles of the Earth.
B. Most of the atmosphere is composed of nitrogen.
C. The atmosphere extends out from Earth for about 18,000 miles.
D. The lower layer is called the stratosphere.
E. Winds are created by convection.
ANSWER: 

Glaciers were (are) directly responsible for creating
A. U-shaped valleys, loess and sand dunes.
B. U-shaped valleys, loess and till.
C. U-shaped valleys, till and sand dunes.
D. till, sand dunes and loess.
E. None of the above.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement.
A. The height of the most recent ice age was about 18,000 years ago.
B. The Earth has endured many ice ages.
C. About 30% of the Earth's land surface was covered by ice during the ice age.
D. Sea level was lower during the ice age.
E. Ice ages occur about every 10 million years.
ANSWER: 

Cycles or changes the Earth undergoes that may contribute to ice ages are changes in the
A. tilt of the Earth's axis.
B. shape of the Earth's orbit.
C. speed of the Earth's motion around the sun.
D. speed of the Earth's rotation.
E. A and B
ANSWER: 

The ? isotopes found in the ? shells of foraminifera are studied to learn about past climates.
A. calcium; calcium carbonate
B. oxygen; radiolaria
C. oxygen; calcium
D. calcium; radiolaria
E. oxygen; calcium carbonate
ANSWER: 

When global ice sheets dwindle and shrink, seawater becomes a little
A. richer in calcium carbonate.
B. poorer in calcium carbonate.
C. richer in oxygen 16.
D. poorer in oxygen 16.
E. poorer in sodium chloride.
ANSWER: 

During the Cretaceous Period
A. dinosaurs ruled the Earth and average temperatures were 3oC warmer than presently.
B. dinosaurs ruled the Earth and average temperatures were 5oC cooler than presently.
C. mammals ruled the Earth and average temperatures were 5oC warmer than presently.
D. dinosaurs ruled the Earth and average temperatures were 6-12oC warmer than presently.
E. 200 million years ago, no permanent ice was found on the Earth since the temperatures were higher.
ANSWER: 

Choose the correct statement.
A. Plants use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.
B. Plants use both oxygen and carbon dioxide.
C. Animals use both oxygen and carbon dioxide.
D. Plants use oxygen and give off carbon dioxide.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

Greenhouse gases warm the atmosphere by
A. generating heat in the atmosphere.
B. keeping some of the heat radiation near the surface from escaping to space.
C. creating more friction in the atmosphere.
D. keeping the cold of space from penetrating to the surface.
ANSWER: 

The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has been attributed to
A. the burning of fossil fuels and the increase of the termite population.
B. the burning of fossil fuels and the increase in the use of CFM's (CFC's).
C. the burning of fossil fuels and the increase in acid rain.
D. deforestation and the decrease in ozone.
E. None of the above.
ANSWER: 

Greenhouse gases could cause
A. drought in some areas.
B. the break-up of the western Antarctic Ice Sheet.
C. the rise of sea level and flooding of coast lines.
D. the rise in the average world-wide temperature.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

Sources of methane in the atmosphere are termites, swamps,
A. cattle and rice paddies.
B. cattle and grain fields.
C. grain fields and CFM's.
D. cattle and CFM's.
E. All lof the above.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following are Greenhouse gases?
A. carbon dioxide, methane, CFC's
B. carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen
C. carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen
D. carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen
E. carbon dioxide, nitrogen, CFM's
ANSWER: 

During the Cretaceous Period
A. less CO2 was in the atmosphere than presently.
B. more CO2 was in the atmosphere than presently.
C. less water vapor was in the atmosphere than presently
D. sea level was probably higher than presently because there were no permanent ice sheets.
E. B and D
ANSWER: 

On a non-rotating Earth, winds would blow
A. in straighter lines from areas of lower pressure to areas of higher pressure.
B. in straighter lines from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure.
C. in straighter lines perpendicular to the pressure gradient.
D. counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere.
ANSWER: 

Ozone plays a vital role in
A. protecting life on Earth by regulating the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
B. protecting life on Earth by creating a large part of the oxygen in the atmosphere.
C. protecting life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet energy.
D. helping life on Earth by regulating the amount of photosynthesis on the surface.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning the surface temperature of the Earth.
A. The surface temperature of the Earth is maintained by the water vapor and CO2 creating a Greenhouse effect.
B. Without Greenhouse gases, the Earth's average temperature would be several degrees below zero.
C. A large proportion of the Earth's surface temperature comes from the Earth's hot interior.
D. As the amount of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere rises, the Earth's surface temperature should also rise.
ANSWER: 

Liquid water can exist on Earth because of
A. the Earth's gravity.
B. our distance from the sun.
C. the strong magnetic field that pulled water to the surface during its formation.
D. our rather thin atmosphere.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following was not a discovery made by Galileo through a telescope?
A. the rough surface of the moon
B. some moons of Jupiter
C. the Milky Way Galaxy
D. the rings of Saturn
E. sunspots
ANSWER: 

