NR 130 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The ______ is the solid Earth, composed principally of rock (by which we mean any naturall formed,
nonliving, firm coherent aggregate mass of solid matter that constitutes part of a planet) and
regolith (the irregular blaneket of loose, uncemented rock particles that cover the solid Earth). -
CORRECT ANSWER Geosphere
The ________ is the totality of Earth's water, including oceans, lakes, streams, underground water,
and all the snow and ice/ - CORRECT ANSWER hydrosphere
The perenially frozen parts of the hydrosphere are collectively referred to as the __________. -
CORRECT ANSWER cryosphere
Scientific laws can never be disproven. - CORRECT ANSWER false
We experience seasons due to the extreme changes of Earth's orbit around the Sun. - CORRECT
ANSWER false
The outermost planets in the solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are small, dense and
rocky. - CORRECT ANSWER false, they are large and gaseous
Earth's moon is a result of a comet captured within Earth's gravitational field. - CORRECT ANSWER
false, a mars-sized astral object clashed into Earth, causing debris to be shot out and trapped into
the Earth's orbit.
The age of the solar system is about 4.6 million years old. - CORRECT ANSWER false, it is about 4.6
billion years
As the Sun continues to age, the chemical composition of its core will change. Over time, it will
contain a lower percentage of _______ and a greater percentage of _________. - CORRECT
ANSWER Hydrogen, helium
How far away is the Earth from the Sun? - CORRECT ANSWER 1 astronomical unit
,The planets formed when bits of solid matter from the solar nebula were drawn together by
gravitational attraction and accretion. - CORRECT ANSWER true
Continental drift is a unifying theory that explains Earths topography and integrates our
understanding of rock formation, mountain building, and terrain modification. - CORRECT ANSWER
False
Studies of rock paleomagnetism have revealed the ancient positions of Earth's magnetic poles. -
CORRECT ANSWER true
The driving force for lithospheric plate motion is conduction to the mantle. - CORRECT ANSWER
false
Earth's diameter is increasing significantly due to the generation of new ocean crust. - CORRECT
ANSWER false
When a plate capped by continental crust converges with a plate capped by oceanic crust, the
continental plate will undergo subduction. - CORRECT ANSWER false
True or False. At a convergent plate boundary, continental crust will subduct under oceanic crust
because it is more dense. - CORRECT ANSWER false
What do these things have in common: Paleomagnetism, seafloor spreading, Pangaea, Wadati-
Benioff zones, transform faults, fracture zones, seamount chains, and Pacific hotspots. - CORRECT
ANSWER They are involved with plate tectonics.
Which of these is most abundant on or in the Earth? - CORRECT ANSWER mantle material
A "mystery" in our understanding of plate tectonics has been, until recently, the natre of the power
source capable of moving the plates and the continents embedded within them. Recent evidence
indicates the power source to be: - CORRECT ANSWER convection currents within the Earth's
mantle is moving the plates.
New crust is being generated: - CORRECT ANSWER in the rift valleys of the mid-ocean ridges.
,Oceanographers believe the breakup of Pangaea occurred about: - CORRECT ANSWER 200 million
years ago.
The mid-ocean ridges are: - CORRECT ANSWER divergent plate boundaries.
The asthenosphere is cooler than the lithosphere. - CORRECT ANSWER false
The mantle is subdivided based on its chemical composition. - CORRECT ANSWER false
Buoyancy is the ability of an object to float in a fluid by: - CORRECT ANSWER displacing a volume of
water equal in weight to its own weight.
If two oceanic plates collide at a relatively fast speed, and one is much older and cooler (therefore
more dense) than the other, what will happen? - CORRECT ANSWER A deep trench will form.
Roughly how fast do most lithospheric plates move? - CORRECT ANSWER about 5 centimeters per
year
The Emperor Seamounts were formed: - CORRECT ANSWER as islands formed over a hot spot.
Japan is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences many earthquakes. Almost all of the
earthquakes around Japan occur mostly: - CORRECT ANSWER on the east side of the island where
the Pacific plate subducts.
The oceanic crust is made of basalt. - CORRECT ANSWER true
Density is a measure of relative heaviness and is defined as mass per unit volume. - CORRECT
ANSWER true
Subduction zones are areas where new seafloor is created. - CORRECT ANSWER false
The Hawaiian Islands were formed within the last 2 million years under a hot spot that is now
inactive. - CORRECT ANSWER false
, Transform faults are never found at mid-ocean ridges. - CORRECT ANSWER false
About how many kilometers (miles) is it from the Earth's center to the outer edge of the outer core?
- CORRECT ANSWER 6,370 kilometers (3,980 miles)
The Earth is density stratified. - CORRECT ANSWER true
The mantle is subdivided based on its chemical composition. - CORRECT ANSWER false
Transform fault plate margins are conservative margins, where crust is neither created nor
destroyed. - CORRECT ANSWER true
What is Edwin Hubble known for? - CORRECT ANSWER the big bang theory, he changed our
understanding of the universe, confirming the exsistence of other galaxies and showed the universe
is expanding.
What is the nebular hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER The sun and it's planets formed a huge,
swirling could of dust. Nebular slowly collapsed under the force of gravity, the center become
compressed and nuclear fusion began.
