Group Review PacketPysical Geography1. How are the 3 groups of rocks classified?

a. Color c. Chemical composition

b. Grain size d. How they formed

2. Which of the following rocks is correctly pair with its formation process?

a. Igneous – Melting and cooling c. Metamorphic-Compaction/Cementation

b. Sedimentary – Heat and pressure d. Igneous – Heat and pressure

3. In Figure 3-1, what process should be labeled letter I?

a. Weathering and Erosion c. Melting

b. Heat and Pressure d. Cooling

4. What type of energy is most involved in the formation of metamorphic rocks?

a. Chemical c. Magnetic

b. Electrical d. Thermal

5. What is one way that biological activity can cause mechanical weathering?

a. Water gets in the cracks of rocks, freezes and expands

b. Carbon Dioxide reacts with water to form acid

c. Plant roots dig into rocks and weather them

d. Uplift pushes granite up through the crust.

6. Whenever the characteristics and chemical composition of weathered materials have been altered, they have undergone ____.

a. chemical weathering c. mass movement

b. mechanical weathering d. frost wedging

7. Which of the following statements is true concerning rates of weathering and temperature?

a. Mechanical weathering increases with increasing temperatures

b. Mechanical weathering decreases with increasing temperatures

c. Chemical weathering decreases with increasing temperatures

d. There is no relationship between weathering rates and temperature

8. Why are wind, water and gravity major agents of erosion rather than weathering?

a. Because weathering is often limited to physical changes in Earth materials

b. Because weathering is often limited to chemical changes in Earth materials

c. Because erosion involves the stationary processes that break down rock

d. erosion involves the movement of Earth material from one location to another

9. How does slope have an effect on soil formation?

a. Soils developing on steep slopes will be thicker

b. Soils developing on flat slopes will be thicker

c. Soils developing on flat and steep slope will have the same thickness

d. There is no relationship between slope and soil thickness

10. Which of the following precautions should be taken in order to mitigate for landslide damage?

a. Annual inspections of bedrock c. Replant trees

b. Build flood channels d. Secure gas/water heaters

Plate Tectonics 11. How does the composition of the mantle compare with the composition of the crust?

a. The mantle is solid while the crust is molten

b. The mantle is molten while the crust is solid

c. Both the mantle and the crust are molten

d. Both the mantle and the crust are solid

12. If an oceanic and continental plate converge then which one will be subducted?

a. Continental because its denser c. Oceanic because its denser

b. Continental because it is less denser d. Oceanic because its less dense

13. What type of plate boundary is illustrated in Figure 9-1

a. Oceanic-oceanic convergent c. Divergent

b. Oceanic-continental convergent d. Transform

14. Folded mountains are associate with what type of plate boundary?

a. divergent boundary

b. convergent continental-continental boundary

c. convergent oceanic-continental boundary

d. convergent oceanic-oceanic boundary

15. The map below shows the distribution of major volcanoes and earthquakes:

According to the map above what inference can be made about the position of volcanoes and

earthquakes?

a. Earthquakes and volcanoes generally form in the middle of the ocean

b. Earthquakes and volcanoes generally are restricted to the Northern Hemisphere

c. Earthquakes and volcanoes generally form along plate boundaries

d. Earthquakes and volcanoes generally form as far apart from each other as possible

16. All active volcanoes within the lower 48 states of the United States are concentrated in the area shown:

What kind of plate boundary created these volcanoes in this particular geographic region?

a. Convergent c. Divergent

b. Convolute d. Transform

17. Which of the following is a potential environmental effect following a volcanic eruption?

a. Volcanic ash blocking out the sun, disrupting ecosystems

b. A massive mudflow called a lahar destroys habitats

c. Both A and B

d. Neither A or B are possible

18. When an earthquake occurs, energy radiates in all directions from its source which is called the:

a. Epicenter c. Fault

b. Focus d. Seismic center

19. The map below represents the movement of plates along divergent and convergent plate boundaries:

Which letter represents the driving force caused by unequal heating of the mantle that makes plate movements possible?

a. G c. B

b. D d. A

20. Active mountain formation in North Carolina ended about 225 million years ago. The Atlantic Ocean began forming around 200 million years ago. What is the main source of the sediment that makes up the coastal plain of North Carolina?

a. Volcanic ash c. Erosion of nearby mountains

b. Sand washed ashore d. Rivers spreading across the plain

Environmental Geology 21. What is the most significant potential environmental impact that coal mining has on the surrounding area?

