PXS

Who was the first to propose that the apparent retrograde motion of some planets was best explained with a heliocentric model of the solar system?

Nicolaus Copernicus

Which of the following best explains why the bands on an isochron map of the East Pacific Rise are wider than similar bands on an isochron map of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?

The rate of spreading along the East Pacific Rise is greater than that along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

A teacher applies dilute hydrochloric acid to samples of two rocks. As indicated in the preceding diagram, rock A is observed to effervesce, while no reaction is observed with rock B. Of the following learning goals, which is best achieved by this demonstration?

Students can distinguish between a rock that contains calcite and one that does not.

At 0 degrees Celsius0°C and 1 atmosphere, the density of ice is less than the density of liquid water. Which of the following best explains the difference in density between the two phases of water?

The volume of liquid water is less than the volume of ice with the same mass.

The preceding diagram can be best used by a teacher to illustrate to students which of the following laws?

Kepler’s second law of planetary motion

The preceding graph shows how the temperature of the atmosphere varies with altitude. Which of the following statements best helps explain the temperature inversion between 20 kilometers20km20km and 50 kilometers50km50km?

Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by ozone and reradiated.

A lake that is near several farms has experienced harmful algal blooms for several summers. What strategies will help reduce the occurrence and extent of the algal blooms?

Using physical barriers along the field edges to slow and filter runoff,
Establishing floating wetlands to uptake excess nutrients, Treating the lake with a product that binds with phosphate

The concept that past geologic events can be explained by the same physical principles that operate now, and in much the same manner, is known as

uniformitarianism

A teacher asks students to compare the atomic structures of two isotopes of potassium, ^39/19K and ^40/19K with left. what following student statements about the isotopes are correct?

Same number of protons and electrons

The preceding diagram could be used by a teacher to represent which of the following types of faults?

left-lateral strike slip

How long is a sidereal day?

23 hours and 56 minutes

When labeling a diagram depicting the horizons of a soil profile, a student should use which of the following terms to identify the unbroken rock on which soil can eventually form?

Bedrock

Which two ions are present at the highest concentration in seawater?

Na+, Cl−

The closest star to the Sun, Proxima Centauri, is 4.0×10¹³km from the Sun. Approximately how many years does it take for the light from Proxima Centauri to reach Earth? (Note: 1 light year equals 9.5×10¹²km)

4.2 years

Scientists predict that Earth will no longer be situated in the Sun’s habitable zone as the Sun transitions to which of the following stages of stellar evolution?

Red giant

what topic is most likely to be included in a discussion about the primary cause of convection currents in Earth’s mantle?

The effect of temperature on the densities of Earth materials

The preceding graph depicts the conditions for a rising parcel of air. Line X shows how the temperature of the parcel of air changes with altitude. If a cloud forms at the altitude represented by the intersection of X and Y, what does line Y represent?

Dew point

If all the sediment grains in a sample are well-rounded, then material consisting of which of the following grain sizes would have the lowest porosity?

A mixture of sand, pebble, and cobble

A common strategy to help students understand the geologic time scale is to compress it to a year and then date important events on the compressed time scale. Based on the time scale of a year, the first appearance of multicellular organisms on Earth based on the fossil record occurs closest to which of the following months?

September

Name three things that are predicted to result from global warming?

Sea level will rise because of melting of glaciers, Hurricanes will be more frequent and more intense, and Sea level will rise because of warming of ocean water.

A teacher asks students to give an example of a process in the water cycle that is exothermic. Of the following student responses, which correctly identifies an exothermic process?

The condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere

The location on Earth’s surface directly above the point where an earthquake originates is the earthquake’s

epicenter

The phases of the Moon are caused by

changes in the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and the Moon

Covalent network solids are typically characterized by their hardness, high melting points, and poor conductivity. Which TWO of the following minerals are examples of covalent network solids?

SiO2, C (diamond)

Which of the following statements helps explain why quartz is a common mineral in sedimentary rocks?

