Name: _Ethan Brewer_________________________________________________

Final Exam Study Guide:

PUT YOUR ANSWERS IN RED

MODULE ONE: Scientific Method

1. What is the purpose of the “control group” in an experiment? It is used in
comparison to the experimental group
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the four main branches of Earth Science?
Geology, Oceanography, Hydrology, Astronomy, Astrology Highlight the correct answer.
3. Would quantitative or qualitative be a good measurement that can be recorded in
a table or chart? Highlight the correct answer.
4. Give a definition of each of the following terms:
• Observations: A problem or question that you notice or wonder about
• Research: Look up necessary background information before experimenting
• Hypothesis: An educated and testable statement that tries to explain the
observation
• Materials: The items and conditions that will be required to conduct the
experiment
• Experimental Procedure: The process that will allow for the hypothesis to be
scientifically tested
• Independent variable: : The single condition that is manipulated or controlled by
the scientist, causes change
• Dependent variable: The condition that changes or responds to the independent
variable, what you measure
• Control: The group in a given experiment in which the independent variable is not
changed
• Constant: All conditions within an experiment that are not changed
• Data: The information that is recorded, organized, and analyzed as a result of a
scientific investigation
• Conclusion: A statement that is made following the investigation that supports or
contradicts the hypothesis
• Publish: The process of making you investigation available to other scientist to
review
• Replicate: The process by which other scientists attempt to reproduce your
results to validate or undermine your findings

MODULE TWO: Human Impact on the Lithosphere. Highlight the correct answer.
5. Which of the following is not an impact that humans have on the lithosphere?
• Use of Fossil Fuels
• Pollution (Smog)
• Soil Pollution
• Mining,
• Earthquakes

6. Which one of these is NOT an impact of using fossil fuels? Highlight the correct
answer.
• Air pollution
• Increase in greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide
• Increase in the heating of the Earth's surface due to more greenhouse gases
being emitted
• Radioactive decay of nuclear waste

7. Which one of the following is NOT an alternative to fossil fuels? Highlight the
correct answer.
• Solar
• Wind
• Geothermal
• Biomass
• Water
• Uranium
• Hydrogen
• Gasoline

8. Decomposition of wastes ultimately releases greenhouse gases such as

methane, which increases Earth's temperature causing global warming to occur. How can this
be avoided? Reduce our wastes production on the Earth’s lithosphere
9. Which of the following is NOT a way in which humans can reduce their impacts
on the Earth's Lithosphere? Highlight the correct answer.
• Practice good energy conservation techniques
• Reduce fossil fuel usage
• Utilize more forms of alternative energy sources
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
• Continue to buy plastic water bottles.

MODULE THREE: Processes and Forces of the Lithosphere

10. Frost action, temperature, and organic activity are examples of physical or
chemical weathering. Highlight your answer.
11. Urbanization increases the risk of flooding________ in a local area because
large areas are paved to make roads and parking lots.
12. What is the definition of a Delta? Large amounts of sediments are deposited at
the mouth of a river
13. List 3 methods of controlling erosion. 1. terracing 2. Strip cropping/contour
framing 3. Drainage ditches
14. Carbonation, plant acids and oxidation are examples of which type of
weathering? chemical
15. List 3 causes of soil mismanagement? 1. Clearing vegetation 2. Overuse of
fertilizers 3. pollution
16. Which farming technique could improve the soil and the environment? Create
undisturbed layers of mulch rather than tilling the soil
17. What is the top layer of the soil horizon called? organic
18. The type of soil that is produced is dependent on what? Parent rock that is
weathered
19. Cracks in rocks widen as water in them freezes and thaws. How does this affect
the surface of the Earth? Increases rates of erosion and weathering
20. Which change would best aid a farmer in making the transition from conventional
farming techniques to more sustainable farming techniques? Crop rotations
21. Two things that weathering and erosion do that affects Earth’s surface are to
break down rocks___ and create new soil ___.

MODULE FOUR: Plate Tectonics, Volcanos and Earthquakes

22. List 3 examples of evidence for continental drift. 1. Matching coastlines 2.
Fossil evidence 3. Rock formations
23. True or false, The Appalachian Mountains have stopped growing. Highlight the
correct answer.
24. When movement along a plate boundary forces a landmass to be pulled apart,
what is formed? Continental rift
25. Name the layers of the Earth from inner to outer. 1. Inner core .2 outer core
3. mantle 4. crust
26. What is the name of a famous composite or strato volcano in the NW US? Mt. St.
Helens
27. Folding, fault blocking and volcanos all can form what kind of structures?
mountains
28. Which layer of the Earth’s interior contains the force to move tectonic plates?
Earth’s mantle (asthenosphere)
29. The lithosphere is composed of what? Crust and upper mantle
30. Small earthquakes that precede an earthquake are called? foreshocks
31. Before a volcanic eruption happens, there is usually an increase in
earthquake/seismic____ activity.

