Study Guide

Field 114: Earth and Space Science
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

Expand All | Collapse All

Competency 0001
Understand the origin, structure, and composition of the universe, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

1. Many of the stars in the Andromeda Galaxy emit light that appears to astronomers to be slightly bluer than they would predict based on the stars' composition. Which of the following factors best explains this observation?

  1. The stars are younger than initially thought.
  2. The galaxy is moving toward the Milky Way.
  3. The stars appear larger than expected.
  4. The galaxy's dust blocks shorter wavelengths.
Answer
Correct Response: B. Andromeda is moving toward the Milky Way at approximately 110  kilometers per second  due to the gravitational attraction between the two galaxies. This relative motion causes all spectral lines from Andromeda's stars to shift toward the blue end of the spectrum due to the Doppler effect, where electromagnetic radiation from an approaching source is compressed to shorter, bluer wavelengths.

2. Which of the following types of structures in the universe has the greatest luminosity?

  1. hypergiant stars
  2. planetary nebulae
  3. lenticular galaxies
  4. quasar host galaxies
Answer
Correct Response: D. Quasars are the most luminous persistent objects in the universe. They are powered by supermassive black holes actively accreting matter at the centers of galaxies. Some quasars emit an amount of energy equivalent to hundreds or even thousands of entire galaxies.
Competency 0002
Understand the characteristics and development of solar systems, stars, and planets, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

3. The photons of sunlight that reach Earth's surface originate in the Sun through which of the following processes?

  1. nucleosynthesis within the convective zone
  2. fusion reactions within the core
  3. fission reactions within the chromosphere
  4. energy transfers within the photosphere
Answer
Correct Response: B. The Sun's energy originates from nuclear fusion reactions in its core, which release a tremendous amount of energy in the form of gamma-ray photons. These high-energy photons then undergo millions of years of random scattering and absorption-reemission events as they diffuse outward through the radiative and convective zones until they emerge from the photosphere as visible light.

4. Robotic landers, like the Mars rovers, are not good candidates for the exploration of planets like Jupiter for which of the following reasons?

  1. The ammonia in the atmosphere is too corrosive.
  2. The planet's rotation is too fast to time a safe entry.
  3. There is no adequate surface for the probes to operate.
  4. There is no way for data to be transmitted back to Earth.
Answer
Correct Response: C. Jupiter is a gas giant composed primarily of hydrogen and helium with no solid surface on which a lander could touch down and operate. Jupiter's atmosphere gradually transitions to liquid and then metallic hydrogen under increasing pressure and temperature as you descend, meaning a probe would be crushed by extreme pressures and temperatures long before reaching any kind of surface.
Competency 0003
Understand the Earth's history and its internal structure, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

5. While studying strata in the eastern United States that date to the Pennsylvanian Period, geologists note that the layers alternate between formations that are characteristic of marine environments and those more typical of terrestrial environments. Which of the following lines of evidence would best explain these alternations?

  1. data from ground-penetrating radar showing the locations of ancient riverbeds
  2. geologic maps showing regions currently experiencing ground subsidence
  3. calculations of the changes to Earth's axial tilt and orbital eccentricity
  4. records of extensive glacial advance and retreat during a similar time period
Answer
Correct Response: D. The alternating marine and terrestrial strata in Pennsylvanian-age rocks are classic evidence of cyclothems created by the growth and melting of massive ice sheets during the late Paleozoic ice age. When glaciers advanced and locked up water on land, global sea level dropped and exposed shallow marine environments to terrestrial deposition. When glaciers retreated, sea level rose and flooded coastal areas, depositing marine sediments over the terrestrial layers.

6. Geologists examine a conglomerate that is composed of several rounded granitic clasts cemented together. Using the principle of inclusions, which of the following inferences can be made about the conglomerate?