A. acidification of surface watersB. increase in exposure to radioactivityC. inability to use site for future developmentD. immediate release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere

22. What change does urbanization of an area cause?A. Biodiversity of the area is increased.B. Air temperature of the area is decreased.C. Groundwater tables of the area are increased.D. Flooding in streams and rivers in the area is increased.

23. What is one result of widespread crop irrigation in desert regions in the western United States?

A. spread of diseaseB. lower rainfall amountsC. increased salt levels in soilD. rising groundwater tables

24. Which is the main source of thermal pollution in local bodies of water such as rivers and lakes?

A. heat from boat enginesB. heat from direct sunlightC. heat from underwater volcanoesD. heat from electrical power plants

25. What is a significant problem with using nuclear fission as a domestic energy resource?A. The waste produced is generally long lived and harmful to living things.B. Nuclear fission releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.C. Nuclear fission only produces a small amount of energy per mass of material used.D. There are no natural sources of fissionable material to be found in the United States.

26. Which location would be best to construct a wind farm in North Carolina?A. near CharlotteB. off the Outer BanksC. in the Central PiedmontD. in the Blue Ridge Mountains

27. Which is an advantage of solar power?A. It can be collected 24 hours a day.B. It does not generate greenhouse gases.

C. It is less expensive than power generated using fossil fuels.D. It uses small solar panels that generate large amounts of energy.

28. Which agricultural technique would be considered unsustainable?A. growing cover crops on unused plots of landB. integrating crops and livestock on the same farmC. cultivating only one species of plant on each farmD. rotating different crops or livestock on a plot of land

29. What negative impact results from increased deforestation?A. higher groundwater levelsB. increased oxygenC. increased soil erosionD. reduced stream erosion

30. Which of the following natural resources is correctly paired with its extraction method?A. natural gas → hydrofrackingB. peat → surface miningC. coal → harvestingD. wood → drilling

Hydrology 31. What is the underground area where water does not fill all the pore spaces?

a) saturated zoneb) water tablec) unsaturated zoned) aquifer

32. T/F The water table is farther from the surface of the earth during a flood.33. North Carolina lost 50% of its original wetlands to development, primarily for agricultural operations. How has this most likely affected water quality?

a) Water quality has improved as less sediments are being trapped in the wetlands.b) Water quality has declined as more fertilizer/pesticides are being transported to rivers.c) Water quality is unchanged.

34. What do scientists believe is the reason for sea level rise over the last 50 years?a) The continents are sinking as the tectonic plates collide.b) Warmer global temperatures are melting glaciers.c) The continents are sinking as volcanoes bring underground magma to the surface.d) Storms are increasing erosion to speed up.

35. A deposit of gravel is __________ permeable than a deposit of clay.a) less permeable b) more permeablec) more likely to eroded) impermeable

36. How does temperature affect the direction of ocean currents?a) warmer ocean currents flow towards the equatorb) cooler ocean currents flow towards the equatorc) cooler ocean currents flow towards the poles

d) temperature does not affect direction of ocean currents37. How would the climate of a coastal city differ from that of a city at the same latitude located further inland?

a) The coastal city would have cooler summers and cooler winters.b) The coastal city would have warmer summers and warmer winters.c) The coastal city would have cooler summers and warmer winters.d) The coastal city would have warmer summers and cooler winters.

38. The following diagram shows the water cycle.

Which is true about the diagram?a) Label 1 shows evaporation. Label 2 shows infiltration.b) Label 5 shows evaporation. Label 3 shows infiltration.c) Label 3 shows evaporation. Label 4 shows infiltration.d) Label 4 shows evaporation. Label 5 shows infiltration.

39. Which best explains why the state of South Carolina might sue the state of North Carolina for discharging harmful pollutants into the Catawba River?

a) Many residents of South Carolina work in North Carolina and are exposed to the harmful pollutants.b) The Catawba River flows from North Carolina to South Carolina so the pollutants flow into South Carolina. c) South Carolina invests trillions of dollars into preserving the water quality of North Carolina, so North Carolina is obligated to keep water sources clean.d) South Carolina has no case against North Carolina so the lawsuit is frivolous.

40. Which is the correct relationship between flooding and the water table?a) A higher water table increases flooding.b) A higher water table decreases flooding.c) A higher water table has no effect on flooding.

d) A higher water table can increase or decrease flooding.41. The maps below show changes around a North Carolina lake over a 30 year period.

Which graph shows the most likely changes in the quality of groundwater and lake water in this region from 1967 to 1997?