Our moon does not have an atmosphere because
A. the moon doesn't have water.
B. the moon doesn't have oxygen.
C. the moon doesn't have enough atmospheric pressure.
D. its gravity is too weak.
E. None of the above.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning Meteor Crater.
A. Fragments of iron and nickel were found on its rim.
B. Microscopic diamonds are found in the crater.
C. The crater is about a mile across.
D. Coon Butte is partially a volcanic crater.
E. Melted rock (glass) is found in the crater.
ANSWER: 

Choose the correct answer from the following.
A. Space dust come mainly from meteors.
B. Space dust is a product from meterorites only.
C. Space dust is another name for meteorites.
D. Less than one hundred pounds of space dust falls to the Earth yearly.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement from the following.
A. The surface of the moon was heavily cratered early in its history.
B. The surface of the moon was heavily cratered at about the same time as the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
C. The surface of the moon was heavily cratered at about the same time as Mars.
D. The surface of the moon was heavily cratered before the Earth was formed.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

The Big Bang started a sequence of events that ultimately created
A. a vast, formless cloud that was thrown out in all directions.
B. bits of dust that collided and grew larger.
C. a cloud that developed huge, rocky and metallic fragments.
D. planetesimals.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

The Great Bombardment, for the most part, was a building process that helped form planets and moons because
A. as planetesimals collided they often stuck together to form larger objects.
B. interesting crater patterns were formed by impacting.
C. interesting orbital patterns emerged due to collisions and near-misses.
D. all planetesimals took on more elliptical orbits.
E. None of the above.
ANSWER: 

Asteroids are best thought of as
A. dirty snowballs
B. a belt of fragments between Jupiter and Uranus
C. various sized chunks of rock in space.
D. fragments of rock that orbit planets. 
ANSWER: 

Venus has an atmosphere with a
A. high temperature and low surface pressure.
B. high temperature and high surface pressure.
C. low temperature and high surface pressure.
D. low temperature and low surface pressure.
E. high temperature and carbon monoxide composition.
ANSWER: 

The temperature of Venus' atmosphere is due to the Greenhouse Effect created by
A. high pressure.
B. carbon monoxide.
C. sulfuric acid.
D. carbon dioxide.
E. high winds.
ANSWER: 

Other objects in the solar system, beside the Earth, that we know have or had active volcanoes are
A. Mars, Venus and Io.
B. Mars, Venus and some asteroids.
C. Mars, Venus and Jupiter.
D. Venus, Io and Jupiter.
E. Mars, Io and Jupiter.
ANSWER: 

Choose the correct statement(s).
A. Canali are evidence that water once flowed on the surface of Mars.
B. Liquid water can not presently exist on the Martian surface.
C. River-like channels are evidence that water once flowed on the surface of Mars
D. Ice might exist under the Martian surface.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

Jupiter might have become a star, if it would have had
A. a totally different composition.
B. formed earlier.
C. a greater mass.
D. a different position in the solar system.
E. All of the above.
ANSWER: 

The Great Red Spot refers to
A. the surface of Mars.
B. the entire surface fo Jupiter.
C. a large, storm-like feature on Saturn.
D. a large, storm-like feature on Jupiter.
E. a persistent feature on Saturn.
ANSWER: 

Io is best known
A. for its active sulfur volcanoes.
B. as a moon of Saturn.
C. for its ancient, Earth-like volcanoes.
D. for its small orbit around Jupiter.
E. as the largest moon of Jupiter.
ANSWER: 

Saturn's rings are
A. composed of many fragments of ice.
B. composed of many fragments of sulfur.
C. composed of mainly fragments of rock of all sizes.
D. relatively thin compared to their width.
E. A and D
ANSWER: 

Sudden, mass extinctions are referred to as
A. the Great Bombardment which was perhaps caused by the comet, Nemesis.
B. the Great Bombardment which was perhaps caused by comets colliding with the Earth.
C. the Great Bombardment which was perhaps caused by meteorites colliding with the Earth.
D. Great Dyings which were perhaps caused by comets or meteorites colliding with the Earth.
E. Great Dyings which were perhaps caused by the comet, Nemesis.
ANSWER: 

Clues that possibly relate to the extinction of the dinosaurs are iridium and shocked quartz found in a
A. clay layer that was formed at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
B. rock layer that was formed at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
C. rock layer that was formed at the beginning of the Cretaceous Period.
D. clay layer that was formed at the beginning of the Cretaceous Period.
ANSWER: 

Dinosaurs perhaps became extinct because
A. a dust cloud greatly warmed the Earth.
B. a dust cloud cooled the Earth by cutting off the sun's light.
C. many small animals in the sea died and this led to their starvation
D. a dust cloud killed most of the life in the sea.
E. A and C
ANSWER: 

