APES Unit 4 Test Review (MCQs)

they look like long terms, but its only because I list the answer choices; I also give answer explanations but you don't have to read those if you understand the answer

which layer of earth is composed primarily of liquid nickel and iron?

a. the outer core

b. the inner core

c. the asthenosphere

d. the mantle

A, the outer core; this is correct because the earth’s core is primarily composed of nickel and iron, however, the inner core is solid, and the outer core is liquid, so the answer is A

which of the following statements best describes the process of subduction?

a. subduction is the result of a hot spot moving near a plate boundary

b. subduction occurs when one plate passes under another

c. subduction occurs when oceanic plates diverge and form volcanoes

d. subduction is the process that occurs in transform boundaries that results in earthquakes

B, subduction occurs when one plate passes under another; this is correct because subduction occurs when the edge of a tectonic plate (oceanic, normally) passes beneath another plate (continental, normally) and is pushed downward toward the earth’s center

the hawaiian islands were formed

a. at a divergent plate boundary

b. at a hot spot

c. at a convergent plate boundary

d. at a transform fault

B, at a hot spot; this is correct because hawaii is believed to have formed by several volcanic eruptions when the pacific plate traveled northwest over a stationary hotspot

how far will a plate travel in 60,000 years if it moves at a net rate of 25 mm/year?

a. 24 m

b. 1,500 m

c. 3,000 m

d. 4,800 m

B, 1,500 m; this is correct given the formula in the picture. first, we need to plug in 60,000 for time (in years) and 25 for rate. to isolate ‘distance’, we can multiply 25 by 60,000 and we get 1.5 million mm/year. then, to convert this to meters, we can do a unit conversion as follows: (1,500,000 mm/year)(1 meter/1000 mm). after simplifying this, we get 1,500 m/year

an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 on the richter scale is how much greater than an earthquake of magnitude 5.0?

a. 2

b. 5

c. 10

d. 100

D, 100; this is correct because earthquake magnitude is measured on a logarithmic scale, and each unit increase on the richter scale represents a 10-fold increase in ground movement. so 5.0 to 6.0 is a ten-fold increase, and 6.0 to 7.0 is another 10-fold increase. 10×10=100, so D is the answer

which rock is formed at high temperatures and pressures?

a. igneous

b. sandstone

c. sedimentary

d. metamorphic

D, metamorphic; this is correct because metamorphic rocks are formed when igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, or other metamorphic rocks are exposed to high temperatures and pressures

which statement is the best explanation of acid precipitation?

a. acid precipitation causes physical weathering, which can release key soil nutrients from breaking up rock

b. acid precipitation causes chemical weathering, which can release key soil nutrients from dissolving minerals in rock

c. acid precipitation causes chemical weathering, which can consume key soil nutrients from breaking up rock

d. acid precipitation causes physical weathering, which can consume key soil nutrients from dissolving minerals in rock

B, acid precipitation causes chemical weathering, which can release key soil nutrients from dissolving minerals in rock; this is correct because acid precipitation is a chemical weathering process where the acid chemically weathers/breaks down the rock and releases nutrients as a result, but doesn’t typically consume nutrients

what are the five primary soil formation factors?

a. climate, parent material, pH, organisms, topography

b. parent material, topography, organisms, time, latitude

c. parent material, climate, pH, latitude, altitude

d. climate, parent material, topography, organisms, time

D, climate, parent material, topography, organisms, time; this is correct because these are the 5 contributing factors that affect soil formation; pH, latitude, and altitude are not

which is the correct order of soil horizons starting at the surface?

a. A, B, C, E, O

b. O, A, B, C, E

c. O, E, A, B, C

d. O, A, E, B, C

D, O, A, E, B, C; this is correct because soil horizons follow this order beginning with the surface: O horizon (organic materials in various stages of decomposition), A horizon (topsoil, organic material and minerals mixed together), E horizon (zone of leaching/eluviation), B horizon (subsoil, mainly mineral material), C horizon (least-weathered, most similar to parent material); REMEMBER THIS: Our Aunt Ellie Bakes Cookies (Regularly)

what type of soil would be best to add to the bottom of a constructed pond, where the goal is to have as little leakage of water as possible?

