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


 
 
 
 
1. Which of the following statements regarding the scientific method is true?
A. A hypothesis must be agreed upon by more than one scientist.
B. A theory is a hypothesis that has withstood many scientific tests.
C. A theory is proven to be true, and therefore may not be discarded.
D. A hypothesis cannot predict the outcome of scientific experiments.

 
2. According to the principle of uniformitarianism, ________.
A. geologic processes we observe today have operated in the past
B. animals evolved at a uniform rate
C. all of the planets formed from a uniform solar nebula
D. early Earth was covered by a uniform magma ocean

 
3. Approximately how long ago did the Big Bang take place?
A. 4–5 million years ago
B. 10–15 million years ago
C. 4–5 billion years ago
D. 10–15 billion years ago

 
4. Under intense pressure and high temperature, hydrogen atoms combine to form helium. This process is called _____________.
A. nuclear fusion
B. metamorphism
C. nuclear fission
D. convection

 
5. According to the nebular hypothesis, the inner planets are dense and rocky because ______________________.
A. the inner planets were the first to condense from the solar nebula
B. the lighter gases were blown away by the Sun's radiation
C. the inner planets' gravitational fields were strong enough to hold on to the original nebular constituents
D. the inner planets had high gravitational pull and attracted dense material from the outer planets

 
6. What caused dust and condensing material to accrete into planetesimals?
A. heating of gases
B. gravitational attraction and collisions
C. nuclear fusion
D. rotation of the proto-sun

 
7. Approximately how old is the Earth?
A. 4.6 thousand years old
B. 4.6 million years old
C. 4.6 billion years old
D. 4.6 trillion years old

 
8. The process by which an originally homogeneous Earth developed a dense core and a light crust is called ________.
A. metamorphism
B. differentiation
C. accretion
D. compression

 
9. The heat that caused melting in Earth's early history was supplied from which of the following events or causes?
A. volcanic activity and radioactivity
B. solar heating and volcanic activity
C. a large impact event and radioactivity
D. a large impact event and solar heating

 
10. The Earth's core is made up primarily of ________.
A. iron
B. silicon
C. lead
D. oxygen

 
11.    

Which part of the Earth depicted in the figure above is molten?
A. crust
B. mantle
C. outer core
D. inner core

 
12. Fifty percent of the Earth's crust is made up of which element?
A. iron
B. silicon
C. oxygen
D. aluminum

 
13. Earth's lithosphere is approximately ____ km thick.
A. 1–2
B. 5–10
C. 100–200
D. 500–1000

 
14. The asthenosphere is ____________.
A. cool and strong
B. cool and weak
C. hot and strong
D. hot and weak

 
15. The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary is ______.
A. a compositional boundary
B. a strength boundary
C. a solid-liquid boundary
D. a magnetic boundary

 
16. Which of the following is present in a convergent plate boundary?
A. spreading center
B. hotspot
C. mid-ocean ridge
D. subduction zone

 
17. New seafloor is created at a ____________.
A. deep-sea trench
B. mid-ocean ridge
C. subduction zone
D. transform fault

 
18. Which of the following features is not associated with a convergent plate boundary?
A. a mid-ocean ridge
B. earthquakes
C. a deep-sea trench
D. volcanic activity

 
19. The Andes Mountains of South America formed at which of the following types of plate boundary?
A. convergent
B. divergent
C. transform
D. The Andes are not related to a plate boundary.

 

This is the end of the test. When you have completed all the questions and reviewed your answers, press the button below to grade the test.