VERSION A

Please write your name on both this exam and on your answer sheet.
WRITE YOUR VERSION ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET.

Select the best answer for each question.

1. What is the most likely reason that Mars does not have a strong global magnetic field, unlike Earth?
a) it is probably solid all the way through.
b) it does not have an ozone layer.
c) it is spinning much more slowly than the Earth.
d) both because it is probably solid throughout, and is spinning very slowly.
e) it is further from the Sun, so less affected by the solar wind.

a) it is probably solid all the way through.

2. Most of the X-rays from the Sun are stopped in which layer of our atmosphere?
a) the troposphere.
b) the mesosphere.
c) the stratosphere.
d) the ionosphere.
e) they are not stopped by our atmosphere; they reach the surface of the Earth unimpeded.

d) the ionosphere.

3. The `greenhouse gases', such as CO₂, H₂O, and CH₄, are the main molecules in our atmosphere responsible for absorbing:
a) UV light.
b) X-rays.
c) radio waves.
d) IR light.
e) visible light.

d) IR light.

4. Seismic P waves:
a) Travel through both liquids and solids.
b) Only travel through solids.
c) Only travel through liquids.
d) Do not travel through either solids or liquids, just gases.
e) Only travel across the surface of the Earth; they do not penetrate the interior of the Earth.

a) Travel through both liquids and solids.

5. The asthenosphere of the Earth is:
a) the upper level of the atmosphere, also called the ionosphere.
b) the liquid outer core of the Earth.
c) a large region around the Earth containing numerous charged particles; also called the Van Allen Belts.
d) the lowest layer of the atmosphere, where weather occurs.
e) the semi-molten upper mantle of the Earth, responsible for plate tectonics.

e) the semi-molten upper mantle of the Earth, responsible for plate tectonics.

6. What is the main process responsible for the formation of the Andes Mountains?
a) The Van Allen Belts interacting with the ionosphere.
b) The impact of a very large asteroid.
c) Sea Floor Spreading.
d) Two tectonic plates colliding.
e) Hot spot volcanism.

d) Two tectonic plates colliding.

7. What is the evidence that the outer core of the Earth is liquid?
a) Only P waves travel through it.
b) Only S waves travel through it.
c) Both P and S waves travel through it.
d) Drilling deep into the Earth shows that the outer core is liquid.
e) The Earth has an ionosphere.

a) Only P waves travel through it.

8. The magnetic field of the Earth protects the Earth by preventing most of which of the following from hitting the surface of the Earth?
a) X-rays from the Sun.
b) UV from the Sun.
c) IR from the Sun.
d) the solar wind.
e) all of the above.

d) the solar wind.

9. Regions where two continental plates are colliding, and one gets pulled under the surface, are called:
a) Diffraction zones.
b) Subduction zones.
c) Coriolis regions.
d) Van Allen Belts.
e) Hot spot zones.

b) Subduction zones.

10. The global magnetic field of Venus is caused by:
a) convection in the asthenosphere (upper mantle).
b) the solid inner core of Venus, which acts like a giant magnet.
c) moving charged particles in the liquid outer core of Venus.
d) charged particles in the solar wind interacting with Venus's atmosphere.
e) Venus does not have a global magnetic field.

e) Venus does not have a global magnetic field.

11. Convection is:
a) In a liquid, dense material sinking and lower density matter rising.
b) Moving charged particles being deflected by a magnetic field.
c) Cool gas/liquid sinking, warm material rising.
d) The absorption of infrared light by certain molecules.
e) The production of a magnetic field by moving charged particles.


c) Cool gas/liquid sinking, warm material rising.

12. The rocks on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean:
a) are all about the same age.
b) increase in age with increasing distance from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
c) decrease in age with increasing distance from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
d) all have magnetic fields pointing in the same direction.
e) have never been dated.

b) increase in age with increasing distance from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

13. The Coriolis Effect is:
a) a consequence of Newton's Laws applied to a rotating frame of reference.
b) the deflection of a moving charged particle by a magnetic field.
c) the magnetic field produced by a moving charged particle.
d) the tendency of hot gas to rise and cold gas to sink in a gravitational field.
e) the tendency of dense material to sink and lighter material to rise in a gravitational field.

a) a consequence of Newton's Laws applied to a rotating frame of reference.

14. The Van Allen Belts are:
a) asteroids orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
b) objects orbiting the Sun beyond the orbit of Pluto.
c) convective cells in the asthenosphere of Earth.
d) the magnetic field lines of Earth, where solar wind particles are trapped.
e) deep sea trenches, where continental crust is dragged beneath the surface of Earth and destroyed.

d) the magnetic field lines of Earth, where solar wind particles are trapped.

15. Which of the following does NOT lie near the edge of a major tectonic plate?
a) The Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
b) The Hawaiian Islands.
c) The sea trench off the western coast of South America.
d) Southern California.
e) All of the above.

b) The Hawaiian Islands.

16. Which kind of seismic wave travels through the asthenosphere of the Earth?
a) Both P waves and S waves.
b) Only P waves.
c) Only S waves.
d) Neither P or S waves.
e) Only L waves.

a) Both P waves and S waves.

17. Which component of our atmosphere is primarily responsible for absorbing the UV from the Sun?

a) CO₂.
b) H₂O.
c) Ozone.
d) O₂.
e) CH₄.

c) Ozone.

18. The ionosphere is very reflective for what kind of light?
a) infrared light.
b) UV light.
c) visible light.
d) X-rays.
e) long wavelength radio waves.

e) long wavelength radio waves.

19. The unstable isotope carbon-14 will spontaneously decay to nitrogen-14, with a half-life of 5730 years. This means:
a) In a time of 5730 years, all of the nitrogen-14 will be gone.
b) Each nitrogen-14 atom lasts 5730 years, then decays.
c) In a time of 2 X 5730 = 11,460 years, all of the carbon-14 will have changed into nitrogen-14.
d) In a time of 2 X 5730 = 11,460 years, about one quarter of the carbon-14 in the original sample will be left.
e) In a time of 3 X 5730 = 17,190 years, about one quarter of the carbon-14 in the original sample will be left.

d) In a time of 2 x 5730 = 11,460 years, about one quarter of the carbon-14 in the original sample will be left.

20. The stratosphere of the Earth is:
a) the liquid outer core of the Earth.
b) the radiation belts around the Earth, where charged particles from the Sun are trapped by the Earth's magnetic field.
c) the lower layer of the Earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs.
d) the layer of the Earth's atmosphere where the ozone layer is found.
e) the ionized outer layer of the Earth's atmosphere.

d) the layer of the Earth's atmosphere where the ozone layer is found.