Dual Enrollment Earth Science Practice Test

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• What term describes a mineral's tendency to break along smooth, flat planes?
• New Horizons discovered Pluto has mountains.
• Which option best describes the ozone layer?
• What does the article say about the frequency of exoplanets around stars?
• Which statement best defines a light-year?
• What was the main technique used to study the solid surface of Venus?
• Which tides have the largest tidal range and occur when Sun, Earth and Moon are aligned along a straight line?
• Which rock type forms primarily from the cooling and solidification of molten rock?
• NOAA is the primary organization involved with improving weather forecasting.
• Which philosopher is associated with the belief that the physical world is an illusion, thereby stifling scientific progress in the ancient Greek world?
• Which of the following is NOT a function of wetlands in the environment?
• Which of the following has not yet been discovered?
• The water found in a wetland is:
• Which device is described as a balloon that measures atmospheric characteristics such as temperature, pressure, and humidity as it moves through the air?
• Which method is used to study the atmosphere of exoplanets?
• What term describes the creation of the universe from nothing?
• The spacecraft that studied Pluto in the material is New Horizons.
• For a rock to be considered an ore, it must:
• Did several medieval advancements occur during the Middle Ages that helped give birth to modern science?
• A storage location for water such as an ocean, glacier, pond, or the atmosphere is known as a:
• It took over nine years to reach Pluto.
• Which year is associated with polar vortex collapse as mentioned?
• A tropical cyclone will be strengthened by which condition?
• By which year will the summer Arctic Ocean be ice-free?
• Which worldview is most compatible with science?
• A felsic plutonic rock would be characterized by being:
• Which term refers to planets that orbit stars outside our Solar System?
• The warming of the Arctic has already caused changes in the timing of which phenomena?
• Mexico City's vulnerability to earthquakes is primarily due to being built on top of which material?
• Which statement is NOT a feature of the Solar System?
• Which factor makes magma less viscous?
• The asteroid belt is located between which two planets?
• The water table lies between which layers?
• TESS will be mostly limited to finding planets that orbit their stars very quickly - in a few weeks or less.
• On June 21st, which area experiences 24 hours of daylight?
• Tornado strength is measured by which factors?
• The storm system that tore through the South in April 2011 was a complete surprise to forecasters and they were unable to issue any warning.
• What criterion is used to define the major atmospheric layers?
• Which metamorphic texture shows parallel mineral grains arranged in layers?
• Which mineral is a sulfide and commonly forms cube-shaped crystals?
• Where did the May 22, 2011 tornado tragedy occur?
• Do cosmological constants appear finely tuned to allow life on Earth, as recognized by even atheists?
• Which of the following is the only thing the author claims to be certain of?
• Pluto's largest moon is?
• The author believes there is a liquid water ocean beneath Pluto's surface.
• The article states that only about 100 exoplanets had been discovered.
• An astronomical unit (AU) is defined as which distance?
• During the 2015-2016 El Niño, which outcome did NOT occur?
• Which statement about the Doppler radar system is accurate?
• Cumulus clouds with great vertical extent form when which conditions prevail?
• The 20-second warning time is referenced for which region?
• Composite volcanoes are typically described as being which of the following?
• Did medieval times include advancements that contributed to modern science?
• Which phenomenon has greatest potential to raise global sea levels?
• Researchers are still not sure how global warming will affect the El Niño/La Niña cycle.
• Why must naturalistic scientists sometimes assume the Christian theological worldview?
• Which telescope type is associated with the early work of Isaac Newton?
• Why does warm air rise in the Earth's atmosphere?
• Most stars in our galaxy are red dwarfs that are cooler, fainter, and much less massive than our Sun.
• Expansion of the universe was first observed and measured by which scientist?
• Tragically, many people wait for confirmation of a tornado warning before deciding to take shelter.
• The rising and falling of noodles in boiling water is best explained by which process?
• The most important class of rock-forming minerals on Earth is:
• According to the current cosmological model, the age of the universe is about:
• The division between the Earth's core, mantle, and crust is based on which criterion?
• Exoplanets are surprisingly common. There is a 50% chance for any sun-like star that it has at least one planet orbiting it.
• What term describes soil that remains frozen year-round?
• The 2015-2016 El Niño was one of the strongest ever recorded.
• Is the anthropic principle described as referring to humans evolving from ape-like ancestors?