a. mostly clay

b. mostly silt

c. mostly sand

d. equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay

A, mostly clay; this is correct because clay comes in the smallest particles, which means it has the lowest porosity (it lets the least amount of water pass through among other soil types/particles); maxing out clay percentage would mean there is as little water leakage as possible

which of the following, if added to soil, would lower the base saturation?

a. sodium

b. potassium

c. magnesium

d. aluminum

D, aluminum; this is correct because aluminum is the only soil acid in this list, and because acids neutralize bases, this would lower base saturation; also, you might notice that all answer choices have a positive charge (Na¹⁺, K¹⁺, Mg²⁺) except aluminum (Al^3-)

using the soil texture triangle (I put it here, but it ISN’T on the quiz), what is the soil type that contains 30 percent clay, 30 percent silt, and 40 percent sand?

a. silt loam

b. clay loam

c. sandy loam

d. aluminum

B, clay loam; this is correct because when you diagonally trace these percentages according to the corresponding sides (like I showed in the images), you land closest to the clay loam region than you do to any of the other answer choices; also, aluminum isn’t even a soil type

what role does vegetation play in a watershed?

a. increases erosion

b. decreases water permeability

c. increases landslides

d. decreases erosion

D, decreases erosion; this is correct because when there is more vegetation, more water is absorbed into the ground and through the roots of plants that need it

what is the effect of a steeper slope in a watershed?

a. increased water speed, decreased erosion

b. decreased water speed, decreased erosion

c. decreased water speed, increased erosion

d. increased water speed, increased erosion

D, increased water speed, increased erosion; this is correct because when a hill is steep, water flows down that hill faster (so, increased water speed), and because the water is flowing down that steep slope at a quicker rate than usual, there is more erosion than there would be on a less steep hill

when the hubbard brook watershed was logged, nutrients in the stream _______________ and then _________________ as ecological succession occurred over 5 decades.

a. increased; increased

b. increased; decreased

c. decreased; increased

d. decreased; decreased

B, increased, decreased; this is correct because in the example of the hubbard brook, the logging meant that there were less trees absorbing the nutrients that were being eroded; however, the amount of nutrients decreased once ecological succession occurred because more vegetation was being restored that would absorb those nutrients.

which is the best description of the human impacts on the chesapeake bay watershed?

a. human activities increase the rate of ecological succession in the watershed

b. nutrients released from human activities improve water quality in the bay

c. eroded soil sediments decrease primary productivity in the bay

d. human use of pesticides has not had an impact on the watershed

C, eroded soil sediments decrease primary productivity in the bay; this is true because soil sediments leftover from human agricultural activity can be eroded into the water, which would decrease primary productivity in the water; also, human activity does not increase the rate of ecological succession, nutrients decrease water quality, and pesticide use has had an impact on the watershed

which of the following is a regulating ecosystem service provided by the chesapeake bay?

a. flood control

b. tourism

c. pharmaceuticals

d. food

A, flood control; this is correct because this is the only regulating ecosystem service in the options: tourism is a cultural service, pharmaceuticals and natural resources as well as food are provisional services

which has the highest albedo?

a. soil

b. snow

c. water

d. pavement

B, snow; this is correct given the albedo percentages in the image, snow is in the 80-90% range, whereas all the others are below that

what is the average albedo of water on earth?

a. 25 percent

b. 30 percent

c. 40 percent

d. 90 percent

B, 30 percent; this is correct given the image, which states that earth’s average albedo is 30%, and the average water albedo is between 10-60%, thus, we can assume that the average is 30%

summer in the northern hemisphere is primarily warmer because

a. increased atmospheric absorption of solar radiation

b. reduced albedo

c. the tilt of the earth’s axis

d. increased cloud cover

C, the tilt of the earth’s axis; this is true because the tilt of the earths axis affects why the northern hemisphere is warmer in the summer, because the tilt causes most regions of the world to experience seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation

which atmospheric layer contains the protective ozone layer?

