Ch.1-3 Geology

Which ONE of the following steps is NOT part of formulating a scientific theory?

• Clearly define a question regarding natural phenomena.

• Arrive at scientific consensus on the answer to the question

• Formulate a tentative answer or solution to the question.

• Evaluate the tentative answer by experimental testing.

Gina is exploring the cause of mold growing on trees in the forest next to her home. She has gathered and analyzed facts about the growth of the dark green mold. She has also come up with tentative explanations as to why the mold is growing on certain trees but not on others. Which ONE of the following suggestions BEST advises Gina in completing her analysis, using the scientific method?

• Suggest she come up with an explanatory theory.

• Suggest she develops one or several hypotheses.

• Suggest she derives predictive statements and tests them through observation.

• Suggest she tests her tentative explanations to see if any of them explain the phenomenon.

Considering Earth's atmosphere as a system, which ONE of the following factors is a key component?

• the atmospheres of other planets

• earthquakes

• Earth's core

• the water cycle

Considering the health of the human body as a system, which ONE of the following personal factors is NOT a key component of the system?

• height

• nutrition

• exercise

• rest

More than 20,000 years ago, a "great migration" took place into the Americas by peoples from northeastern-most Asia. They were nomadic people and had begun to slowly run low on food supplies in their region of the world. Also, tribal battles over land in Asia were forcing these migrants further and further eastward. Eventually, they crossed a land bridge that had been temporarily created by lowering sea levels and began to populate the Americas. In light of this, explain how physical geology played an important role in this "great migration."

• The land bridge created by drastically lowered sea levels allowed for the "great migration" into the Americas.

• The rapidly diminishing and shifting food supplies created a need for the "great migration" into the Americas.

• The tribal warring of the Asian peoples caused "the great migration" into the Americas.

• The nomadic tendencies of the Asian peoples perpetuated "the great migration" into the Americas.

Rafael wants to explore geologic factors that will ensure the survival of the human species far into the future. Which of the following geologic factors will NOT assist Rafael in his research?

• Rafael must learn why Earth's various subsystems interact with each other.

• Rafael must focus on what is happening on Earth today to predict future events.

• Rafael must understand that his actions and the actions of all those around him affect the balance between Earth's subsystems.

• Rafael must realize that one not only studies geology but also "lives it."

Which ONE of the following statements is TRUE of our solar system?

• The existence of the solar system conflicts with the solar nebula theory.

• The sun formed first, followed by the planets.

• The solar system includes only four terrestrial planets.

• The solar system is roughly the same age as the larger universe

Which ONE of the following best explains why the large outer planets of our solar system consist mostly of the light gases hydrogen, helium, ammonia, and methane?

• Light gases form the majority of both the inner and outer planets.

• Hydrogen, helium, ammonia, and methane gases formed at the high temperatures of the outer solar nebula.

• Hydrogen, helium, ammonia, and methane were already present throughout the universe during our solar system's formation.

• Hydrogen, helium, ammonia, and methane gases formed at the lower temperatures of the outer solar nebula.

Which ONE of the following BEST describes Earth's crustal plate boundaries?

• Crustal plate boundaries are the sites of former land bridges.

• Crustal plate boundaries are fractures in Earth's crust.

• Crustal plate boundaries formed where portions of the crust became fused together as the solar system nebula cooled

• Crustal plate boundaries result from lunar tidal disruptions of Earth's crust.

Of the following factors, which ONE is a major distinction between the igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock groups?

• chemical composition

• formation

• surface color

• internal crystal size