High temperature planet formation - CORRECT ANSWER Fe-Ni, silicates, oxide materials(rocky
planets)
Low temperature planet formation - CORRECT ANSWER water, methane,ammonia (gaseous
planets)
Edwin Hubble did all of the following except - CORRECT ANSWER build the hubble telescope
Earth's magnetic core - CORRECT ANSWER The iron core of Earth created a magnetic field that
shields us from solar storms, why we have an atmosphere
Seasons - CORRECT ANSWER Earth's axis is tilted 23.5 from the perpendicular
The ______ is the solid Earth, composed principally of rock (by which we mean any naturall formed,
nonliving, firm coherent aggregate mass of solid matter that constitutes part of a planet) and
regolith (the irregular blaneket of loose, uncemented rock particles that cover the solid Earth). -
CORRECT ANSWER Geosphere
The ________ is the totality of Earth's water, including oceans, lakes, streams, underground water,
and all the snow and ice/ - CORRECT ANSWER hydrosphere
The perenially frozen parts of the hydrosphere are collectively referred to as the __________. -
CORRECT ANSWER cryosphere
Scientific laws can never be disproven. - CORRECT ANSWER false
We experience seasons due to the extreme changes of Earth's orbit around the Sun. - CORRECT
ANSWER false
The outermost planets in the solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are small, dense and
rocky. - CORRECT ANSWER false, they are large and gaseous
Earth's moon is a result of a comet captured within Earth's gravitational field. - CORRECT ANSWER
false, a mars-sized astral object clashed into Earth, causing debris to be shot out and trapped into
the Earth's orbit.
The age of the solar system is about 4.6 million years old. - CORRECT ANSWER false, it is about 4.6
billion years
As the Sun continues to age, the chemical composition of its core will change. Over time, it will
contain a lower percentage of _______ and a greater percentage of _________. - CORRECT
ANSWER Hydrogen, helium
How far away is the Earth from the Sun? - CORRECT ANSWER 1 astronomical unit
,The planets formed when bits of solid matter from the solar nebula were drawn together by
gravitational attraction and accretion. - CORRECT ANSWER true
Continental drift is a unifying theory that explains Earths topography and integrates our
understanding of rock formation, mountain building, and terrain modification. - CORRECT ANSWER
False
Studies of rock paleomagnetism have revealed the ancient positions of Earth's magnetic poles. -
CORRECT ANSWER true
The driving force for lithospheric plate motion is conduction to the mantle. - CORRECT ANSWER
false
Earth's diameter is increasing significantly due to the generation of new ocean crust. - CORRECT
ANSWER false
When a plate capped by continental crust converges with a plate capped by oceanic crust, the
continental plate will undergo subduction. - CORRECT ANSWER false
True or False. At a convergent plate boundary, continental crust will subduct under oceanic crust
because it is more dense. - CORRECT ANSWER false
What do these things have in common: Paleomagnetism, seafloor spreading, Pangaea, Wadati-
Benioff zones, transform faults, fracture zones, seamount chains, and Pacific hotspots. - CORRECT
ANSWER They are involved with plate tectonics.
Which of these is most abundant on or in the Earth? - CORRECT ANSWER mantle material
A "mystery" in our understanding of plate tectonics has been, until recently, the natre of the power
source capable of moving the plates and the continents embedded within them. Recent evidence
indicates the power source to be: - CORRECT ANSWER convection currents within the Earth's
mantle is moving the plates.
New crust is being generated: - CORRECT ANSWER in the rift valleys of the mid-ocean ridges.
,Oceanographers believe the breakup of Pangaea occurred about: - CORRECT ANSWER 200 million
years ago.
The mid-ocean ridges are: - CORRECT ANSWER divergent plate boundaries.
The asthenosphere is cooler than the lithosphere. - CORRECT ANSWER false
The mantle is subdivided based on its chemical composition. - CORRECT ANSWER false
Buoyancy is the ability of an object to float in a fluid by: - CORRECT ANSWER displacing a volume of
water equal in weight to its own weight.
If two oceanic plates collide at a relatively fast speed, and one is much older and cooler (therefore
more dense) than the other, what will happen? - CORRECT ANSWER A deep trench will form.
Roughly how fast do most lithospheric plates move? - CORRECT ANSWER about 5 centimeters per
year
The Emperor Seamounts were formed: - CORRECT ANSWER as islands formed over a hot spot.
Japan is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences many earthquakes. Almost all of the
earthquakes around Japan occur mostly: - CORRECT ANSWER on the east side of the island where
the Pacific plate subducts.
The oceanic crust is made of basalt. - CORRECT ANSWER true
Density is a measure of relative heaviness and is defined as mass per unit volume. - CORRECT
ANSWER true
Subduction zones are areas where new seafloor is created. - CORRECT ANSWER false
The Hawaiian Islands were formed within the last 2 million years under a hot spot that is now
inactive. - CORRECT ANSWER false
, Transform faults are never found at mid-ocean ridges. - CORRECT ANSWER false
About how many kilometers (miles) is it from the Earth's center to the outer edge of the outer core?
- CORRECT ANSWER 6,370 kilometers (3,980 miles)
The Earth is density stratified. - CORRECT ANSWER true
The mantle is subdivided based on its chemical composition. - CORRECT ANSWER false
Transform fault plate margins are conservative margins, where crust is neither created nor
destroyed. - CORRECT ANSWER true
What is Edwin Hubble known for? - CORRECT ANSWER the big bang theory, he changed our
understanding of the universe, confirming the exsistence of other galaxies and showed the universe
is expanding.
What is the nebular hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER The sun and it's planets formed a huge,
swirling could of dust. Nebular slowly collapsed under the force of gravity, the center become
compressed and nuclear fusion began.
High temperature planet formation - CORRECT ANSWER Fe-Ni, silicates, oxide materials(rocky
planets)
Low temperature planet formation - CORRECT ANSWER water, methane,ammonia (gaseous
planets)
Edwin Hubble did all of the following except - CORRECT ANSWER build the hubble telescope
Earth's magnetic core - CORRECT ANSWER The iron core of Earth created a magnetic field that
shields us from solar storms, why we have an atmosphere
Seasons - CORRECT ANSWER Earth's axis is tilted 23.5 from the perpendicular