MODULE 5: Non-Renewable Energy

32. Infrastructures already in place, cheap, and currently abundant. These are all
reasons why we continue to use coal_________ natural gas_______ as our source of
electricity.
33. Which would most likely cause a reduction in the amount of available coal and
natural gas that is mined and burned on Earth? To eventually develop an infrastructure (ways
and means) to get and use alternative fuels that are cheap
34. How can oil and natural gas be extracted from the earth? By drilling down deep
beneath the ground
35. What is the name of a substance that often turns into coal as part of the carbon
cycle? Hint: it is also the first stage of coal. peat
36. Oil shale produces what energy source? kerogen
37. Fly ash, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are two pollutants that come from
what activity? Burning coal
38. Methane makes up the bulk of which non-reusable fossil fuel? Natural gas
39. Acid mine drainage, emissions of more greenhouse gases than the country of
Denmark, and more habitat destruction than mountain top removal are hazards of which type of
mining? Surface or subsurface? Highlight the correct answer.
40. What is the fuel for nuclear fission? uranium
41. Which fossil fuel is the cleanest burning? Natural gas

MODULE 6: Renewable Energy

42. Solar panels collecting the sun’s energy and converting it into electrical energy is
an example of what? Active or Passive Solar Energy? Highlight the correct answer.
43. Using sunlight to heat a house is an example of which type of solar energy?
Active or Passive? Highlight the correct answer.
44. Why is solar energy not in widespread use? It is expensive to start up
45. The best region for solar energy in the US would be which of the following?
Northwest, Northeast, Southeast or Southwest? Highlight the correct answer.
46. What is the fuel used in fuel cells for cars? hydrogen
47. Allows us to phase in renewable energy, slows global warming, lowers
environmental damage, decreases our dependency on oil. These are all good reasons why we
should do what? Conserve energy while we phase in non-polluting energy sources
48. Water falling by gravity turns turbines, which creates electricity, is an example of
which type of renewable energy? Hydroelectric dams
49. Fermentation of plants produces what type of fuel? biomass

MODULE 7: Geo Time and NC Geo History

50. What is the largest time span on the geological time scale? Eon
51. According to fossil records, life emerged from which habitat? Shallow seas
52. How long ago did dinosaurs disappear? 65mya
MODULE 8: Midterm N/A

MODULE 9: Oceans and Beaches

53. Give a definition of each the following:
• Rip Current: Cuts an opening in a sandbar and moves straight out into the ocean.
• Long Shore Current: Moving parallel to the shore carrying large amounts of sand.
• Short Distance Current: Surface currents that travel over short distances.
• Deep Current: Caused by differences in water densities.
54. Sea walls, channel dredging, and dune construction are ways that humans try to
stop_erosion__ ____
55. What are two factors that cause ocean currents? Water densisty _____ and
wind patterns___
56. What are two factors that affect water density? salinity____ and
temperature____
57. Subsurface ocean currents continually circulate from warm waters near the
equator to the colder waters in other parts of the world. What is the reason for this? The
differences in density of ocean waters
58. Which layer of ocean water has the greatest change in temperature? thermocline
59. What is upwelling? When nutrient rich cold water rises to the surface millions of
fish follow because of the food in the water
60. Which phenomenon of ocean currents changes weather patterns around the
Earth? El Nino

MODULE 10: Water Resources and Water Quality

61. Fresh water is limited on Earth. Name 3 areas where fresh water is found: 1.
rivers 2. lakes 3. Icebergs (and underground in aquifers)
62. Explain the zone of aeration in an aquifer. All pores are filled with air

63. What makes an artesian well special? Water is under pressure in an artesian
well. These wells are usually very dep and the water is cold.
64. How much of the Earth’s surface is covered by water? More than 70%
65. Condensation, precipitation, evapotranspiration are all parts of which cycle?water
cycle
66. Which zone of an aquifer is completely filled with water? Zone of saturation
67. Better conservation methods and alternative methods of obtaining fresh water
are ways we can protect what? Our drinking water supply
68. A community decides to upgrade its water purification and management systems.
What lasting impact could this have on available freshwater? By reducing pollutants that go into
our fresh water supply, the community can ultimately improve their drinking water and help fish
and other natural populations in the freshwater ecosystem
69. What are the layers of an aquifer from bottom to top? 1.zone of saturation 2.
Water table 3. Zone of aeration
70. What is most responsible for the presence of groundwater in an area? The
movement of surface water and precipitation seeping through soil and rock
71. What is the best way to conserve worldwide freshwater resources? Use more
efficient irrigation techniques
72. What is the most common contamination source for freshwater resources? runoff

MODULE 11: Atmosphere and Weather Systems

73. Which is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere? Nitrogen
74. UV radiation is trapped by which gas in the stratosphere? Ozone
75. Animal respiration requires which type of gas? Diatomic oxygen
76. Animal respiration releases which type of gas as a byproduct? Carbon dioxide
77. How is acid rain formed? Sulfuric acid condensates in the atomsphere
78. True or False. Atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases. Highlight
the correct answer.
79. Why do winds blow from the ocean to land during the day? The oceans are
cooler than land and replace rising warm air from land.
80. A rural forested area receives a lot of rain in a short amount of time. What is the
most likely cause of potential flooding in this area? Flooding is more likely to occur when the
soil cannot saturate quickly enough to absorb the incoming precipitation.