  1. The rock is high in silica.
  2. The rock formed in calm waters.
  3. The clasts formed before the whole rock.
  4. The clasts are a type of sedimentary rock.
Answer
Correct Response: C. The principle of inclusions states that any rock fragments contained within another rock must be older than the rock containing them, since the fragments had to exist before they could be incorporated into the host rock. In this case, the rounded granitic clasts must have formed first as igneous rock, then been weathered and eroded from their source, transported and rounded, and finally cemented together to form the conglomerate, making the clasts definitively older than the sedimentary rock that now contains them.
Competency 0004
Understand the origin, motion, and interactions of Earth's tectonic plates, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

7. Which of the following sources of heat energy is most responsible for mantle convection?

  1. energy from nuclear decay in the inner core
  2. heat energy generated by pressures in the asthenosphere
  3. energy that is left over from Earth's formation
  4. radiant energy from the Sun that reaches Earth's surface
Answer
Correct Response: A. Radioactive decay of isotopes, such as  Uranium 2 38  and  Thorium 2 32 , which continuously generate heat that drives mantle convection over geological timescales. This heat production accounts for approximately half of Earth's current heat flow and provides the sustained energy input necessary to maintain convective circulation in the mantle.

8. Compression waves propagate fastest through which of the following types of material?

  1. beach sand
  2. glacial till
  3. mudstone
  4. basalt
Answer
Correct Response: D.  P waves  travel fastest through materials that are dense, rigid, and have strong intermolecular bonds. Due to basalt's relatively high density and rigid crystalline structure, seismic waves will travel faster through it than the other types of material.
Competency 0005
Understand the structure, function, and energy transfer mechanisms of the atmosphere, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

9. Regions along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains often experience foehn or chinook winds. In addition to causing dangerously high wind gusts, these winds are also accompanied by which of the following meteorological phenomena?

  1. intense periods of precipitation
  2. rapid increases in air temperature
  3. development of severe tornadoes
  4. dramatic decreases in barometric pressure
Answer
Correct Response: B. Chinook or foehn winds undergo adiabatic warming as air descends the leeward side of the Rocky Mountains, causing dramatic and rapid temperature increases. This process results in warm, dry winds that can melt snow rapidly and create springlike conditions in winter.

10. Students in an Earth and space science class set up a weather station and monitor it throughout the school year, tracking temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and barometric pressure. During the winter, the rain gauge gathers 4 inches of snow in a 24-hour period. Which of the following methods should the students use to record this piece of data?

  1. entering 4 inches directly into their precipitation logs as snow
  2. using a formula to convert 4 inches of snow into its rain equivalent
  3. melting the snow and recording the amount of water it represents
  4. compacting the snow in the gauge and noting the resulting value
Answer
Correct Response: C. Accurate precipitation measurement requires determining the actual water content of the snow, which can vary significantly depending on snow density. Light, fluffy snow may have a snow-to-liquid ratio of  20 to 1  or higher, while heavy, wet snow might be closer to  5 to 1 . Melting the snow and measuring the resulting liquid water is the standard meteorological practice that provides the most accurate record of precipitation amounts.
Competency 0006
Understand the structures, functions, and energy transfer mechanisms of the hydrosphere, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

11. Despite an average depth of 14 feet, the Great Salt Lake in Utah rarely freezes during the winter. Which of the following statements best explains this phenomenon?

  1. Its elevation above sea level means that the water is warmed by more intense sunlight.
  2. The strong winds that blow across its surface during the winter create waves that prevent ice formation.
  3. The higher concentration of dissolved minerals in the water lowers the freezing point.
  4. Its three major surrounding rivers add fresh-flowing water to the lake that raises the lake level.
Answer
Correct Response: C. The Great Salt Lake is typically 3 to 5 times saltier than the ocean. The high concentration of dissolved salts depresses the freezing point of water, preventing the ice from forming despite Utah's cold temperatures.

12. Managers of a municipal golf course outside of a major city in Ohio stock a lake on the grounds with fish to help reduce the number of insects on the course. In late summer, the managers notice that many of the fish have died and there is a lot more blue-green algae than there was in the spring. Given these observations, which of the following conditions most likely led to the death of the fish?

