1. According to Kepler’s second law, which factor is constant as a line between a planet and the sun sweeps out two equal areas at different places as it moves along its orbit?

Question

A. The planet’s speed
B. the distance the planet moves
C. the amount of time
D. The distance from the sun to the planet

2. Observing a planetoid orbiting far from the sun, astronomers notice that the object slows down in its orbit in a way they did not expect. Which is a reasonable conclusion?
A. The planetoid is being attracted toward another massive object.
B. The planetoid is beginning to change its type of orbit
C. The planetoid is being repelled by something
D. The planetoid is slowing due to friction

3. Put the stars in the correct order, from smallest to largest
Sun, white dwarf, red supergiant

4. What is the order of the flow of energy from its production within the sun until it reaches earth?
A. nuclear fusion; radiation; convection currents
B. radiation; convection currents; radiation; nuclear fusion
C. radiation; nuclear fusion; convection currents; radiation
D. nuclear fusion; radiation; convection currents; radiation

5. What does Kepler’s first law state about the orbits of planets in our solar system?
A. They have elliptical orbits
B. Their orbits are all circular
C. Their distance from the sun is constant
D. The major axis is the same length as the minor axis

6. Which variables are involved in understanding Kepler’s third law of motion?
A. period of revolution, period of rotation
B. orbital velocity, distance to sun
C. rotational velocity , distance to sun
D. eccentricity of orbit, rotational velocity

7. Which does the shift of the hydrogen absorption spectrum of a galaxy provide evidence for? Select the three correct answers
A. number of stars in the galaxy
B. The Big Bang Theory
C. composition of the universe
D. temperature of the galaxy
E. motion of the galaxy
F. expansion of the universe

8. Choose the sentence in the reading below that describes the lifespan of the sun
The Sun has always been the center of our solar system. The sun is merely one of the countless stars in our Universe, and like all stars, it has a lifespan, characterized by a formation, main sequence, and eventual death. This lifespan began roughly 4.6 billion years ago and will continue for about another 4.5-5.5 billion years, when it will deplete its supply of hydrogen, helium, and collapse into a white dwarf.
Currently, the Sun is about halfway through the most stable part of its life. This will stay the case for about another 4 billion years, at which point, it will have exhausted its supply of hydrogen fuel. When that happens, the Sun as we know it will go through a drastic change!
A. This lifespan began roughly 4.6 billion years ago and will continue for about another 4.5-5.5 billion years, when it will deplete its supply of hydrogen, helium, and collapse into a white dwarf.
B. Currently the Sun is about halfway through the most stable part of its life
C. The sun is merely one of the countless stars in our Universe, and like all stars, it has a lifespan, characterized by a formation, main sequence, and eventual death.
D. This will stay the case for about another 4 billion years, at which point, it will have exhausted its supply of hydrogen fuel.

9. Which of the following layers is the farthest from Earth’s center?
A. asthenosphere
B. lithosphere
C. outer core
D. mesosphere

10. At which continental feature would you expect to find metamorphic rock? Select the correct answer.
A. mountain
B. valley
C. volcano
D. lake bottom

11. Sort the characteristics into those that are true of the bryophytes and those that are true of modern plants.
Characteristics: have vascular tissue to transport water and nutrients, were the first plants on land, grow close the ground, grow in dense mats, made of cells containing lignin, and anchored in the soil by roots.

12. Wegner believed continents moved, but he did not know how. Identify what needed to happen before Wegner’s idea about moving continents could be proven.
A. Advances in technology were needed to gather more evidence
B. Wegener had to recheck his data and change his conclusions
C. New information was needed on the composition of Earth’s crust
D. Scientists had to directly observe tectonic plate movement

13. Which of these is the most widely accepted cause of plate movement?
A. mantle convection
B. hotspots
C. earthquakes
D. ocean waves

14. Fill in the blanks with the correct terms
The age of material on a tectonic plate depends in part on what type of crust it is composed of. _____ tends to be younger because it is continually produced at the _____ and then recycled. On the other hand, ______ tends to be older because it can often remain in contact for longer periods.
Terms: mid-ocean ridges, Oceanic crust, subduction zones, and continental crust

15. How do seismic waves help scientists understand Earth’s layers? Select the two correct answers.
A. Scientists can observe how seismic waves multiply when passing through different layers
B. Scientists can observe how seismic waves change speeds when passing through different layers
C. Scientists can observe which seismic waves change the composition of the layers they pass though
D. Scientists can observe which seismic waves cannot pass through certain layers
E. Scientists can generate seismic waves in order to observe their paths through Earth

16. Which chemical weathering processes rely primarily on water? Select the two correct answers.
A. hydrolysis
B. precipitation
C. dissolution
D. oxidation

17. What is the longest division of time on the geologic time scale
A. eon
B. epoch
C. era
D. period

18. Determine which of the examples are physical weathering or chemical weathering
Rocks erode by reacting with acid, and Water freezing in the crack of a rock and then breaking the rock.

Answer 1

1. C. the amount of time
2. D. The planetoid is slowing due to friction
3. White dwarf, Sun, red supergiant
4. D. nuclear fusion; radiation; convection currents; radiation
5. A. They have elliptical orbits
6. B. orbital velocity, distance to sun
7. B. The Big Bang Theory, C. composition of the universe, F. expansion of the universe
8. A. This lifespan began roughly 4.6 billion years ago and will continue for about another 4.5-5.5 billion years, when it will deplete its supply of hydrogen, helium, and collapse into a white dwarf.
9. C. outer core
10. A. mountain
11. True of bryophytes: grow close to the ground, grow in dense mats, made of cells containing lignin, and anchored in the soil by roots. True of modern plants: have vascular tissue to transport water and nutrients, were the first plants on land.
12. A. Advances in technology were needed to gather more evidence
13. A. mantle convection
14. The age of material on a tectonic plate depends in part on what type of crust it is composed of. Oceanic crust tends to be younger because it is continually produced at the mid-ocean ridges and then recycled. On the other hand, continental crust tends to be older because it can often remain in contact for longer periods.
15. B. Scientists can observe how seismic waves change speeds when passing through different layers and D. Scientists can observe which seismic waves cannot pass through certain layers
16. A. hydrolysis and C. dissolution
17. A. eon
18. Chemical weathering: Rocks erode by reacting with acid. Physical weathering: Water freezing in the crack of a rock and then breaking the rock.