It is not readily weathered in conditions found at Earth’s surface.

Which of the following statements about dark absorption lines in the solar spectrum is correct?

They correspond to elements in the Sun’s atmosphere.

Which of the following weather conditions are most likely to result in radiation fog forming in a flat region on a cold night?

Clear skies and light wind

Based on the preceding geologic cross section, which of the following most likely occurred first

Deposition of the sandstone material

Which of the following is a result of thermohaline circulation in oceans?

Oxygenated water is brought to the deep ocean.

Nonoptical telescopes that detect which THREE of the following types of radiation are typically space based because Earth’s atmosphere is opaque to most wavelengths in that range of the electromagnetic spectrum?

Gamma, infrared, x-ray

Japan, where frequent deep-focus earthquakes occur, is located at a

convergent plate boundary

Which of the following statements about the large rock fragments found in a sedimentary breccia is most likely true?

They did not travel far from their source.

To protect groundwater from pollution generated from a waste-storage facility, the bottom of the facility’s waste pit should be positioned

above the water table in an aquiclude such as shale to isolate toxic wastes from the water table

A teacher asks students to compare the characteristics of Mars with those of Neptune. what is an example of an accurate response?

Mars has a higher density than Neptune has.

What is the approximate percent of Earth’s freshwater that is stored as groundwater?

30

Which THREE of the following have a significant effect on the climate of an area?

Its latitude, elevation, proximity to bodies of water

Earth’s mantle is composed of which of the following?

Mafic silicates

Which THREE of the following statements describe common student misconceptions based on their observations of the night sky?

Constellations are not always visible because they revolve around the Milky Way.

Stars appear bright only because they are close to Earth.

The stars that make up constellations are always near one another.

The following diagram of a hillside shows several trees with bent trunks, soil ripples, and a fence that is tilting and out of alignment.

The figure shows a diagram of a hillside. A post and rail fence runs along the top of the section. The fence is out of alignment and its posts are tilted slightly downhill. A large deciduous tree and two conifers are downhill of the fence. The trunks of all three trees are curved at their bases so that right above the ground they bend downhill, but farther up the trunks are vertical. There are some rocks scattered in front of the fence. There are numerous horizontal wavy lines crossing the hill, creating a rippled effect.
End figure description.

Which of the following processes most likely accounts for the features illustrated in the diagram?

soil creep

Of the following groups of organisms, which appeared first in the fossil record?

Brachiopods

A student conducts an experiment on heat absorption using equal masses of soil and water, both at room temperature, in identical containers. After the soil and water have been exposed to heat lamps for 30 minutes, which of the following is most likely to be observed?

The temperature of the soil has increased more than the temperature of the water has increased.

The rock being formed along the axis of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is composed mainly of which of the following types of rock?

igneous

As water is pumped from a well within an unconfined aquifer, the resultant shape of the water table around the well is referred to as the

cone of depression

The equatorial circumference of Earth is 40,075.017km. What is the correct way to express the circumference in scientific notation if it is rounded to three significant figures?

4.01×10⁴km

Compared to less massive stars, stars with greater mass have shorter lives because they

consume their fuel much more rapidly

Scientists have proposed that the burning of fossil fuels increases the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. It has been predicted that which of the following will occur if the concentration of CO2 continues to rise?

The average annual surface temperature will increase

Which of the following statements about the Sun’s influence on Earth is correct?

Solar energy powers the convection currents that can result in cloud formation and thunderstorms

Which TWO of the following relative age-dating techniques are students most likely to apply when correlating the layers in the cross sections shown in the preceding diagram?

faunal succession, lateral continuity

Tightly formed anticlines and synclines are most likely to be associated with

mountain belts

Which TWO of the following conditions must be met for a total lunar eclipse to occur?

The Moon must be in the full Moon phase.

The Moon must be in the plane of the ecliptic.

Under which of the following conditions is a river most likely to have incised meanders?