• New Horizons atmosphere tinted blue.
• On June 21st which location will be receiving 24 hours of daylight?
• New Horizons is the spacecraft exploring Pluto.
• El Niño typically lasts 8-10 years.
• Pluto is not considered a planet.
• Metamorphic rock is formed by:
• Studies suggest that U.S. coastal communities are not at risk for experiencing regular flooding in the future - the risk is confined to southeast Asia.
• Redshift describes which phenomenon in astronomy?
• What is the difference between the focus and the epicenter?
• The author believes the most exciting substance to find in the atmosphere of an Earth-sized planet would be:
• Which statement about El Niño's regional weather effects is supported by the material?
• A good definition of a Constellation is which?
• What is the general term for sedimentary rock formed from cemented fragments?
• Which statement about the 2015-2016 El Niño is accurate?
• Arctic warming may lead to all of the following EXCEPT:
• One positive benefit of a flood is that new nutrient-rich sediments are deposited on floodplains, which have traditionally been good for farming.
• The impact of El Niño on Australia is typically:
• Which telescope is designed to scan the sky for transiting exoplanets?
• Besides new radar and satellite technologies, the main component to improving warning times for severe weather would be:
• The largest planet in the Solar System is:
• A wetland can occur:
• What does naturalism claim about the reality of the universe?
• El Niño occurs when the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean's surface waters are warmer than usual.
• Which of the following is NOT a type of stress found to produce earthquakes?
• How do scientists determine the location of a recent earthquake?
• Earth's atmosphere is divided into layers by what property?
• Which front type typically causes widespread precipitation as a warm air mass overtakes a cooler air mass?
• Dark matter makes up about what percentage of the matter in the universe?
• Large bends in the jet stream tend to make weather systems last for longer periods of time.
• Which statement about magma viscosity is true?
• A nuclear power plant would have a higher tolerance for earthquake false alarms than an elementary school. Is this statement true or false?
• Hundreds of earthquakes occur every day around the world. Which statement is true?
• What is the most important metric indicating a high probability of a tornado?
• Which of the following is NOT an advantage of a reflecting telescope, such as that used by Isaac Newton?
• Sedimentary rock that is cemented with organic materials from once living organisms is called:
• Which process is primarily responsible for the formation of cumulus clouds?
• Which capability does dual polarization radar provide?
• According to the author, why did science fail to flourish in medieval Islamic culture?
• Mexico City is particularly prone to earthquake damage because it is built on top of what ground material?
• Meteorologists rely on which data source for hurricane predictions?
• The ShakeAlert system is proposed for which U.S. state?
• The Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 postponed which major event?
• The article suggests that the Arctic climate is changing...
• Which object is the largest in our Solar System?
• The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will be able to scan about 90% of the sky.
• The most damaging waves of an earthquake are the P-waves. Is this statement true or false?
• Which statement about red dwarfs is true?
• One positive benefit of a flood is that:
• Which country had the most advanced earthquake warning system in the world at the time the article was written?
• Strong earthquakes produce P-waves with which combination of amplitude and frequency?
• What is the difference between a joint and a fault?
• Astronomers can use ______ to learn about the composition of an exoplanet's atmosphere.
• What does TVS stand for?
• The curve in a stream is called a winding bend. Which term describes this feature?
• A fault is characterized by which of the following relative to joints?
• Which statement is false?
• Which weather system is most likely to produce the strongest tornadoes?
• The cycle where ice melt exposes dark water and leads to more warming is called?
• Dark matter is called 'dark' because which statement is true?
• La Niña is often associated with a more active Atlantic hurricane season.
• The current Doppler radar system has been useful, but does have limitations.
• Spring tides occur when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned along a straight line.
• The S-waves of an earthquake are analogous to ocean waves. Is this statement true or false?
• Which stage of thunderstorm development is characterized by updrafts and downdrafts caused by falling precipitation?
• How many moons does Pluto have?
• Ozone consists of _____ molecules of oxygen, is found primarily in the __________, and protects us from __________.
• Which statement best describes why humans can know about nature?
• Which statement is not part of Christianity's view of the universe, as described?
• When minerals are deposited from hot underground water and fill the cracks in rocks they are called:
• Which statement is true about the relationship between El Niño and La Niña?
• Stellar evolution is studied by what approach?