  1. Warm-water parasites weakened the fish.
  2. The algae prevented sunlight from reaching the fish.
  3. The fish were overcrowded and lacked enough food.
  4. The algae caused oxygen levels to drop too low for the fish.
Answer
Correct Response: D. The late-summer proliferation of blue-green algae indicates eutrophication, likely from nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing runoff from golf course. Increasing nutrients often trigger algal blooms that deplete dissolved oxygen in the water, creating conditions that make it hard for fish to survive.
Competency 0007
Understand the interactions and feedback mechanisms that occur between two or more Earth systems, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

13. One of the ways that scientists can gain an understanding of the past climate of a region is by collecting sediment cores containing grains of pollen. In a sediment core gathered in the Rocky Mountains, researchers notice that there are periods where flowering plants and deciduous trees are the predominant species and that this alternates with periods where pine and fir trees have left behind more pollen. Which of the following environmental changes is most directly responsible for this periodic change?

  1. decreasing precipitation due to El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycles
  2. changing soil characteristics as the bedrock weathers and erodes
  3. varying temperatures due to glacial and interglacial conditions
  4. increasing solar radiation as the Rocky Mountains were uplifted
Answer
Correct Response: C. The alternation between flowering plants and deciduous trees which thrive in warmer conditions, and pine/fir trees which are adapted to colder climates in sediment cores, directly reflects the temperature oscillations between the colder glacial periods and the warmer interglacial periods that have characterized Earth's climate over the past 2.6 million years.

14. Students in an Earth and space science class study weather maps depicting the previous week's high and low temperatures that were recorded in an urban area and in the more rural area that surrounds it. Which of the following observations are students most likely to make based on these maps?

  1. Urban areas have a greater difference between high and low temperatures.
  2. Rural areas have a lower average high temperature.
  3. Rural areas have a greater difference between each day's high temperatures.
  4. Urban areas have a lower average low temperature.
Answer
Correct Response: B. Urban areas often experience what is known as the heat island effect, where human activities, dark surfaces, reduced vegetation, and waste heat from buildings and vehicles can cause cities to retain more heat and reach higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. Urban areas also tend to have higher nighttime lows than rural areas due to heat retention.
Competency 0008
Understand the sources, methods of extraction, and environmental impacts involved in the use of natural resources, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

15. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ( P FAS ) are sometimes referred to as "forever chemicals" due to their ability to persist in the environment. Which of the following industries is the largest contributor to  P FAS  found in the soil?

  1. agriculture
  2. fire management
  3. manufacturing
  4. commercial transportation
Answer
Correct Response: C. Manufacturing facilities that produce or use  P FAS  in industrial processes, including production of nonstick coatings, water-repellent fabrics, food packaging, and various chemical products, are the primary point sources of  P FAS  contamination in soil through direct discharge, waste disposal, and accidental releases over decades of production.

16. Fish can be caught from the wild or grown using aquacultural practices. Which of the following advantages does aquaculture have over harvesting fish from the wild?

  1. Aquaculture significantly reduces the amount of bycatch during harvest.
  2. Fish raised in aquaculture pens are more nutrient-dense at maturity.
  3. Fish will experience less stress when raised using aquaculture techniques.
  4. Aquaculture allows farmers to raise and harvest multiple species together.
Answer
Correct Response: A. Aquaculture involves raising fish in controlled environments such as ponds, tanks, or net pens where specific target species are cultivated and harvested selectively, virtually eliminating the bycatch problem that plagues wild fisheries where non-target species, juveniles, and endangered animals are unintentionally caught and often killed.
Competency 0009
Understand the causes, impacts, prevention, and mitigation methods for natural hazards, including through the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

17. A meteorologist observes a series of bow-shaped storm lines moving quickly in the same direction through the central plains. Which of the following types of storms is the meteorologist most likely observing?

  1. blizzard
  2. derecho
  3. nor'easter
  4. tornado
Answer
Correct Response: B. A derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms that characteristically appears as a bow-shaped line on radar, producing damaging straight-line winds over hundreds of miles.

18. A region that is heavily dependent on groundwater experiences a years-long drought that results in the water table lowering significantly. This could cause which of the following consequences that would place the region at the most risk of negative consequences during future droughts?

  1. land subsidence
  2. decreased population
  3. drying wells
  4. increasing salinity
Answer
Correct Response: A. Droughts often lead to an increased reliance on groundwater reserves. As the amount of groundwater withdrawn from aquifers increases, the stability of existing pore spaces decreases often leading to compaction of the soil above the water table. Compacted soils take up less volume and subside relative to their previous surface elevation.