On the Geologic Time Scale, the time unit representing the largest span of time is the
A) Phanerozoic.
B) Precambrian.
C) Proterozoic.
D) Mega-annum.
Answer:
Which shape is likely to need more material for a critical mass, a cube or a sphere?
Why?
A) a sphere because it has the greater surface area to volume ratio
B) a sphere because it has the smaller surface area to volume ratio
C) a cube because it has the greater surface area to volume ratio
D) a cube because it has the smaller surface area to volume ratio
Answer:
If dark matter were to be found on this planet it would likely be
A) high in our atmosphere.
B) within our oceans.
C) within Earth’s mantle.
D) at the center of Earth’s core.
Answer:
What is an exothermic reaction?
A) It is a reaction that requires heat as a reactant.
B) It is a reaction where the products have more energy than the reactants.
C) It is a reaction where there is a net adsorption of energy from a reaction.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Answer:
The flow of a glacier begins
A) after it has reached a critical mass.
B) as pressure is exerted from behind.
C) when the accumulating snow begins to melt.
D) in the spring.
Answer:
The moment magnitude scale measures the energy released by an earthquake. For each
increase in magnitude, the energy released increases
A) ten-fold.
B) logarithmically.
C) by 10.
D) 30 times.
Answer:
Why does oxygen have such a low solubility in water?
A) Water’s attraction for itself is stronger than its attraction for oxygen molecules.
B) Water and oxygen only attract one another by means of weak dipole-induced dipole
attractions.
C) The hydrogen bonding in water keeps the oxygen solubility low.
D) Both A and B are true.
Answer:
If the following graphs are for the same reaction, which one is most likely the one with
an added catalyst?
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
E) All have had catalyst added.
Answer:
Iron atoms have a greater tendency to oxidize than do copper atoms. Is this good news
or bad news for a home in which much of the plumbing consists of iron and copper
pipes connected together? Explain.
A) This is bad news, since the iron atoms will be reduced by the copper atoms.
B) This is not a problem, since the strength of the copper will make up for the weakness
of the iron.
C) It is bad news. The iron atoms will lose electrons to the copper atoms, which will
pass those electrons onto oxygen atoms that are in contact with the surface.
D) This is not a problem since any electrons lost will be replaced by copper electrons.
Answer:
The process by which a single magma can generate several magmas of different
compositions is
A) partial melting.
B) partial crystallization.
C) fractional crystallization.
D) partial distillation.
Answer:
A non-foliated metamorphic rock is
A) slate.
B) schist.
C) gneiss.
D) quartzite.
Answer:
Which equations are balanced?
a) Mg (s) + 2HCl (aq) → (aq) + (g)
b) 3Al (s) + 3 (l) → (s)
c) 2HgO (s) → 2 Hg (l) + (g)
A) Only equation “c” is balanced.
B) Equations “a” and “c” are balanced.
C) Equations “b” and “c” are balanced.
D) All of them are balanced.
Answer:
When a rainbow of colors of light are combined into a single ray it forms
A) white.
B) black.
C) an intense rainbow of colors.
D) It’s not possible to combine colors once separated.
Answer:
A soil composed of well-rounded sand grains of uniform size will most likely have a
A) high porosity.
B) low porosity.
C) high permeability.
D) low permeability.
Answer:
A major source of chlorine gas, , is from the electrolysis of brine, which is
concentrated salt water, Which of the following is the balanced chemical
reaction for this electrolysis reaction?
A) NaCl (aq) + H2O → NaOH (aq) + (g) + (g)
B) 2 NaCl (aq) + O → O (aq) + 2 HCl (aq)
C) 2 NaCl (aq) + 2 O → 2 Na (s) + O2 (g) + 2 (g) + (g)
D) 2 NaCl (aq) + O → 2 NaH (aq) + O (aq) ⁻
Answer:
Germanium, Ge (number 32), computer chips operate faster than silicon, Si (number
14), computer chips. So how might a gallium, Ga (number 31), chip compare with a
germanium chip?
A) A gallium chip would be even faster because the gallium is more metallic.
B) A gallium chip would be slower because its electrons are more loosely held.
C) Gallium is located just below aluminum, which is widely known to be an electrical
insulator.
D) Gallium is more nonmetallic and so it does not conduct electrons very well.
Answer:
If a star collapses to a tenth its size, gravitation at its surface increases by
A) ten.
B) twenty.
C) one hundred.
D) one thousand.
E) more than one thousand.
Answer:
The most common igneous rock is
A) basalt.
B) andesite.
C) granite.
D) none of these
Answer:
Which of the following is not an example of condensation at Earth’s surface?
A) clouds
B) dew
C) frost
D) fog
Answer:
When a star collapses to half size, the gravitational field at its surface
A) doubles.
B) quadruples.
C) increases eightfold.
D) remains constant.
Answer:
Why are ores so valuable?
A) They are sources of naturally occurring gold.
B) Metals can be efficiently extracted from them.
C) They tend to occur in scenic mountainous regions.
D) They hold many clues to Earth’s natural history.
Answer:
The following image describes which type of change?
A) a physical change
B) a chemical change
C) an elemental change
D) a change in reactivity
E) no change
Answer:
A hurricane’s source of energy is
A) strong winds.
B) evaporation of cool seawater.
C) heat released from condensing water.
D) rapidly sinking air.
Answer:
What is the easiest way to eliminate organic components?
A) Aerate the solution and let bacteria consume the organics.
B) Treat the solution with UV radiation.
C) Filter the solution through activated carbon filters.
D) Use reverse osmosis.
E) all of the above
Answer:
Why is metal shiny?
A) The loose electrons reflect most wavelengths of light.
B) The electrons transmit most wavelengths of light.
C) The electrons absorb each light wave.
D) The electrons emit light due to electronic excitation.
E) all of the above
Answer:
If water at 0C slightly increases in temperature, the water
A) contracts.
B) expands.
C) neither of these
Answer:
A rubber rod rubbed with fur becomes
A) positively charged.
B) negatively charged.
C) both
D) neither
Answer:
Rocks are grouped into three classes depending on how the rock was
A) formed.
B) located.
C) discovered.
D) shaped.
Answer:
The gold in Uncle Harry’s teeth fillings originated in
A) the deep interior of the Earth.
B) fusion processes that date back about 5.5 billion years.
C) the Big Bang.
D) stars that blew up eons ago.
E) Fort Knox.
Answer:
A sample of radium is usually a little warmer than its surroundings because
A) it efficiently absorbs and releases energy from sunlight.
B) its atoms are continually being struck by alpha and beta particles.
C) it is radioactive.
D) it emits alpha and beta particles.
Answer: