Name: Earth s Structure and Natural Processes Practice Test Section: Directions: For each of the questions or incomplete statements below, choose the best of the answer choices given and write your answer on the line. 1. The diagram below shows a tree growing out of a cracked rock. This is an example of a. water erosion. b. physical weathering. c. chemical weathering. d. an internal geologic force. 2. the diagram below shows the mineral magnetite, which contains iron, changing into rust particles. This is an example of a. physical weathering. b. chemical weathering. c. erosion by running water. d. the role of gravity in erosion. 3. The sedimentary rock layers in the diagram were originally formed in horizontal layers. What force is responsible for changing them? a. volcanoes b. faulting c. groundwater erosion d. folding
4. The theory that Earth s crust is broken up into large pieces that move and interact is called a. evolution of life. b. mountain building. c. the rock cycle. d. plate tectonics. 5. Major mountain ranges are formed when crustal plates a. push into each other. b. slide past each other. c. move away from each other. d. break into smaller plates. 6. If crustal block A, to the left of the fault in the diagram, suddenly shifted downward several feet, what would most likely occur at location C? a. An earthquake would occur. b. A volcanic eruption would occur. c. A mountain would form. d. An ocean would form. 7. Earth is made up of a crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. The crust is solid and broken into plates that seem to float on the mantle. The mantle is solid, but flows like heated plastic. The outer core is liquid, and the inner core is solid. Much of this knowledge about the internal structure and composition of Earth comes from a. deep mining operations. b. earthquake vibration waves. c. underwater drilling operations. d. the rock structure of mountains. 8. Weathering is responsible for a. creating wide valleys. b. forming mountain ranges. c. changing rocks into soil. d. changing sediments into rock.
9. Earthquakes and volcanoes are usually considered to be destructive forces because they kill people and damage buildings and other structures. Why are they sometimes considered to be beneficial geologic forces? a. They rarely occur anymore. b. They build up Earth s surface. c. They occur only in remote regions. d. They support unique life-forms. 10. Which event describes a force that builds up Earth s land surface? a. a volcano erupting in the Hawaiian Islands b. the flow of water in the Mississippi River c. waves striking the beaches of New Jersey d. a glacier forming on the top of a mountain Refer to the following diagram, which represents the water cycle, to answer questions 11 and 12. 11. Where in the diagram is the most likely location of polluted water? a. A b. B c. C d. D 12. Where in the diagram is the process of condensation taking place? a. A b. B c. C d. D 13. Purification of water is essential to maintain freshwater supplies for human usage. What natural processes can purify seawater and polluted water into freshwater that people could use? a. water seeping into the ground and filtering through the soil b. water freezing and thawing repeatedly c. evaporation and condensation of water d. water running over the ground and settling in a reservoir
14. The diagram shows the location of an industrial city near a river and some lakes formed by dams on the river. Where is the best location to get clean water for the people of the city? a. lake A b. lake B c. lake C d. downstream at point D 15. Mr. Collins purchased a house on a secluded lake in northwest New Jersey in 1975. At the time, there were only six houses on the lake. Today, there are 52 houses on the lake. Between 1975 and today, the water in the lake most likely a. became more polluted. b. became less polluted. c. remained the same. d. was drained out. Use the following information to answer question 16 In 1960, the river water upstream from a city showed few signs of pollution, while the water downstream showed a dangerously high level of pollution. The following graph shows the distribution of pollution in the river at that time.
16. Which graph indicates the most successful correction of the pollution problem for the city? a. graph 1 b. graph 2 c. graph 3 d. graph 4 17. Most of the water used by people for drinking, bathing, and other purposes comes from a. the oceans. b. groundwater. c. mountaintop glaciers. d. rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Use the information in the following chart to answer question 18
18. Clean, available freshwater is an important resource that humans need to survive. Based on the chart, what can be correctly stated about Earth s freshwater supply? a. Most of the water on Earth is part of our freshwater supply. b. The freshwater supply consists of less than 3 percent of all the water on Earth. c. The freshwater supply consists of more than 97 percent of all the water on Earth. d. Most of the freshwater on Earth is available for use by humans. 19. In the diagram, the most likely reason for City B to be cooler than City A is that a. City B is at a different latitude. b. City B is at a higher altitude. c. City B is closer to the ocean. d. City B is closer to the sun. 20. The diagram below shows two cities, A and B, and their positions on a continent. How will the climates of the cities compare? a. City B will have warmer summers and cooler winters than City A. b. City B will have cooler summers and warmer winters than City A. c. City B will have cooler summers and cooler winters than City A. d. Both cities will have the same climate in summer and in winter. 21. The most likely reason that Newark has a cooler climate than Miami is their difference in a. distance from the ocean. b. altitude. c. air pressure. d. latitude.
22. The main source of energy that sets Earth s atmosphere in motion and causes weather is a. volcanism. b. gravity. c. the ocean. d. the sun. Questions 23 and 24 refer to the data and diagram below, which represents a New Jersey beach on a hot summer day at about 2:00 P.M. Diagram Key: A the air at 1 meter above the beach sand B the air at 1500 meters above the beach sand C the air at 1 meter above the ocean water D the air at 1500 meters above the ocean water 23. The uneven heating of the region causes a cool breeze to form by midday. In which direction is the air moving to form a cool breeze on the beach? a. from B to A b. from C to A c. from D to C d. from A to C 24. Clouds form when warm air rises. The water vapor in the air condenses into water droplets, thus forming a cloud. At which location might clouds be forming? a. at A b. at B c. at C d. at D 25. During winter, air masses that form over northern Canada often move south and affect the weather in New Jersey. Such an air mass would be a. dry and warm. b. dry and cold. c. moist and warm. d. moist and cold.
26. In the diagram, the air mass most likely to affect New Jersey the next day would be a. air mass A. b. air mass B. c. air mass C. d. air mass D. Questions 27 and 28 refer to the following diagram. 27. The line separating the cold air mass from the warm air mass represents a a. warm front. b. cold front. c. line of latitude. d. high-pressure system. 28. City A is most likely about to experience a. a light rain, followed by warmer temperatures. b. heavy rains lasting several days. c. no change in its weather conditions. d. brief downpours, followed by cooler temperatures.