Name: 
 

Unit 1 Benchmark Practice Test


Modified True/False
Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false.  If false, change the identified word or phrase to make the sentence or statement true.
 

1. 
Meteorology is the branch of Earth science that deals with the blanket of air that surrounds Earth. _________________________

 

2. 
The application of scientific discoveries is called tectonics. _________________________

 

3. 
In scientific notation, a number is expressed as a value between 10 and 100 multiplied by a power of 10. _________________________

 

4. 
The branch of Earth science that studies the blanket of air that surrounds Earth is tectonics. _________________________

 

5. 
Most scientific studies use a standard system of units called SI, which is a modern version of the metric system. _________________________

 

6. 
Identifying rocks, studying glacial movements, and interpreting clues to Earth’s history are all topics studied in geology. _________________________

 

7. 
An experiment is a suggested explanation for an observation. _________________________

 

8. 
The study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere is ecology. _________________________

 

9. 
The water in Earth’s oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, glaciers, and in Earth’s atmosphere makes up the hydrosphere. _________________________

 

10. 
Astronomers study Earth, its neighbors, and other matter in the universe. _________________________

 

11. 
Earth’s four main systems are independent of one another. _________________________

 

12. 
Meteorology is the study of materials that make up Earth and the processes that form and change these materials. _________________________

 

13. 
Scientific methods are planned and organized, but are not rigid, step-by-step outlines to solve problems. _________________________

 

14. 
Earth’s core consists of an outer, liquid part and an inner, solid part. _________________________

 

15. 
Earth’s atmosphere contains about 78 percent carbon dioxide. _________________________

 

16. 
Oceanographers study creatures that inhabit salty water, measure physical and chemical properties of the oceans, and examine the effects of human activities on the oceans. _________________________

 

17. 
The biosphere includes all organisms that live within a few meters of Earth’s surface, at the bottom of oceans, and on the tops of mountains. _________________________

 

18. 
Scientific laws and theories cannot change. _________________________

 

19. 
Lines of latitude are parallel. _________________________

 

20. 
The Topex/Poseidon satellite allows its users to determine their exact position on Earth. ______________________________

 

21. 
The science of mapmaking is called cartography. _________________________

 

22. 
The International Date Line is another name for the equator. _________________________

 

23. 
A Mercator projection distorts areas near the poles. _________________________

 

24. 
A map legend explains what the symbols on a map represent. _________________________

 

25. 
The wavelength of an electromagnetic wave is the number of waves that pass a particular point each second. _________________________

 

Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

26. 
Which of the following is NOT an activity usually performed by oceanographers?
a.
studying the creatures that inhabit salty water
b.
measuring physical and chemical properties of the oceans
c.
studying the processes that cause the atmosphere to produce weather
d.
examining the effects of human activities on Earth's saltwater bodies
 

27. 
What is the longitude of the prime meridian?
a.
0°
c.
90° west
b.
90° east
d.
180°
 

28. 
Which of the following is used by navigators to plot great-circle routes?
a.
Mercator projection
c.
gnomonic projection
b.
conic projection
d.
topographic map
 

29. 
Which of the following is used extensively for navigation by airplanes and ships?
a.
depression contour line
c.
Topex/Poseidon satellite
b.
Landsat satellite
d.
Global Positioning System
 

30. 
What is the latitude of the north pole?
a.
0° north
c.
180° north
b.
90° north
d.
360° north
 

31. 
Each degree of latitude or longitude is divided into 60 smaller units called ____.
a.
meridians
c.
seconds
b.
grids
d.
minutes
 

32. 
Into how many time zones is Earth divided?
a.
12
c.
24
b.
15
d.
360
 

33. 
On a topographic map, the difference in elevation between two side-by-side contour lines is called the ____.
a.
contour interval
c.
depression contour
b.
index contour
d.
hachure
 

34. 
What is a graphic scale?
a.
a statement that expresses distance, such as one centimeter equals one kilometer
b.
a ratio that expresses distance, such as 1:50 000
c.
a line broken into sections that represent units with each section representing a distance on Earth’s surface
d.
a diagram that shows the elevation of the hills and valleys of an area
 

35. 
GPS satellites can relay information about all of the following except ____.
a.
position
c.
direction
b.
elevation
d.
weather
 

Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.
 

36. 
To show that the results of the experiment are actually due to the condition being tested, scientists use a(n) ____________________, which is a standard for comparison.
 

 

37. 
The standard SI unit of length is the ____________________.
 

 

38. 
The number 0.000 000 443 6 is written as ____________________ in scientific notation.
 

 

39. 
A basic fact that describes the behavior of a natural phenomenon is called a(n) _________________________.
 

 

40. 
If you were traveling ____________________ across the International Date Line, you would advance your calendar one day.
 

 

41. 
The speed of light in a vacuum is ____________________ km/s.
 

 

Matching
 
 
Match each item with its corresponding unit of measurement below.
a.
gram per milliliter
e.
meter
b.
Kelvin
f.
newton
c.
kilogram
g.
second
d.
liter
h.
square centimeter
 

42. 
area
 

43. 
density
 

44. 
mass
 

45. 
temperature
 

46. 
liquid equivalent
 

47. 
weight
 
 
Match each number with its correct scientific notation below.
a.
1 000 000
d.
0.029
b.
0.000001
e.
3356
c.
40 000 000
f.
118.722
 

48. 
4 ´ 107
 

49. 
3.356 ´ 103
 

50. 
106
 



 
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