Question 1

If the temperature of the Earth warms up how does the carbon dioxide cycle respond?

Accepted Answer

A)  it slows the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling less carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere 
B)  it increases the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus increasing the rate of carbon dioxide production 
C)  it reduces the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus reducing the rate of carbon dioxide production 
D)  it speeds up the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere 
A)  it slows the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling less carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere 
B)  it increases the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus increasing the rate of carbon dioxide production 
C)  it reduces the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus reducing the rate of carbon dioxide production 
D)  it speeds up the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere

Question 2

The greenhouse effect is the

Accepted Answer

A)  generation of heat in the outer layer of the Earth's atmosphere due to absorption of short wavelength radiation 
B)  generation of heat in the ozone layer due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation 
C)  release of heat by volcanism along tectonic plate boundaries 
D)  trapping of infrared radiation from the Earth's surface by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water 
A)  generation of heat in the outer layer of the Earth's atmosphere due to absorption of short wavelength radiation 
B)  generation of heat in the ozone layer due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation 
C)  release of heat by volcanism along tectonic plate boundaries 
D)  trapping of infrared radiation from the Earth's surface by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water

Question 3

When a metamorphic rock is eroded and then becomes deposited at the bottom of an ocean it turns into

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

The inner core of the Earth is made of

Accepted Answer

A)  solid iron and nickel 
B)  liquid iron and nickel 
C)  liquid rock 
D)  solid rock 
A)  solid iron and nickel 
B)  liquid iron and nickel 
C)  liquid rock 
D)  solid rock

Question 5

The Moon, Mercury, and Mars do not have plate tectonics because

Accepted Answer

A)  they have cooled so rapidly that they do not have enough internal convection to break up their thick crusts 
B)  they have no oceans for subduction and seafloor spreading to occur in 
C)  impacts have filled in the plate boundaries essentially turning the process off 
D)  their crusts have dried up and thickened so the crust cannot be broken up into plates 
A)  they have cooled so rapidly that they do not have enough internal convection to break up their thick crusts 
B)  they have no oceans for subduction and seafloor spreading to occur in 
C)  impacts have filled in the plate boundaries essentially turning the process off 
D)  their crusts have dried up and thickened so the crust cannot be broken up into plates

Question 6

Which of the following processes is believed to have been an important source of the Earth's atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  outgassing by volcanoes on the Earth's surface 
B)  gas trapped from the solar nebula 
C)  matter blasted from the surface of the Moon 
D)  charged particles trapped from the Sun 
A)  outgassing by volcanoes on the Earth's surface 
B)  gas trapped from the solar nebula 
C)  matter blasted from the surface of the Moon 
D)  charged particles trapped from the Sun

Question 7

A rock sample contains 1/2 microgram of the parent radioactive isotope Uranium-235 and 1/2 microgram of its daughter isotope Lead-207. If the half-life of this decay is 700 million years, how old is this rock?

Accepted Answer

A)  1400 million years 
B)  2100 million years 
C)  700 million years 
D)  350 million years 
A)  1400 million years 
B)  2100 million years 
C)  700 million years 
D)  350 million years

Question 8

If originally there were X atoms of radioactive isotope present and now there are only X/2 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

Question 9

A radioactive isotope with an atomic number of 37 undergoes electron capture. What is the atomic number of the daughter nucleus?

Accepted Answer

A)  35 
B)  34 
C)  38 
D)  36 
A)  35 
B)  34 
C)  38 
D)  36

Question 10

If you were to come back to Earth in 150 million years time, what would a map of the planet look like compared to today?

Accepted Answer

A)  so completely different that none of our current continents would be recognizable 
B)  only slightly different because plate motion is extremely slow 
C)  exactly the same because plate tectonics is no longer occurring 
D)  quite different because plate tectonics would have caused a shift in the position of the continents 
A)  so completely different that none of our current continents would be recognizable 
B)  only slightly different because plate motion is extremely slow 
C)  exactly the same because plate tectonics is no longer occurring 
D)  quite different because plate tectonics would have caused a shift in the position of the continents

Question 11

If the temperature of the Earth cools, how does the carbon dioxide cycle respond?

