A plant rooted in the ground has a connection to which sphere(s)?
Biosphere and hydrosphere only
Hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere
Biosphere only
Geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
Which of Earth's interior layers is liquid iron?
The inner core
The outer core
None are liquid
The mantle
What happens to P waves when they reach the outer core?
They slow down because it is solid.
They speed up because it is solid.
They slow down because it is liquid.
They speed up because it is liquid.
The interior of the Earth is part of which sphere?
The hydrosphere
The geosphere
The atmosphere
The biosphere
Which is NOT one of Earth's four spheres?
The hydrosphere
The biosphere
The troposphere
The geosphere
What is the cause of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains on Earth?
Movements in the outer core.
Sinking of the oceanic crust.
Convection currents in the mantle.
Convection currents in the crust.
What is the name of the Earth's outermost, 60-mile-thick, layer?
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Asthenosphere
Lithosphere
Which of these is NOT one of the four spheres of Earth that are said to drive all its processes and support life on the planet?
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
How do we know that seismic waves have reached a new layer in the Earth's interior?
They change speed as they reach different layers.
They travel all the way to the core before bouncing back.
They get bounced back when they reach the mantle.
Nothing happens, they simply travel through.
Why is the inner core solid?
Because of plasticity.
Because it is very hot.
Because it is under too much pressure to melt.
Because it consists mostly of silicon.
Which of the following events is LEAST likely to trigger a tsunami?
An underwater earthquake that causes a plate to move upwards
Rock weathering in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands
A volcanic eruption on the Big Island of Hawaii
An underwater landslide
Which statement about the four spheres of Earth is true?
Scientists think there are more than four spheres of Earth.
They often occur in the same place and interact.
They describe distinct layers of Earth's interior.
They occur in the same place, but do not interact.
How does the inner core differ from the outer core?
The inner core is very cold while the outer core is very hot
The inner core is made of iron the outer core is lithium
The inner core is solid, while the outer core is liquid.
The inner core is characterized by plasticity.
Which parts of the Earth are contained in the lithosphere?
The upper mantle and the crust.
Both the inner and outer core.
The outer core and lower mantle.
The lower mantle and the crust.
How can you tell where one sphere ends and the next one begins?
There are no hard rules, and often spheres overlap.
You find the exact point where they meet.
You calculate which sphere is more involved.
You look it up in a textbook.
We look up in the sky and see a cloud. Which sphere is this cloud in?
The geosphere only
The atmosphere only
Both the hydrosphere and atmosphere
The hydrosphere only
If scientists can ONLY detect P waves in a certain layer of the Earth's interior, what does that tell us?
We know that the layer is the mantle.
We know that the layer could be either liquid or solid.
We know that the layer is solid.
We know that the layer is liquid.
How are mantle plumes and hot spots related?
Mantle plumes rise & break through the crust, make hot spots
Hot spot is another word for mantle plume.
None are correct
Hot spots erupt and form mantle plumes.
Which of the following is NOT a reason that sphere interactions are important?
They form the overall system of Earth.
They change matter through different phases.
They help to keep matter in one place.
They recycle material on Earth.
Which of these is part of the Earth's lithosphere?
Core
Liquid Mantle
Crust
Hydrosphere
Which of the following is true about the Hawaiian islands?
none
There is no order to their age.
The islands get older as you travel northwest.
The islands are all the same age.
Why can both P and S waves travel through the mantle?
The mantle is a solid.
Parts of the mantle are solid and other parts are liquid.
The mantle is not very far below the Earth's surface.
The mantle is a liquid.
Why is rain not part of the atmosphere?
Because it is part of the biosphere.
Because it is part of the hydrosphere.
Because it is part of the geosphere.
Because it moves between spheres.
Why are plants and animals part of the biosphere?
Because they live on the ground.
Because all living things are part of the biosphere.
Because they can migrate.
Because they can travel in the air.