Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
Part 1: Short Answer
1. A farmer purchased 30 acres of farmland. The farmer calculated that the average topsoil thickness on the farmland is about 20 centimeters.
The farmer wants to maintain the thickness of the soil on this farmland by reducing erosion. The farmer plans to test the effectiveness of two different farming methods for reducing soil erosion
Method 1: No-till (planting crops without plowing the soil)
Method 2: Winter cover crop (growing plants during the winter that are plowed into the soil in spring)
The farmer hypothesizes that using either method will reduce erosion compared to using traditional farming methods (plowing and no cover crop).
Design a controlled experiment that the farmer can use to test this hypothesis. Include descriptions of data collection and how the farmer will determine whether his hypothesis is correct.
Type your response in the box. This task may require approximately 10 minutes to complete.
2. Barrier islands are low and narrow sandy islands that form a rim offshore from a coastline. These islands protect inland shores from the surf, especially during storms. These islands are becoming increasingly developed because people want to live by the open ocean, yet the islands themselves are not permanent. Why aren’t the islands permanent?
Type your response in the box.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
Part 2: Multiple Choice. Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
3. The map shows Earth’s continents, the outlines of the plates that make up Earth’s outer shell, and the locations of volcanoes. Which conclusion can be reached from the information on the map?
a. Volcanoes are scattered randomly across Earth.
b. Volcanoes are only located along edges of continents.
c. Volcanoes are mostly located along boundaries between plates.
d. Volcanoes are distributed equally in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
4. What type of scientist studies the solid Earth?
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. geologist
b. oceanographer
c. astronomer
d. meterologist
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
September 1, 2013, Page 1
Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
5. The rating system that estimates the total energy released by an earthquake is called the
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. Richter scale.
b. moment magnitude scale.
c. mechanical seisomograph scale.
d. Mercalli scale.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
September 1, 2013, Page 1
Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
6. A tide with the LEAST difference between low and high tide is called a
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. spring tide.
b. neap tide.
c. rip tide.
d. monthly tide.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
September 1, 2013, Page 1
Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
7. Tides are caused mainly by
a. Earth's rotation on its axis, causing water to move.
b. differences in how much the sun pulls on different parts of Earth.
c. strong winds blowing water onto coasts.
d. differences in how much the moon pulls on different parts of Earth.
8. A tidal power plant produces energy using the movement of water
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. in surface waves.
b. between high tide and low tide.
c. due to earthquakes.
d. between neap tide and spring tide.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
September 1, 2013, Page 1
Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
9. The risk of earthquakes is high along the Pacific coast of the United States because
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. there have been no earthquakes there lately.
b. serious earthquakes are rare east of the Rockies.
c. satellites have detected increasing elevation of the ground surface.
d. that's where the Pacific and North American plates meet.
10. Release of CFCs and similar compounds are a possible cause of
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. destruction of ozone in the upper atmosphere.
b. increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration.
c. acid rain in the northeast U.S.
d. all of the above.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
11. The force that tends to pull together the matter in stars is
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. gravity.
b. nuclear fusion.
c. expansion.
d. nuclear fission.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
12. Nearly half of the pollution caused by humans comes from
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. factories.
b. powerplants.
c. home furnaces.
d. motor vehicles.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
13. Seismic waves generated by an earthquake at point R are recorded at locations W and X. Which pair of seismographs is more accurate?
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
14. The atmosphere is
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. the layer in which weather occurs.
b. the layer that contains the ozone layer.
c. the layer of water in the oceans.
d. the layer of gases that surrounds Earth.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
15. Which of these will cause the greatest high tides?
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a.
b.
c.
d.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
16. A major problem with depending on fossil fuels as primary energy sources is that they are
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. overabundant.
b. nonrenewable.
c. deep underground.
d. nonpolluting.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
17. The two most abundant gases in the atmosphere are
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. carbon dioxide and oxygen.
b. carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
c. nitrogen and oxygen.
d. nitrogen and hydrogen.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
September 1, 2013, Page 1
Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
18. Most pollution in the atmosphere comes from
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. pollen.
b. forest fires.
c. volcanic eruptions.
d. burning fossil fuels.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
19. The sun's rays are least direct
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. near the poles.
b. near the equator.
c. at high altitudes.
d. far from the ocean.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
September 1, 2013, Page 1
Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
20. The layer in the soil profile that has the most humus is
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. Layer 1
b. Layer 2
c. Layer 3
d. Layer 4
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
21. Scientists use the rock cycle to describe the process by which
a. one type of rock can be changed into another type of rock.
b. all different types of fossils were transformed into rock.
c. mineral crystals and compositions are identified.
d. tectonic plates shift around the Earth’s surface.
22. The burning of wood, coal, and natural gas produces
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. oxygen.
b. nitrogen.
c. carbon dioxide.
d. methane.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
23. Earth has seasons because
a. Earth rotates on its axis.
b. the distance between Earth and the sun changes.
c. Earth's axis is tilted as it moves around the sun.
d. the temperature of the sun changes.
24. Which kind of rock is formed by the processes shown in the diagram?
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. Metamorphic
b. Sedimentary
c. Basaltic
d. Igneious
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
25. Increased carbon dioxide may cause global warming by
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. allowing more sunlight into the atmosphere.
b. reflecting sunlight from Earth's surface.
c. reducing the amount of oxygen in the air.
d. trapping more heat in the atmosphere.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
26. Ozone molecules protect Earth from the harmful effects of the Sun by
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. absorbing ultraviolet radiation.
b. regulating the heat from the sun.
c. condensing water particles in clouds.
d. insulating the temperature at the poles.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
September 1, 2013, Page 1
Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
27. The chart shows different sources of energy. Which conclusion can be made based on this chart?
a. Coal is the main source of energy.
b. Use of nuclear power is increasing
c. Fossil fuels make up over three-quarters of our energy consumption.
d. Renewable energy sources are predominantly used.
28. How large is the moon compared to Earth?
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. about the same diameter as Earth
b. about one half the diameter of Earth
c. about one fourth the diameter of Earth
d. about one eighth the diameter of Earth
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
29. Scientists think the moon was formed when
a. a large object struck Earth, and material from both bodies combined.
b. gravitational forces attracted materials from outer space.
c. meteoroids collected and solidified within the pull of Earth's gravity.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
d. gases from Earth escaped from the atmosphere and condensed.
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
30. Based on the table, which planet has the shortest day?
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
a. Mercury
b. Saturn
c. Jupiter
d. Venus
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Sample Test Questions for Environmental, Earth and Space Science
ASE SC 4 Environmental, Earth and Space Science Sample Test QuestionsQuestion 3:
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