Question 1

The outer solid layer of the Earth is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  atmosphere 
B)  magnetosphere 
C)  lithosphere 
D)  mantle 
A)  atmosphere 
B)  magnetosphere 
C)  lithosphere 
D)  mantle C

Question 2

If originally there were X atoms of radioactive isotope present and now there are only X/8 atoms, how many half-lives have elapsed?

Accepted Answer

A)  3 
B)  1 
C)  4 
D)  2 
A)  3 
B)  1 
C)  4 
D)  2 A

Question 3

The radioactive isotope 226Ra (atomic number 88) decays to the isotope 222Rn (atomic number 86). What type of radioactive decay is this?

Accepted Answer

A)  beta decay 
B)  electron ionization 
C)  electron capture 
D)  alpha decay 
A)  beta decay 
B)  electron ionization 
C)  electron capture 
D)  alpha decay A

Question 4

Without the greenhouse effect, the global average temperature of the Earth's surface would be

Accepted Answer

A)  around the boiling point of water 
B)  around the freezing point of water 
C)  well above the boiling point of water 
D)  about the same as it is today 
E)  well below the freezing point of water 
A)  around the boiling point of water 
B)  around the freezing point of water 
C)  well above the boiling point of water 
D)  about the same as it is today 
E)  well below the freezing point of water

Question 5

The Earth's geological history is divided into how many eons?

Accepted Answer

A)  4 
B)  1 
C)  3 
D)  2 
A)  4 
B)  1 
C)  3 
D)  2

Question 6

In which type or types of radioactive decay does the mass number of the parent nucleus change?

Accepted Answer

A)  electron capture only 
B)  beta decay only 
C)  alpha decay only 
D)  beta decay and electron capture 
A)  electron capture only 
B)  beta decay only 
C)  alpha decay only 
D)  beta decay and electron capture

Question 7

Even though Venus is almost the same size as the Earth it does not have plate tectonics. This is most likely because

Accepted Answer

A)  it has cooled more rapidly so that there is not enough internal convection to break up its crust 
B)  it has no oceans for subduction and seafloor spreading to occur in 
C)  due to the high temperatures at its surface, its crust has dried up and thickened so it cannot break up into plates 
D)  impacts have filled its plate boundaries essentially turning the process off 
A)  it has cooled more rapidly so that there is not enough internal convection to break up its crust 
B)  it has no oceans for subduction and seafloor spreading to occur in 
C)  due to the high temperatures at its surface, its crust has dried up and thickened so it cannot break up into plates 
D)  impacts have filled its plate boundaries essentially turning the process off

Question 8

Sandstone is a common type of

Accepted Answer

A)  meteoritic rock 
B)  sedimentary rock 
C)  metamorphic rock 
D)  igneous rock 
A)  meteoritic rock 
B)  sedimentary rock 
C)  metamorphic rock 
D)  igneous rock

Question 9

The amount of geological activity occurring on a terrestrial planet is related

Accepted Answer

A)  only to its distance from the Sun 
B)  only to the amount of internal radioactive heating 
C)  to its size and the amount of internal radioactive heating 
D)  only to its size 
A)  only to its distance from the Sun 
B)  only to the amount of internal radioactive heating 
C)  to its size and the amount of internal radioactive heating 
D)  only to its size

Question 10

A fossil is found in a layer of strata below one layer dated at 8 million years. From this we can deduce the age of the fossil to be

Accepted Answer

A)  between 7 and 8 million years old 
B)  we can tell nothing about the fossil's age from this data 
C)  older than 8 million years 
D)  younger than 7 million years 
A)  between 7 and 8 million years old 
B)  we can tell nothing about the fossil's age from this data 
C)  older than 8 million years 
D)  younger than 7 million years

Question 11

Why can't the carbon dioxide cycle easily correct for the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide introduced into our atmosphere by industrialization?

Accepted Answer

A)  it operates far too slowly to correct for any short-term changes 
B)  pollution has stopped the carbon dioxide cycle from operating 
C)  the carbon dioxide cycle only influences carbon dioxide produced by natural sources 
D)  it operates far too quickly to correct for any short-term changes 
A)  it operates far too slowly to correct for any short-term changes 
B)  pollution has stopped the carbon dioxide cycle from operating 
C)  the carbon dioxide cycle only influences carbon dioxide produced by natural sources 
D)  it operates far too quickly to correct for any short-term changes

Question 12

A radioactive isotope with an atomic number of 90 undergoes beta decay. What is the atomic number of the daughter nucleus?

Accepted Answer

A)  89 
B)  91 
C)  92 
D)  88 
A)  89 
B)  91 
C)  92 
D)  88

Question 13

Compared to oceanic crust, continental crust is

Accepted Answer

A)  thinner and denser 
B)  thicker and less dense 
C)  thicker and denser 
D)  thinner and less dense 
A)  thinner and denser 
B)  thicker and less dense 
C)  thicker and denser 
D)  thinner and less dense

Question 14

The most recent ice age ended about

Accepted Answer

A)  540 million years ago 
B)  10,000 years ago 
C)  35 million years ago 
D)  200 years ago 
E)  1 billion years ago 
A)  540 million years ago 
B)  10,000 years ago 
C)  35 million years ago 
D)  200 years ago 
E)  1 billion years ago

Question 15

Mild, short-term cooling periods during the Earth's history are known as

Accepted Answer

A)  ice storms 
B)  nuclear winters 
C)  snowball Earth 
D)  ice ages 
A)  ice storms 
B)  nuclear winters 
C)  snowball Earth 
D)  ice ages

Question 16

When a metamorphic rock is melted and then re-solidifies it turns into

Accepted Answer

A)  an igneous rock 
B)  a sedimentary rock 
C)  a meteorite 
D)  another metamorphic rock 
A)  an igneous rock 
B)  a sedimentary rock 
C)  a meteorite 
D)  another metamorphic rock

Question 17

How many sterilizing impacts have occurred since the heavy bombardment?

