Earth and Space Science Exam Review

It has been determined that the oldest rocks retrieved from the Moon by Apollo astronauts were formed 4.44 billion years ago, while the oldest rocks found on Earth are less than 4 billion years old. This difference is most likely because

• The earth was formed after the moon
• The Earth cooled more slowly 
• Earth's oldest rocks have been recycled by plate tectonics
• Earth and Moon were capture by sun's gravity at different times

Which of the following statements best describes how the planets of the solar system formed?

• They are condensed rings of matter thrown off by the Sun
• They are remains of an exploding star 
• The Sun captured them form smaller, older nearby stars
• They formed form a nebular cloud of dust and gas

Which graph best indicates the densities of the planets in our solar system?

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• 2
• 3
• 4

The convergence of two continental plates would produce

• Island arcs
• Rift valleys
• Folded Mountains
• Trenches

Which of the following is most responsible for the formation of new crust at the edge of a tectonic plate?

• Mountain building at continent-continent convergent boundary
• Magma rising up from the mantle at divergent boundary
• Two tectonic plats sliding past each other
• Subduction of one oceanic 

Relative cooling rates of igneous intrusive rocks can be estimated by comparing rocks'

• Crystal sizes
• Composition
• Density
• Chemical reactivity

Using the diagram, at which location would earthquakes be least likely to occur?

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• 2
• 3
• 4

Earthquake activity in California is primarily caused by

• Lowering of aquifer levels
• Interactions of tides with the coast
• Mining activity in 19th century 
• Plates grinding past each other along active faults

The diagram shows the motion of the earth's crust. Based on the diagram, what causes the formation of an arc of volcanic islands?

• Magma from subducting plate moving up through oceanic crust
• Magma from an earthquake at a transform boundary
• Magma from seafloor spreading
• magma from oceanic and continental plate colliding 

Which two features are commonly found at divergent plate boundaries?

• Mid ocean ridges and rift valleys
• Wide valleys and deltas
• Ocean trenches and subduction
• Hot spots and island arcs