42. During a drought, which would be the best method to help conserve water resources?a) Shower twice a day.

b) Uninstall all low flow toilets.c) Put a nozzle on all garden hoses.d) Use a garden hose to wash the car.

43.) What is a possible negative impact from seawalls and jetties on the coast of North Carolina?

a) causing saltwater intrusion of coastal groundwaterb) interrupting sand flow by changing erosionc) increasing habitats for ocean predatorsd) disrupting the paths of ocean currents

Meteorology 44. Most weather events occur at which layer of Earth’s atmosphere?

A. the mesosphereB. the stratosphereC. the troposphereD. the thermosphere

45. The following graph represents the layers of the atmosphere and how temperature changes in each layer.

Which of the following statements is true concerning the graph above? A. Layer A is the mesosphere because temperature is decreasing.B. Layer B is the stratosphere because temperature is increasing.C. Layer C is the mesosphere because temperature is increasing.D. Layer D is the stratosphere because temperature is increasing.

46. A weather map feature is shown below. How would the weather conditions at location 1 be different from the weather conditions at location 2?

A. cooler and less humidB. cooler and more humidC. warmer and less humidD. warmer and more humid

47. When comparing temperatures of two North Carolina cities of the same latitude, students found that the night-time temperature dropped significantly at the desert site but only slightly at the coastal site. This difference is mostly caused by ___________.

A. lower wind speeds in the desert than at the coastB. less water vapor in the desert than the coastC. lower carbon dioxide levels in the desert than the coastD. less vegetation in the desert than at the coast

48. Which of the following gases is the most abundant in the atmosphere? A. OxygenB. Carbon DioxideC. OzoneD. Nitrogen

49. The following map represents the air pressure of different areas of the United States.

Which location would air mass “X” most likely move towards?A. Location A

B. Location BC. Location CD. Location D

50. When a warm air mass and a cooler air mass converge on Earth’s surface what is the most likely result?

A. Winds die down.B. The sky becomes clear.C. Cloud formation decreases.D. Stormy weather patterns develop.

51. The following map shows the current weather conditions in Arizona.

What weather changes will Phoenix most likely experience in the next 24 hours?A. snow B. drizzleC. clear skiesD. thunderstorms

52. Meteorologists organize weather data into the following chart.

Measurement 7:00 AM 9:00 AM 11:00 AM

Wind Speed (km/hr) 5 12 20

Relative Humidity (%) 50 73 85

Temperature (°C) 7 2 -4

Barometric Pressure (inches Hg) 30.3 29.9 29.5

Which weather conditions are most likely for mid-afternoon?A. a rain shower

B. a snowstormC. warm and sunny conditionsD. cold temperatures with no precipitation

53. Which diagram shows the most likely direction the air masses will move when they meet?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Climate Change 54. The table below shows average daily temperature and precipitation for the past 20 years in Monroe, North Carolina.

How would this be most useful?

A. understanding the climate of the areaB. showing the effect of weather on climateC. predicting how the weather will change from day to dayD. demonstrating the difference between weather and climate

55. Climatographs are often used to represent a location’s temperature and precipitation patterns. Which climatograph most likely represents a tropical rainforest?

56. Which is an example of climate?A. The current temperature in Gastonia, NCB. The relative humidity in Mount Holly, NCC. The average daily temperature in Cramerton, NCD. The average temperature in Belmont, NC over the past 30 years

57. Which climate type is correctly paired with its average weather conditions?A. Polar → high temperature, low precipitation

B. Mild → high temperature, high precipitationC. Dry → high temperature, low precipitationD. Tropical → low temperature, low precipitation

58. The following map represents the Pacific Ocean and surrounding continents.

During an El Nino season which of the following would best describe the conditions at point A? A. Low sea surface temperature and low rainfall

B. Low sea surface temperature and high rainfall C. High sea surface temperature and low rainfall D. High sea surface temperature and high rainfall

59. Which greenhouse gas is a major focus of public discussion?A. water vaporB. carbon dioxideC. ozoneD. sulfur dioxide

60. How is deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels expected to affect Earth’s atmosphere?A. increases oxygen, decreases carbon dioxideB. decreases oxygen, increases carbon dioxideC. increases oxygen, increases carbon dioxideD. decreases oxygen, decreases carbon dioxide

61. The following data table shows the temperature in the city of Beijing, China and the temperatures outside the city with increasing distance.

Area Temperature

Beijing, China 80 Degrees Fahrenheit

10 miles outside of Beijing, China 72 Degrees Fahrenheit

20 miles outside of Beijing, China 68 Degrees Fahrenheit

30 miles outside of Beijing, China 64 Degrees Fahrenheit

Based on the data, which would best describe the atmospheric conditions of Beijing, China?A. Polar ZoneB. Heat IslandC. GreenhouseD. Macroclimate

62. A factory in Wilmington, NC has been reported to emit sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. How is this likely to affect the marine biosphere and ocean acidification off the coast of Wilmington?

A. These chemicals will cause an increase in ocean acidification and an increase in marine life.B. These chemicals will cause an increase in ocean acidification and a decrease in marine life.C. These chemicals will cause a decrease in ocean acidification and an increase in marine life.D. These chemicals will cause a decrease in ocean acidification and a decrease in marine life.

63. If global temperatures continue to rise, what impact is this likely to have on the Earth?A. Erosion will decrease in coastal areas due to tidal changes.B. Droughts will decrease in forested areas due to precipitation changes.C. Flooding will increase in coastal areas due to rising sea level.D. The amount of sea ice in polar regions will increase due to climate changes.

64. Which of the following statements best describes the formation of acid rain?A. Acid rain forms when gases released by human activities dissolves inside of water vapor in the atmosphere therefore creating rain with a pH of less than 7.B. Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide is released by a volcanic eruption and becomes dissolved inside the water vapor inside the atmosphere creating rain with a pH of less than 7.C. Acid rain forms when increased solar activity delivers energy to earth and chemically lowers the pH of of water vapor in the atmosphere therefore creating rain with a pH of less than 7.D. Acid rain forms when chlorofluorocarbons are released by human activities and

dissolve inside of water vapor in the atmosphere therefore creating rain with a pH of less than 7.

12. Which can lead to the depletion of the ozone layer of earth?A. Coal fired power plantsB. Vehicle exhaustC. Burning compostD. Aerosols

Ecology 1.. Researchers estimate that in 1850, the amount of freshwater available per person was 43,000 cubic meters annually. By 1990, the water available per person had dropped to 9,000 cubic meters annually. What is primarily responsible for this change in availability of freshwater?

A. threats to biodiversityB. changes in rainfall pHC. global population growthD. development of desalinization processes

2. Which best defines biodiversity?A. Biodiversity is the total amount of biomass on Earth.B. Biodiversity is the total number of living organisms on Earth.C. Biodiversity is the total variability of living organisms on Earth.D. Biodiversity is the total number of animals and plant species on Earth.

3. How does protecting biodiversity have a global impact?A. Production of ecosystems is decreased.B. Sustainability of ecosystems is increased.C. Survivability of human populations is decreased.D. Survivability of disease-carrying organisms is increased.

4. Why do invasive species often become pests?A. They increase biodiversity.B. They out-compete native species.C. They do not adapt to the new habitat.D. They contribute to habitat fragmentation.

5. Which biome is most likely to have the least biodiversity?A. Tropical RainforestB. Temperate RainforestC. TundraD. Taiga

6. Which abiotic factor is the most responsible for the different ecosystems found in North Carolina?

A. geologyB. soil typeC. elevationD. angle of the Sun’s rays

7. The following graph shows the changing population of deer on an island.

During which month did the deer population reach it’s carrying capacity? A. Month 2B. Month 4C. Month 5D. Month 11

8. Which of the following activities would increase a person’s overall ecological footprint? A. Using public transportation to get to work .B. Properly insulating houses to reduce the amount of heat necessary during winter months.C. A school system turns on the heat in all the classrooms when the outside temperature is 70 degrees.D. Recycling paper and plastic products as often as possible.

9. An area has heavy growth of kudzu, an introduced vine species commonly found in North Carolina. What is the effect of kudzu on the described habitat?

A. The kudzu is overcrowding the native plant species.B. The kudzu is providing habitat for many other species of plants.C. The kudzu is a slow-growing vine that has beneficial effects for native plants.D. The kudzu was introduced with a good understanding of North Carolina ecology.

10. Why do invasive species often become pests?A. They increase biodiversity.B. They out-compete native species.C. They do not adapt to the new habitat.D. They contribute to habitat fragmentation.

Astronomy1. Which of the following answer choices represents the correct hierarchy of organization within the universe from largest to smallest?

a. Star > Galaxy > Planet > Universe c. Planet > Universe > Star > Galaxy

b. Galaxy > Planet > Universe > Star d. Universe > Galaxy > Star > Planet

2. According to Kepler’s third Law of Planetary Motion which of the following planets should have the longest orbital period around the sun?

a. Mercury - 1st from the Sun c. Jupiter - 5th from the Sun

b. Neptune - 8th from the Sun d. Earth - 3rd from the Sun

3. What is the shape of a planet’s orbit?

a. elliptical c. irregular

b. circular d. parabolic

4. Based on observations made in the Northern Hemisphere which statement is the best supporting evidence that the Earth rotates on its axis?

a. The seasons (spring, summer, fall winter) repeat in a cyclic pattern.

b. The apparent solar diameter varies throughout the year.

c. The stars appear to follow daily circular paths around Polaris.

d. The length of the daylight period varies throughout the year.

5. The graph below shows the amount of sunlight a particular area experiences over the course of a year:

Which of the following phenomena is the reason why this trend exists?

a. The Earth’s tilt c. The Earth’s moon

b. The Earth’s distance from the sun d. The Earth’s barycenter

6. Why does the Earth experience precession?

a. Because Earth revolves around the sun every 365 days

b. Because the movement of the circumpolar star Polaris

c. Because the Earth is the third planet from the sun

d. Because of the gravitational force of the moon and sun

7. The following diagram represents the position of the Sun, Moon and Earth at a particular period of time:

Which of the following statements is true regarding the above diagram?

a. The tidal range would be low because it is a spring tide

b. The tidal range would be low because it is a neap tide

c. The tidal range would be high because it is a spring tide

d. The tidal range would be high because it is a neap tide

8. In the diagram below the “X” represents a barycenter that exists between the Earth and the moon:

Why is the barycenter located closer to the Earth?

a. Because the Earth has a longer rotational period

b. Because the Earth is closer to the sun

c. Because the Earth is larger

d. Because the Earth only has one moon

9. Which of the following chemical reactions produces the sun’s energy?

a. Helium nuclei are combined by nuclear fusion.

b. Oxygen is present to cause the combustion of solar fuel molecules.

c. Hydrogen nuclei combine through nuclear fusion into helium.

d. Helium and oxygen break down through nuclear fusion .

10. How is solar energy essential to plants? ]

a. Solar energy maintains the internal temperature of the plants.

b. Solar energy is converted to chemical energy used by the plants through photosynthesis.

c. Solar energy signals the plants to release leaves in the fall.

d. Solar energy regulates the consumption of oxygen by the plant.

Constructed Response:Answer the following questions in complete sentences 1. Name the 2 main components of soil. Indicate which of these components is more abundant at the top of a soil profile and which component is more abundant at the bottom of a soil profile 2. Explain what a tsunami is. What type of community would be more likely to experience a tsunami and how could these communities prepare and mitigate damage from tsunamis?

3. Name one type of rock from the rock cycle and tell how that rock was formed. Describe a way that rock could be changed into another rock type on the rock cycle.

4. Create a table to compare the 3 classifications of convergent boundary actions, whether subduction is present or absent, type of crust subducted in each, and a notable surface feature formed by each.

5. Name two hazards from a volcanic eruption and their associated environmental impacts.

6. Although electric cars were invented at about the same time as fossil fuel burning cars, the latter have come to dominate the transportation industry. Describe one global impact of the dominance of fossil fuel burning cars.

7. You have just been hired by a coastal city of 40,000 people who want to build their own electric power plant. The city is at 8° N of the equator and gets daily land and sea breezes that reach 15 mph on a normal basis. The city averages sunny days 78% of the time. What type of power plant would you recommend and why?

8. What are two consequences when societies over use water from aquifers? What can be done to prevent these two consequences from happening?

9. Create a well labeled graph showing the effects of a growing population on the amount of available water resources.

10A. In a short paragraph, explain what would happen in Gastonia if a cold front from the west was predicted. Use the words front, air mass, weather and precipitation in your explanation.

10B. Draw an illustration/concept drawing of your explanation. Be sure to include the symbol for the cold front movement in the drawing.

11. Explain how human activities impact the atmosphere.

12. Plants provide many important benefits to ecosystems. A. Identify two ecological benefits that plants provide to ecosystems. B. Explain why each ecological benefit you selected is important to ecosystems.

13. Name the 2 factors that cause seasonal changes on the Earth and identify which factor has the greater impact? 14. What is the term given to the wobbling of the Earth around its axis causing a variation in the inclination of its axis? How is this phenomena likely to affect the Earth?