a. exosphere

b. stratosphere

c. thermosphere

d. troposphere

B, stratosphere; this is correct because the stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere that contains the ozone layer, a layer of pale blue gas composed of molecules made up of 3 oxygen atoms

temperature change in adiabatic heating occurs due to

a. water vapor condensing

b. a pressure increase

c. absorption of sunlight

d. a pressure decrease

B, a pressure increase; this is correct because temperature change in adiabatic heating occurs when molecules that were high up in the atmosphere are brought down lower to the surface and shrink in volume due to an increase in pressure

latent heat release

a. increases air temperature

b. decreases air temperature

c. increases air pressure

d. decreases air pressure

A, increases air temperature; this is correct because latent heat release occurs when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water; and latent heat release causes an increase in air temperature, but not a direct increase in air pressure

which of the following is a direct cause of vertical atmospheric convection currents?

a. hadley cells

b. northern lights

c. polar cells

d. sun angle

D, sun angle; this is correct because the angle that the sun faces toward the earth will influence how or if vertical atmospheric convection currents occur; hadley cells and polar cells are types of convection currents, and northern lights are completely unrelated

the maximum amount of water vapor air can hold at a given tmperature is called the

a. saturation point

b. absolute humidity

c. dew point

d. vapor pressure

A, saturation point; this is correct because saturation point is the maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature

the coriolis effect is responsible for

a. the convergence of two ascending hadley cells

b. the location of atmospheric currents

c. the cooling effect of air as it rises and expands

d. the deflection of atmospheric currents

D, the deflection of atmospheric currents; this is correct because according to the definition, the coriolis effect is the deflection of an object’s path due to the rotation of the earth; thus, it is responsible for deflection of atmospheric currents

which of the following best describes a factor that drives ocean currents?

a. salinity drives ocean currents, as saltier water rises to the surface

b. surface winds drive ocean currents, as all wind blows away from the equator

c. temperature drives ocean currents, as warm water expands in volume

d. precipitation drives ocean currents, as more water volume is added to the ocean each day

C, temperature drives ocean currents as warm water expands in volume; this is correct because choice C is the only one that gives one of the four things that cause ocean currents (temperature, gravity, prevailing winds, the coriolis effect, salinity, and locations of continents); it is not A because saltier water sinks, not rises

which of the following did the author use as evidence to support the claim that ocean currents affect global climate?

a. the gulf stream is a cold-water current that brings colder temperatures to western europe

b. warm tropical waters are moved away from the equator, altering climates at higher latitudes

c. the united kingdom has colder temperatures than that of newfoundland in canada

d. cold, salty water sinks, which causes different climate conditions around the globe

B, warm tropical waters are moved away from the equator, altering climates at higher latitudes; this is correct given the reading passage; the gulf stream is a warm-water current that moves away from the equator and brings warmer temperatures to western europe

high productivity and nutrient availability in the ocean occur in areas with

a. gyres

b. upwelling

c. cold waters

d. prevailing westerlies

B, upwelling; this is correct because upwelling is the upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents, and it cycles nutrients around the ocean and to the surface; thus, upwelling increases productivity and nutrient availability in those areas

which of the following statements correctly describes an el niño-southern oscillation (ENSO) event?

a. it causes increased upwelling on the west coast of south america

b. it causes wetter conditions in the southern united states

c. it includes a reversal in polar ocean currents

d. it causes wetter conditions in australia

B, it causes wetter conditions in the southern united states; this is correct because an el niño event reverses wind and water currents in the south pacific, thus affecting the southern united states by bringing wetter conditions

which of the following statements about gyres is correct?

a. gyres redistribute heat in the ocean

b. gyres cause the coriolis effect

c. gyres redistribute nutrients from the deep ocean

d. gyres decrease the temperatures of equatorial areas

A, gyres redistribute heat in the ocean; this is correct because gyres are large-scale patterns of water circulation in the southern hemisphere that distribute heat in the ocean

which of the following plays a role in causing a rain shadow?

a. cold polar air

b. a flat grassland

c. the coriolis effect

d. humid ocean air

D, humid ocean air; this is correct because the rain shadow process is a process where water air (humid ocean air) condenses and precipitates over the windward side of a mountain, while the dry air flows down the leeward side, leading to dry conditions