SOE 101 EXAM 1 WSU - MENARD QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
What is the scientific method? - Answers A series of steps to analyze a problem and find a result
What are the steps to the Scientific Method? - Answers 1. Observing
2. Hypothesis
3. Theory
4. Scientific model
What is the principle of uniformitarianism? - Answers "The present is the key to the past."
How do geologists use the principle of Uniformitarianism? - Answers Using geological features from
today, geologists can see the history of our Earth.
What is the nebular hypothesis? - Answers The planets were formed by spinning nebulous.
How did the Earth's moon form? - Answers Molten Earth collided with another molten plant,
scattering debris into Earth's orbit that would combine to form the moon.
Why is Earth's orbit tilted? Why is it important to life? - Answers The collision that created the moon
tilted the Earth which allows us to have seasons.
How does density change with depth? - Answers Denser objects fell to the center of the Earth during
Earth's formation due to gravity.
What are the zones of Earth? - Answers -Crust
-Lithosphere
-Asthenosphere
-Upper/Lower Mantle
-Outer/Inner Core
How old is Earth? - Answers 4.53 Billion Years old
How old is the Universe? - Answers 14 billion years old
Which of Earth's zones make up tectonic plates? - Answers The crust and lithosphere
Which plates are strong and which are ductile? - Answers Strong:
-Crust &Lithosphere
-Inner core -Upper Mantle
Ductile:
-Lower Mantle -Outer core
-Asthenosphere
How did Earth's continents form? - Answers When the Earth started cooling and hardening it created
continental crusts and continents
How did Earth's atmosphere form? - Answers As Earth cooled, volcanism started to occur and
volcanic gasses created Earth's atmosphere
How did Earth's oceans form? - Answers As Earth cooled, moisture in the atmosphere condensed and
created rain, causing the oceans to form.
What is Earths' EXTERNAL heat engine and why is it important? - Answers The SUN controls our
weather and makes surface life possible
What is Earth's INTERNAL heat engine? - Answers RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS
What is the theory of plate tectonics? - Answers The outer layer of the Earth (lithosphere) is divided
into a couple dozen plates that move relative to each other
What is the driving force behind plate tectonics? - Answers Large scale convection currents in the
upper mantle
What is Alfred Wegener's continental drift hypothesis? - Answers The continents once formed one
supercontinent but drifted apart
What is Pangaea? - Answers The super continent according to Wegener's hypothesis
What evidence supported Wegener's Hypothesis? - Answers -Fit of the continents
-Plant and animal fossils on separate continents that would have been connected
-Same Rock types and climate history on continents that fit together
Why was Wegener's hypothesis not elevated to a theory? - Answers Wegener did not have evidence
of "how" this drifting could have occurred
What evidence supported seafloor spreading? - Answers Basaltic ocean crust and overlying
sediments became progressively younger as the mid ocean ridge was approached
How and where does magnetic striping occur? - Answers Rising manga assumes Earth's polarity
before solidifying. At SPREADING CENTERS this crust is separated into parallel bands
What is the scientific method? - Answers A series of steps to analyze a problem and find a result
What are the steps to the Scientific Method? - Answers 1. Observing
2. Hypothesis
3. Theory
4. Scientific model
What is the principle of uniformitarianism? - Answers "The present is the key to the past."
How do geologists use the principle of Uniformitarianism? - Answers Using geological features from
today, geologists can see the history of our Earth.
What is the nebular hypothesis? - Answers The planets were formed by spinning nebulous.
How did the Earth's moon form? - Answers Molten Earth collided with another molten plant,
scattering debris into Earth's orbit that would combine to form the moon.
Why is Earth's orbit tilted? Why is it important to life? - Answers The collision that created the moon
tilted the Earth which allows us to have seasons.
How does density change with depth? - Answers Denser objects fell to the center of the Earth during
Earth's formation due to gravity.
What are the zones of Earth? - Answers -Crust
-Lithosphere
-Asthenosphere
-Upper/Lower Mantle
-Outer/Inner Core
How old is Earth? - Answers 4.53 Billion Years old
How old is the Universe? - Answers 14 billion years old
Which of Earth's zones make up tectonic plates? - Answers The crust and lithosphere
Which plates are strong and which are ductile? - Answers Strong:
-Crust &Lithosphere
-Inner core -Upper Mantle
Ductile:
-Lower Mantle -Outer core
-Asthenosphere
How did Earth's continents form? - Answers When the Earth started cooling and hardening it created
continental crusts and continents
How did Earth's atmosphere form? - Answers As Earth cooled, volcanism started to occur and
volcanic gasses created Earth's atmosphere
How did Earth's oceans form? - Answers As Earth cooled, moisture in the atmosphere condensed and
created rain, causing the oceans to form.
What is Earths' EXTERNAL heat engine and why is it important? - Answers The SUN controls our
weather and makes surface life possible
What is Earth's INTERNAL heat engine? - Answers RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS
What is the theory of plate tectonics? - Answers The outer layer of the Earth (lithosphere) is divided
into a couple dozen plates that move relative to each other
What is the driving force behind plate tectonics? - Answers Large scale convection currents in the
upper mantle
What is Alfred Wegener's continental drift hypothesis? - Answers The continents once formed one
supercontinent but drifted apart
What is Pangaea? - Answers The super continent according to Wegener's hypothesis
What evidence supported Wegener's Hypothesis? - Answers -Fit of the continents
-Plant and animal fossils on separate continents that would have been connected
-Same Rock types and climate history on continents that fit together
Why was Wegener's hypothesis not elevated to a theory? - Answers Wegener did not have evidence
of "how" this drifting could have occurred
What evidence supported seafloor spreading? - Answers Basaltic ocean crust and overlying
sediments became progressively younger as the mid ocean ridge was approached
How and where does magnetic striping occur? - Answers Rising manga assumes Earth's polarity
before solidifying. At SPREADING CENTERS this crust is separated into parallel bands