81. Urban City X has been referred to as an urban heat island because it tends
to be
warmer than the surrounding rural areas. The report below lists changes that have
occurred in one year in Urban City X.

Report for Urban City X:

• Eight roads were repaved.
• The population increased by 20%.
• Public transportation increased by 5%.
• Four new apartment complexes were built.
• Plans were drafted to build a local park.
• A meeting was held about alternative energy sources.

What is the main cause of Urban City X being an urban heat island? Highlight the correct
answer.
A. the planting of trees and other vegetation
B. the building of rooftop gardens
C. the installation of solar panels
D. the construction of parking areas and road systems

MODULE 12: Climate and Biomes

82. What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors? Biotic is living___: Abiotic is
nonliving___
83. It is important to conserve the biodiversity of earth because that increases _the
stability_____ of ecosystems during environmental changes
84. Vegetation and climate are the two main factors that determine a biome. True or false?
Highlight the correct answer.
85. Which biome is NC in? Temperate deciduous forest
86. The interaction of organisms with their environment is the best definition of what?
ecosystem
87. How could the introduction of a non-native species of plant affect an ecosystem in North
Carolina? Without a natural predator, non-native species of plants could takeover habitats in
North Carolina and could cause native species to decline or become extinct. An example of this
is kudzu.
88. What is that have no natural predators and take over the habitats of native species.
Invasive species
89. What is a biotic factor that could affect an ecosystem? Competition for food
90. Coastal plains, mountains and piedmont make up NC biomes. Which one is the
largest? Coastal plains

MODULE 13: Air Pollution and Global Change

91. Name 3 types of indoor air pollution. 1. Radon 2. Pet dander 3. Carbon
monoxide
92. What long-term impact could the destruction of large areas of forests have on
Earth? Loss of biodiversity.
93. Clay and plastic are used as liners in which waste disposal? Medical waste
94. When and what caused the barrier islands to form? _____ years ago, longshore
currents deposited sediment that would become the barrier islands..
95. True or False: Global warming is causing problems with the weather. Highlight
the correct answer.
96. What is the difference between stratospheric ozone and ground level ozone?
Stratospheric ozone is formed miles above the surface through chemical reactions of oxygen.
Ground level ozone is formed at ground level through photochemical reactions.
97. An increase in health risks associated with UV radiation is likely to be associated
with an increase of ozone destructive gases in the environment.

MODULE 14: Meteorology

98. Rotation is a major indication of which type of weather phenomenon? Tornadoes
and hurricanes.
99. True or False: Thunderstorms and tornadoes are associated with warm fronts.
Highlight the correct answer.
100. True or False: The eyewall of a hurricane is the most dangerous. Highlight the correct
answer.
101. What are the 4 stages of hurricane development?
1. Tropical wave
2. Tropical depression
3. Tropical storm
4. Hurricane

102. Which storm most likely develops as air masses interact with the warm water in the
northwest Pacific Ocean? A hurricane. In the northeast it would be called a циклон, or tsiklon.
Or it would be called 허리케인, 颶風, or ハリケーン.
103. Moist and sinking air is associated with a low pressure system. Would the probability of
precipitation be high or low? Highlight the correct answer.
104. Describe the Coriolis effect. Due to differing rates of rotation across different latitudes
and altitudes on the Earth’s surface, ‘straight lines’ on its surface curve in different directions
relative to the rotation of the body.
105. Describe a front. The boundary between two air masses.
106. What is the first step of a tornado formation? Rotation parallel to the ground begins high
up in the supercell.
107. Describe convection. In fluids, low density fluids will move away from the tension force
acting on the fluids, displacing higher densities.

MODULE 15: Planetary Motion

108. Which scientist determined the nature of the forces that keep the planets in their orbits?
Johannes Kepler
109. What was Kepler’s 2nd law? The area swept by a straight line from the planet to the
orbited body is equal to the area swept by this line in any other place for the same period.
110. What is the shape of an orbit? An ellipse.
111. What is the definition of precession? The circular wobble of an axis.
112. The tilt of Earth’s axis affects the seasons by changing the amount of direct sunlight
reaching the surface of the earth.
113. Which phenomenon is associated with the earth rotating on its axis? Solar days.

MODULE 16: The Sun’s Energy

114. The Sun produces energy through nuclear fusion or fission? Nuclear fusion. There are
insufficient quantities of heavier nuclei to create energy via fission.
115. What is the term used to describe how the Sun heats the Earth? Solar irradiance.
116. What is an effect of lower levels of solar radiation striking the earth? Decreased
temperature.
117. Describe the greenhouse effect. Heat and energy from the sun is able to enter the
atmosphere but is unable to leave due to atmospheric gases.