Accepted Answer

A)  several during the last 500 million years 
B)  many throughout the Earth's history 
C)  none 
D)  one, 65 million years ago 
A)  several during the last 500 million years 
B)  many throughout the Earth's history 
C)  none 
D)  one, 65 million years ago

Question 18

Smaller worlds are more prone to atmospheric loss via impacts than large worlds because they

Accepted Answer

A)  have no plate tectonics 
B)  have weaker gravities 
C)  are more likely to be hit 
D)  have less internal heat 
A)  have no plate tectonics 
B)  have weaker gravities 
C)  are more likely to be hit 
D)  have less internal heat

Question 19

Which component of Earth's geology has helped to shield the Earth's atmosphere from energetic particles of solar wind from the Sun which would have gradually stripped it away into space?

Accepted Answer

A)  Volcanism 
B)  seismic activity 
C)  plate tectonics 
D)  global magnetism 
A)  Volcanism 
B)  seismic activity 
C)  plate tectonics 
D)  global magnetism

Question 20

What do we mean by the "geological record"?

Accepted Answer

A)  rocks from earlier periods of the Earth's history 
B)  samples of meteorites that fell to Earth early in its history 
C)  remains of ancient organisms preserved in rocks 
D)  an album by the Rolling Stones 
A)  rocks from earlier periods of the Earth's history 
B)  samples of meteorites that fell to Earth early in its history 
C)  remains of ancient organisms preserved in rocks 
D)  an album by the Rolling Stones

The outer solid layer of the Earth is called the

If originally there were X atoms of radioactive isotope present and now there are only X/8 atoms, how many half-lives have elapsed?

The radioactive isotope ²²⁶Ra (atomic number 88) decays to the isotope ²²²Rn (atomic number 86). What type of radioactive decay is this?

Without the greenhouse effect, the global average temperature of the Earth's surface would be

The Earth's geological history is divided into how many eons?

In which type or types of radioactive decay does the mass number of the parent nucleus change?

Even though Venus is almost the same size as the Earth it does not have plate tectonics. This is most likely because

Sandstone is a common type of

The amount of geological activity occurring on a terrestrial planet is related

A fossil is found in a layer of strata below one layer dated at 8 million years. From this we can deduce the age of the fossil to be

Why can't the carbon dioxide cycle easily correct for the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide introduced into our atmosphere by industrialization?

A radioactive isotope with an atomic number of 90 undergoes beta decay. What is the atomic number of the daughter nucleus?

Compared to oceanic crust, continental crust is

The most recent ice age ended about

Mild, short-term cooling periods during the Earth's history are known as

When a metamorphic rock is melted and then re-solidifies it turns into

How many sterilizing impacts have occurred since the heavy bombardment?

Smaller worlds are more prone to atmospheric loss via impacts than large worlds because they

Which component of Earth's geology has helped to shield the Earth's atmosphere from energetic particles of solar wind from the Sun which would have gradually stripped it away into space?

What do we mean by the "geological record"?

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

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Exam 4: The Habitability of Earth

The outer solid layer of the Earth is called the

If originally there were X atoms of radioactive isotope present and now there are only X/8 atoms, how many half-lives have elapsed?

The radioactive isotope 226Ra (atomic number 88) decays to the isotope 222Rn (atomic number 86). What type of radioactive decay is this?

Without the greenhouse effect, the global average temperature of the Earth's surface would be

The Earth's geological history is divided into how many eons?

In which type or types of radioactive decay does the mass number of the parent nucleus change?

Even though Venus is almost the same size as the Earth it does not have plate tectonics. This is most likely because

Sandstone is a common type of

The amount of geological activity occurring on a terrestrial planet is related

A fossil is found in a layer of strata below one layer dated at 8 million years. From this we can deduce the age of the fossil to be

Why can't the carbon dioxide cycle easily correct for the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide introduced into our atmosphere by industrialization?

A radioactive isotope with an atomic number of 90 undergoes beta decay. What is the atomic number of the daughter nucleus?

Compared to oceanic crust, continental crust is

The most recent ice age ended about

Mild, short-term cooling periods during the Earth's history are known as

When a metamorphic rock is melted and then re-solidifies it turns into

How many sterilizing impacts have occurred since the heavy bombardment?

Smaller worlds are more prone to atmospheric loss via impacts than large worlds because they

Which component of Earth's geology has helped to shield the Earth's atmosphere from energetic particles of solar wind from the Sun which would have gradually stripped it away into space?

What do we mean by the "geological record"?

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters

The radioactive isotope ²²⁶Ra (atomic number 88) decays to the isotope ²²²Rn (atomic number 86). What type of radioactive decay is this?