• Igneous rocks are commonly classified by where cooling occurs.
• The water table is located between which layers?
• Pluto's surface feature is a nitrogen-ice glacier.
• Which gas would be considered a potential biosignature if detected in an Earth-sized planet's atmosphere?
• Pluto has five moons.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, how do wind directions rotate around a high-pressure (anticyclone) center?
• With a warm front approaching a cold front, which statement describes their interaction?
• Charon has a red northern polar cap.
• No mountains on Pluto.
• The impact of El Niño on the northeastern United States is typically:
• Which gas is most abundant in Earth's atmosphere?
• Which of the following is NOT a type of volcano?
• Which phenomenon is essentially the opposite of El Niño?
• The astronomical unit is defined as the average distance between which objects?
• The most common way to classify a star is by which property?
• Which worldview is assumed by naturalistic scientists to meet science's preconditions?
• Under what condition does a location experience high tide?
• Exposure of dark ocean surface after ice melt leads to more energy being absorbed.
• Which radar technology allows forecasters to differentiate between rain and hail and detect airborne debris of tornadoes even at night?
• Which type of cloud is typically formed by strong upward lifting in an unstable atmosphere and can have great vertical extent?
• Which statement best describes the study of stellar evolution as mentioned in the material?
• Right now, the national average lead time for a tornado warning is about 5 minutes.
• Approximately how many people were killed by the Loma Prieta earthquake, according to the article?
• In the Northern Hemisphere, an anticyclone is characterized by which wind pattern around the high-pressure center?
• The largest source of liquid fresh water on Earth is found in:
• Which statement accurately reflects why dark matter cannot be observed directly?
• Which statement best captures the interplay between naturalism and science's preconditions?
• The ______ method of planet-hunting relies on a periodic dimming of the star being orbited.
• The mineral halite has cube-shaped crystals because:
• When do rocks along a fault have the highest amount of stress and stored elastic strain?
• Which option is not listed as a factor in improving warning times for severe weather in the material?
• Which term best describes a place where water is collected and stored for human use, such as oceans or glaciers?
• Which statement best describes relative humidity?
• The asteroid belt is located between which two planets?
• The largest source of liquid fresh water on Earth is found in
• Which statement about Jupiter is accurate?
• Which data source is used for hurricane predictions in the material?
• A feature that the gaseous outer planets have in common is:
• In what year did the Loma Prieta earthquake occur?
• Which type of fog forms when the ground cools after sunset, cooling the air near the surface?
• Which statement correctly defines a light-year?
• Which unit is most often used to measure distances in the Solar System?
• Fresh water makes up approximately what percent of Earth's total water?
• The author agrees Pluto should be excluded from the list of planets.
• Hornfels, a metamorphic rock, is characterized by:
• Which two sources are linked to the belief that the physical world is illusory?
• Which type of volcano is generally regarded as the most dangerous?
• Which statement about El Niño and La Niña is supported by the material?
• If the warning system discussed is implemented, the author realistically hopes for about how many seconds of warning time for the San Francisco Bay Area?
• What term describes the point within Earth where an earthquake originates?
• What evidence helped prove the heliocentric model was better than the geocentric model?
• Which type of rock has relatively large crystalline regions because they slowly cooled from magma beneath the Earth's surface?
• The warming of the Arctic has already caused changes in the timing of plankton blooms, tundra greening, and insect hatching.
• Which term best describes heat transfer through moving fluids?
• Among the planets, which has the highest surface temperature?
• As a stream moves from high mountains to lower areas toward sea level, it tends to erode more along its banks than downcutting into its bed.
• Without greenhouse gases, Earth's temperature would be:
• Collapse of the polar vortex, as was experienced in January 2018, can bring severe cold to the northern U.S.
• Which region is predicted to face regular coastal flooding risk in the future?
• New Horizons is exploring the Kuiper Belt.
• Which terrestrial planet has the highest temperature?
• High gas pressure in magma typically leads to which eruption style?
• Which statement is true regarding the relationship between air pressure and altitude?
• The main point of this article is that the Arctic climate is changing much more slowly than scientists predicted.
• The author concludes that the ShakeAlert system proposed for California would be far too expensive to justify the investment. Is this true or false?
• Advection fog forms under which condition?
• Which space telescope has discovered the most exoplanets up to the time described?