The theory concerning Nemesis, states that this object
A. moves through the asteroid belt every 26 million years.
B. is a brown dwarf type star that moves through the Oort Cloud every 26 million years.
C. is a star exactly like our sun.
D. is a comet that moves through the Oort Cloud every 26-30 million years.
E. moves through the asteroid belt of comets every 26-30 million years causing many to fall to the Earth.
ANSWER: 

Which one of the following is not a planet?
A. Mercury
B. Mars
C. Jupiter
D. Earth
E. Titan
ANSWER: 

Why do we see so few impact craters on Earth?
A. Earth was poorly situated for impacts by extraterrestrial objects.
B. Most of the meteorites were diverted to the Moon by its gravity field.
C. Most of them have been removed by erosion.
D. Craters are more easily produced in moon rocks than in Earth rocks.
ANSWER: 

The most abundant gas in Venus' atmosphere is
A. nitrogen.
B. oxygen.
C. sulfuric acid.
D. carbon dioxide.
E. argon.
ANSWER: 

Which feature has not been found on Mars?
A. polar ice caps
B. oceans
C. volcanoes
D. craters
E. river-like channels
ANSWER: 

The composition of Jupiter is most similar to that of
A. the Earth.
B. the Moon.
C. Venus.
D. Mars.
E. the Sun.
ANSWER: 

The surface of which moon of Jupiter is not dominated by ice?
A. Callisto
B. Ganymede
C. Europa
D. Io
ANSWER: 

The most volcanically active body in the solar system (as far as we know) is
A. the Moon.
B. the Earth.
C. Io.
D. Titan.
E. Mars.
ANSWER: 

The huge volcano Olympus Mons is located on which body?
A. Mercury
B. Venus
C. Moon
D. Mars
E. Io
ANSWER: 

In the very early history of the solar system, there were
A. more smaller objects flying around than at present.
B. fewer but larger objects than at present.
C. about the same number of objects as at present.
D. more larger objects than at present.
E. fewer and much smaller objects than at present.
ANSWER: 

The search for Nemesis has been triggered by the idea that
A. objects colliding with the Earth must have come from far outside the solar system.
B. the composition of the colliding objects were not very similar to that of the Sun.
C. extinctions appear to have been periodic in occurrence.
D. aluminum-26 must have been abundant in the colliding object. 
ANSWER: 

Which of the following are classifications of meteorites?
A. basalt and igneous
B. irons and magnetite
C. iron and stoney
D. shower and crystal
ANSWER: 

Choose the correct association.
A. a typical shooting star - meteorite - size of a grain of sand
B. a typical shooting star - meteorite - debris from comets
C. larger fragments - meteorite - probably part of an asteroid
D. larger fragments - meteors - probably part of an asteroid
E. large fragments - meteors - debris from comets
ANSWER: 

Most asteroids revolve about the sun between the orbits of
A. Jupiter and Saturn.
B. Mars and Jupiter.
C. Earth and Mars.
D. Saturn and Uranus.
ANSWER: 

It has been discovered that the nucleus of Comet Halley is
A. perfectly round and smooth.
B. bright and irregularly shaped.
C. very dark and irregularly shaped.
D. very dark and perfectly smooth, with no obvious relief.
ANSWER: 

The formation of asteroids may be the result of
A. a collision between two large planets.
B. planetary-type material that never formed into a planet.
C. an exploded planet.
D. the escape of Jovian-type satellites.
ANSWER: 

So far the crater that best fits the description of the asteroid impact that may have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs was found
A. off the coast of Hawaii.
B. off the coast of Yucatan, Mexico.
C. near Flagstaff, Arizona.
D. in Crater Lake, Oregon.
ANSWER: 

A comet's tail is produced as the
A. nucleus explodes.
B. comet reaches its most distance point from the sun and vaporizes.
C. gases from the comet are compressed back against the nucleus.
D. ice is warmed and partially vaporized by the sun's heat.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning asteroids with Earth intersecting trajectories (paths).
A. Many are large (greater than 10 kilometers, 6 miles across).
B. Most have their trajectories created by collisions within the asteroids belt.
C. Several large asteroids cross between the Earth and the moon every year.
D. About once a year an asteroid hits our atmosphere with the force of an atomic bomb.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following would be the most likely sequence of events produced by a large object colliding with the Earth?
A. large fires or huge tsunami followed by an impact winter and ozone destruction
B. large fires or huge tsunami followed by acid rain and an ice age
C. a large crater forms followed by cooling, widespread fires and acid rain
D. cooling, cratering, widespread fires and ozone depletion
ANSWER: 

Iron meteorites are probably formed from the
A. cores of large asteroids.
B. surfaces of large asteroids.
C. condensing of pure iron atoms during the earliest part of the solar nebula.
D. nuclei of comets.
ANSWER: 
