Grade 10 Science Quiz

You are planning a deep drilling project to study Earth's structure. Which layer would you expect to encounter first that is solid and rigid, and includes both crust and part of the upper mantle?

• Asthenosphere

• Atmosphere

• Hydrosphere

• Lithosphere

An oceanographer compares rock samples from the sea floor with rocks from a mountain range. She finds that the ocean floor rocks are denser. What is the main reason for this difference?

• The oceanic crust is mostly granite.

• Both types are made of heavy metallic rocks.

• They have identical thickness but different densities.

• The oceanic crust is made mainly of basalt, which is denser than continental rock.

Scientists describe Earth's outer shell as broken into large, rigid sections that move slowly over the mantle. What are these sections called?

• Asthenosphere

• Crust

• Mantle

• Tectonic plates

A science exhibit features the major tectonic plates of the Earth. Which of the following plates would not be included as one of the primary tectonic plates?

• African Plate

• Eurasian Plate

• Pacific Plate

• Philippine Plate

You are mapping plate boundaries and want to start with the largest tectonic plate. Which one should you choose?

• African Plate

• Eurasian Plate

• Pacific Plate

• South American Plate

Why do primary (P) seismic waves arrive at a station before secondary (S) waves?

• P-waves have greater amplitude.

• S-waves travel only along Earth's surface.

• P-waves move particles side to side, while S-waves move them up and down.

• P-waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases; S-waves only through solids.

A science club wants to locate the epicenter of a recent earthquake felt in their town. They obtain seismograph data from three nearby cities. Which sequence of steps will most likely help them find the epicenter?
i. Calculate the time difference between P-wave and S-wave arrivals for each city.
ii. Measure the distance from each city to the epicenter using a travel-time graph.
iii. Draw circles on a map centered on each city with radii based on calculated distances.
iv. Identify the point where all three circles intersect.

• i, ii, iii, iv

• ii, i, iii, iv

• iii, i, ii, iv

• iv, i, iii, ii

An earthquake early-warning system is being designed for a coastal province. How many seismic recording stations must be used to pinpoint the epicenter with accuracy?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

A tour guide is planning an 'adventure geology' route for tourists who want to visit active volcanoes and earthquake zones. Which location should she choose for the highest concentration?

• Central Australia

• The Mediterranean Sea

• The Pacific Ring of Fire

• Northern Canada

In a school project, students overlay maps showing earthquake epicenters, volcanoes, and mountain ranges. What scientific idea does this help support?

• Geological features tend to align along tectonic plate boundaries.

• Earthquakes and volcanoes never occur together.

• These features are randomly scattered worldwide.

• All continents have identical geological patterns.