The river is undergoing a second episode of downcutting because of uplift in the region

Which of the following best helps account for the fact that many low-lying islands are suffering from increased flooding?

Rising sea levels

A teacher asks students how the ideal gas law can be used to calculate the density of a parcel of dry air given the following information: pressure P, temperature T, gas constant R, and molar mass of air M. Which of the following expressions represents the correct setup for the calculation of density?

MP/RT

In which of the following ways is Earth unique with respect to the other planets in the solar system?

There is a significant amount of liquid water on Earth’s surface.

How does the composition of the basaltic lava from Hawaiian volcanoes compare with the composition of the pyroclastic material that erupted from Mount Saint Helens?

The basalt has a higher concentration of ferromagnesian minerals.

Which of the following indicates how the concentration of C O 2CO2CO2 and O 2O2O2 in Earth’s atmosphere most likely changed between 4 billion years ago and the early Cenozoic?

The concentration of CO2 decreased, and the concentration of O2 increased..

Which of the following is most likely to be directly responsible for the textural foliation in certain metamorphic rocks?

high directional pressure

Overuse of groundwater in coastal areas would most likely result in which of the following?

The intrusion of salt water into the aquifer

If the angle of tilt of Earth’s axis were 10 degrees greater than its actual present value, people at midlatitudes would most likely experience

hotter summers and colder winters

The process of isostatic rebound is most likely to be included in a lesson about the

effect of deglaciation as a result of global warming

A red giant transfers mass to a white dwarf companion until the mass of the white dwarf reaches 1.4 solar masses. Which of the following results is most likely for the white dwarf?

It will explode as a supernova.

Which THREE of the following factors help to account for the fact that, in the United States, lands to the east of a mountain range generally receive less precipitation than lands to the west of the mountain range?

Air masses often move from west to east in the United States.

An air mass cools as it rises on its way over a mountain range.

The maximum amount of water vapor that a sample of cold air can contain is less than the amount that a sample of warm air can contain.

A teacher could best use the preceding diagram to represent which of the following?

An unconformity

Which TWO of the following conditions must be met for a glacier to form at a given location?

The location must be above the snow line.

The location must have a positive mass balance of snow.

An ocean wave has an amplitude of 4 meters, a wavelength of 80 meters, and a period of 8 seconds. Based on this information, what is the speed of the wave?

10

A student claims that fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum are nonrenewable natural resources. Which of the following is a true statement about fossil fuels that the student can use to support the claim?

Fossil fuels take a very long time to form.

Which THREE of the following are often associated with mid-ocean ridges?

A rift valley

fracture zone

A hydrothermal vent

To help students understand the physical properties of minerals, a teacher is most likely to refer to the

arrangement of atoms in their crystal structures

Which of the following best describes the location indicated by the arrow in the preceding topographic map?

The base of a cliff

Active volcanism has been observed on which of the following bodies in the solar system?

Io

Which of the following properties of water most directly helps account for its ability to dissolve many salts?

Its molecules are polar.

The preceding diagram shows a station model from a nearby weather station. Based on the diagram, what direction is the wind blowing from at the station?

Southwest

Of the following, which is the best way for a scientist to date a lava flow that is now several meters below layers of sedimentary rocks?

Determining the relative amounts of certain isotopes in the basalt

When it is Tuesday in New York City, United States, and midnight at the international date line, what day is it in Tokyo, Japan?

Tuesday

The modified Mercalli intensity scale of earthquakes is based on which of the following?

The intensity of shaking experienced at a particular location

Which of the following best helps explain why water is an agent in physical (mechanical) weathering?

Water expands when it freezes.

A solar collector provides4.2×10⁷J of energy to heat 2.0×10⁵g of water in an insulated storage tank. If the initial temperature of the water is 0°C, what is the final temperature of the water? (Note: The heat capacity of water is 4.2J/g∙°C.)

