Florida International University
Department of Earth Sciences
GLY 1010: Introduction to Earth Science
Practice Quiz (Not for credit)


 
 
 
 
1. The trade winds in the tropics blow from the ______.
A. south
B. east
C. west
D. north

 
2. In the temperate zones of the Earth between 30° and 60° latitude, the prevailing winds come from the ______.
A. north
B. south
C. east
D. west

 
3.

In the map of Earth above, where do the trade winds occur?
A. in regions A and B
B. in regions A and C
C. in regions C and D
D. in regions A, B, C, and D

 
4. Due to the Coriolis effect, any current of air or water flowing north is deflected to the _______ in the northern hemisphere and to the _______ in the southern hemisphere.
A. east ... east
B. east ... west
C. west ... east
D. west ... west

 
5. Which of the following will not accelerate deflation?
A. established vegetation
B. construction
C. motor vehicle tracks
D. plowing

 
6. How does desert pavement form?
A. by intense chemical weathering
B. by stream erosion
C. by intense mechanical weathering
D. by wind erosion

 
7. What is the name for a coarse, gravelly ground surface that results from the removal of fine-grained particles by wind erosion?
A. alluvial fan
B. pediment
C. desert pavement
D. talus slope

 
8.

Given the relative positions of the sand dune and rock shown above, the wind direction is predominantly _______________.
A. north to south
B. south to north
C. east to west
D. west to east

 
9.
R-1 Ref 14-1

The sand dune is a _______________ dune.
A. barchan
B. transverse
C. blowout
D. linear


 
10.
R-1 Ref 14-1

The wind direction that would create the dune shown above is ___________.
A. north to south
B. south to north
C. east to west
D. west to east


 
11. Long wavy sand ridges that lie perpendicular to the prevailing wind are called ______.
A. barchan dunes
B. linear dunes
C. ergs
D. transverse dunes

 
12. What is the geologic term for a blanket of sediment formed by the settling of fine-grained particles from a dust cloud?
A. draas
B. loess
C. erg
D. wadi

 
13. The Sahara desert of Africa exists primarily because __________.
A. it lies near 30°N latitude
B. it lies thousands of kilometers from the ocean
C. it lies in the rain shadow of coastal mountains
D. the sandy soil drains so quickly that vegetation is unable to grow

 
14. Which of the following statements is false?
A. Deserts form under virtually stationary areas of low atmospheric pressure.
B. Deserts form far inland where air has already lost its moisture through precipitation.
C. Deserts form where air is so cold only small amounts of moisture can precipitate.
D. Deserts form where moisture-bearing winds are blocked by mountain ranges.

 
15. Ventifacts are formed by ______.
A. sandblasting
B. dissolution by dew
C. breaking apart of rocks along cracks
D. slow weathering

 

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