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