Accepted Answer

A)  it increases the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus increasing the rate of carbon dioxide production 
B)  it slows the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling less carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere 
C)  it speeds up the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere 
D)  it reduces the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus reducing the rate of carbon dioxide production 
A)  it increases the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus increasing the rate of carbon dioxide production 
B)  it slows the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling less carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere 
C)  it speeds up the formation of carbonate minerals in the oceans, thus pulling more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere 
D)  it reduces the rate of volcanic eruptions, thus reducing the rate of carbon dioxide production

Question 12

In order to have a global magnetic field, a planet must have

Accepted Answer

A)  an electrically conducting fluid in its interior which is undergoing convection and a reasonably rapid rotation 
B)  magnetic rocks in its interior 
C)  magnetic rocks on its surface 
D)  a large core of solid magnetized iron 
A)  an electrically conducting fluid in its interior which is undergoing convection and a reasonably rapid rotation 
B)  magnetic rocks in its interior 
C)  magnetic rocks on its surface 
D)  a large core of solid magnetized iron

Question 13

Given that all bodies in the solar system should have suffered equally from collisions during the period of early bombardment, if we find a body with relatively few craters on its surface we deduce that

Accepted Answer

A)  the surface of the body is made of material that produces fewer impact craters 
B)  the body must have been located in a region of the solar system that for some reason suffered fewer collisions 
C)  the body must have formed after the period of early bombardment 
D)  geological activity or other processes must have removed older craters resulting in a younger, smoother surface 
A)  the surface of the body is made of material that produces fewer impact craters 
B)  the body must have been located in a region of the solar system that for some reason suffered fewer collisions 
C)  the body must have formed after the period of early bombardment 
D)  geological activity or other processes must have removed older craters resulting in a younger, smoother surface

Question 14

Most of the craters on the highlands of the Moon were formed

Accepted Answer

A)  approximately 65 million years ago 
B)  during the period of late bombardment around 3.9 billion years ago 
C)  fairly recently during the last million years or so 
D)  during the period of early bombardment constituting the first few hundred million years of the Earth's history 
A)  approximately 65 million years ago 
B)  during the period of late bombardment around 3.9 billion years ago 
C)  fairly recently during the last million years or so 
D)  during the period of early bombardment constituting the first few hundred million years of the Earth's history

Question 15

In which type of radioactive decay does the atomic number of the parent nucleus change?

Accepted Answer

A)  the atomic number changes in all three types of decay 
B)  electron capture 
C)  beta decay 
D)  alpha decay 
A)  the atomic number changes in all three types of decay 
B)  electron capture 
C)  beta decay 
D)  alpha decay

If the temperature of the Earth warms up how does the carbon dioxide cycle respond?

The greenhouse effect is the

When a metamorphic rock is eroded and then becomes deposited at the bottom of an ocean it turns into

The inner core of the Earth is made of

The Moon, Mercury, and Mars do not have plate tectonics because

Which of the following processes is believed to have been an important source of the Earth's atmosphere?

A rock sample contains 1/2 microgram of the parent radioactive isotope Uranium-235 and 1/2 microgram of its daughter isotope Lead-207. If the half-life of this decay is 700 million years, how old is this rock?

If originally there were X atoms of radioactive isotope present and now there are only X/2 atoms, how many half-lives have elapsed?

A radioactive isotope with an atomic number of 37 undergoes electron capture. What is the atomic number of the daughter nucleus?

If you were to come back to Earth in 150 million years time, what would a map of the planet look like compared to today?

If the temperature of the Earth cools, how does the carbon dioxide cycle respond?

In order to have a global magnetic field, a planet must have

Given that all bodies in the solar system should have suffered equally from collisions during the period of early bombardment, if we find a body with relatively few craters on its surface we deduce that

Most of the craters on the highlands of the Moon were formed

In which type of radioactive decay does the atomic number of the parent nucleus change?

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

If the temperature of the Earth warms up how does the carbon dioxide cycle respond?

The greenhouse effect is the

When a metamorphic rock is eroded and then becomes deposited at the bottom of an ocean it turns into

The inner core of the Earth is made of

The Moon, Mercury, and Mars do not have plate tectonics because

Which of the following processes is believed to have been an important source of the Earth's atmosphere?

A rock sample contains 1/2 microgram of the parent radioactive isotope Uranium-235 and 1/2 microgram of its daughter isotope Lead-207. If the half-life of this decay is 700 million years, how old is this rock?

If originally there were X atoms of radioactive isotope present and now there are only X/2 atoms, how many half-lives have elapsed?

A radioactive isotope with an atomic number of 37 undergoes electron capture. What is the atomic number of the daughter nucleus?

If you were to come back to Earth in 150 million years time, what would a map of the planet look like compared to today?

If the temperature of the Earth cools, how does the carbon dioxide cycle respond?

In order to have a global magnetic field, a planet must have

Given that all bodies in the solar system should have suffered equally from collisions during the period of early bombardment, if we find a body with relatively few craters on its surface we deduce that

Most of the craters on the highlands of the Moon were formed

In which type of radioactive decay does the atomic number of the parent nucleus change?

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