60 degrees Celsius60°C

ΔT=q(m×c)ΔT=q(m×c) , where m is the mass of water, q is the energy absorbed, and c is the specific heat capacity, which gives delta T equals 50 degrees CelsiusΔT=50°CΔT=50°C. The final temperature of the water is 10 degrees Celsius plus 50 degrees Celsius equals 60 degrees Celsius10°C+50°C=60°C10°C+50°C=60°C.

The preceding graph shows how the average sea surface salinity varies with latitude in the Atlantic Ocean. Which of the following best explains the two peaks shown in the graph?

Evaporation exceeds precipitation at latitudes characterized by high atmospheric pressure

Which THREE of the following practices are most likely to minimize water loss or waste during the irrigation of agricultural crops?

Using electronic devices to monitor soil moisture and schedule water delivery

Collecting runoff during periods of rain and storing it for use during dry periods

Covering irrigation canals with solar panels or shade structures

Which of the following is a theory about the origin of cosmic background radiation?

It is the residual radiation from the big bang.

In which of the following tectonic settings are the Hawaiian Islands located?

hot spot

Which of the following statements about atmospheric circulation in a hurricane is most accurate?

It becomes stronger as the atmospheric pressure in the center of the hurricane decreases.

Which of the following pairs of rocks could a teacher use as examples of rocks that form by chemical sedimentation?

Limestone and gypsum

Which of the following is a factor in a well-supported hypothesis about the cause of the mass extinction at the end of the Mesozoic era?

An asteroid impact

A map with which of the following scales would show the largest area of coverage but the least amount of detail?

1:250,000

What part of the water cycle has the greatest direct impact on land erosion?

Runoff

Which THREE of the following statements represent misconceptions about earthquakes?

Earthquakes occur only at plate boundaries.

During an earthquake, movement along the fault occurs only at Earth’s surface.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4 on the moment magnitude scale releases approximately twice as much energy as an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.

Which of the following statements about the short-term carbon cycle is most likely a misconception?

The carbon cycle only involves the flow of carbon dioxide in and out of reservoirs.

Which of the following statements could a teacher use to help explain to students why there are many more impact craters on the Moon than on Earth?

Erosion and crustal movements eventually destroy craters on Earth.

In a laboratory investigation, students measure the dry-bulb temperature and wet-bulb temperature of the air in a shaded area outside the school. If the temperatures measured by the student are about the same, which of the following is most likely true about the air

The relative humidity of the air is close to 100 percent.

Which THREE of the following are adverse effects most closely associated with the extraction of coal using contour strip mining in humid regions?

Acid runoff

Increased erosion

Mass wasting

A rock contains 0.50 gram of a radioactive isotope. The half-life of the isotope is 1.25 million years. How many grams of the isotope were in the rock
5 million years ago?

8

Along the equator, air heated by the Sun rises into the atmosphere then moves toward the poles to about 30 degrees latitude. The cooled air sinks then moves back toward the equator. This large-scale atmospheric circulation, known as a Hadley cell, is an example of which of the following methods of energy transfer?

convection

Regions that geologists refer to as exotic terranes are most likely found in which of the following locations?

the west coast of canada

As waves approach the shore, they tend to become more parallel to the shoreline. Which of the following types of wave behavior should a teacher include in an explanation of this observation?

Refraction

shale→slate→phyllite→schist→gneiss

A teacher is most likely to use the rock sequence represented in the preceding diagram to illustrate

metamorphism

Currently, the most accurate and precise method for the measurement of salinity is based on which of the following?

Electrical conductivity

Of the following resources, which would best facilitate student understanding of how galaxies are classified?

Images captured by the Hubble Telescope that illustrate the different shapes of galaxies

The preceding graphs show the average monthly temperatures for two cities in the continental United States that are at the same latitude. Of the following statements, which best explains the differences between the two graphs?

City 1 is located inland, but City 2 is located along a coast.

Which of the following is the layer of Earth’s mantle that is located immediately below the lithosphere and behaves plastically when under stress?

Asthenosphere