EAS Final Exam Questions and Answers 2023

EAS Final Exam Questions and Answers 2023 Which of the following pair s of steps in the scientific method is in the correct order for the scientific method? (There may be missing steps , but the two are in the correct order) (a) question, initial observation (b) initial observation , hypothesis (c) prediction, hypothesis, (d) test the prediction, question, (e) reject/ accept hypothesis, test the prediction (b) initial observation , hypothesis Which of the following is the key step in the scientific method that best separates it from non - scientific methodologies? (a) formulating a reasonable question (b) coming up with a hypothesis based on an observation (c) making a testable prediction that comes from the hypothesis (d) making careful and complete observations (e) stating facts that have been agreed to by all (c) making a testable prediction that comes from the hypothesis 4 . W hich of the following is a statement explaining a set of observations that needs to be tested ? (a) a hypothesis (b) a theory (c) a law (a) a hypothesis After the initial observation of a high iridium content in the K -T boundary clay, the hypothesis of a large meteorite impact was proposed. Which of the following was a prediction of that hypothesis? (a) the high iridium clay layer should be global (b) the composition of the clay layer should be different from clay found in the limestone above and below (c) there should be a crater from the meteorite impact (d) there should be melt spherules in the clay layer (e) all of the above (e) all of the above Evolution, the idea that life -- as preserved in fossils -- has changed over time is considered a fact: (a) because anyone can go see for themselves (make the observation) that fossils have changed over time (b) because Darwin said so (c) because DNA analyses support evolution (d) because it makes many testable predictions (e) Evolution i s not a fact. (a) because anyone can go see for themselves (make the observation) that fossils have changed over time Why is "intelligent design" not a scientific idea/hypothesis? (a) It was not proposed by scientists (b) It's a new idea (c) It's not based on an initial observation (d) It doesn't make any testable predictions (e) all of the above (d) It doesn't make any testable predictions What is a key factor that can help someone who is using the scientific method help her come up with good hypotheses, good predictions, and effective ways to test the predictions? Lack of this factor might prevent a Nobel Prize - winning physicist from being a great geologist, say. (a) previous knowledge (b) age (c) country of origin (d) race (e) number of published papers (a) previous knowledge The Alvarezes were not out to determine the cause of the end - of - Cretaceous extinction, but instead intended to measure sedimentation rates. Which of the following statements describes their initial expectation? (a) they did not expect any relationship between the amount of iridium ( Ir ) and the sedimentation rate (b) the thicker the layers of sediment, the greater the sedimentation rate (c) the lower the concentration of Ir, the slower the sedimentation rate (d) The higher the concentration of Ir in the sediment, the slower the sedimentation rate (e) they expected no major changes in the concentration of Ir. (c) the lower the concentration of Ir, the slower the sedimentation rate What was the initial observation made by the Alvarezes that led to the meteorite impact hypothesis? (a) the strange composition of the clay in the clay layer (b) a very low amount of Ir in the clay layer (c) the lack of any Ir in the clay layer (d) the extreme thickness of the clay layer (e) a very high amount of Ir in the clay layer (e) a very high amount of Ir in the clay layer In the original paper published by the Alvarezes in 1980, how many locations on Earth did they find that had evidence of a meteorite impact? (a) one (b) three (c) ten (d) dozens (e) tens of thousands (b) three 11 . Today, approximately how many sites on Earth have evidence of a meteorite impact at the K - T boundary? (a) one (b) three (c) ten (d) dozens (e) tens of thousands (d) dozens In the original 1980 paper, what prediction did the authors make that they themselves tested and confirmed? (a) that tsunami deposits should be found (b) that the crater should be in Yucatan Peninsula (c) that the clay lay er should have a different composition as clay elsewhere in the limestones (d) that melt spherules should be found nearby (e) that no dinosaurs should be found above the clay layer (c) that the clay lay er should have a different composition as clay elsewhere in the limestones Tiny "spherules" (microtektites) have been found at the K - T boundary and at other impact sites. What is the origin of these spherules? (a) they are tiny fragments of the meteorite (b) they are pieces of Iridium (c) they are fossils that died out during the impact (d) their origin is still unknown (e) they are solidified droplets of rock melted due to the meteorite impact. (e) they are solidified droplets of rock melted due to the meteorite impact. Where was the first site that the Alvarezes measured Ir in the K - T boundary clay layer? (a) Denmark (b) Italy (c) New Zealand (d) Mexico (e) Texas (b) Italy 15 . Below is the data published by the Alvarezes in their Science paper, which shows the concentration of Ir (in parts per trillion) in the samples versus the position of the samples in meters in the sedimentary rock. At what approximate position does the K - T boundary occur? (a) 0 m (b) around 30 m (c) 150 m (d ) 305 m (e) 348 m (e) 348 m According to the astronomer Carl Sagan, extraordinary claims require what in order for those claims to be taken seriously? (a) an extraordinary amount of people claiming the same thing, (b) extraordinary predictions from the claim (c) extraordinary evidence (d) extraordinary time to be proven (e) all of the above (c) extraordinary evidence Meteorite cratering on the Moon is abundant and obvious. Why are craters not so obvious on Earth? Because (a) meteorite impacts have been much rarer on Earth (b) The Moon's gravity attracted most meteorites away from Earth (c) There have been many meteorite impact s on Earth but they are small and not obvious (d) erosion and plate tectonics on Earth have removed a lot of the evidence of meteorite impacts (e) none of the above (d) erosion and plate tectonics on Earth have removed a lot of the evidence of meteorite impacts The Deccan flood basalt volcanism happened at about the same time as the meteorite impact near the end of the Cretaceous period. One hypothesis stated that the impact caused the volcanism. What evidence/finding proved this hypothesis to be wrong? It was discovered that (a) the impact happened before the volcanism (b) the impact happened after the volcanism began (c) no iridium was found in the volcanic rocks (d) the volcanic rocks were unaffected by the impact (e) the paleomagnetic data showed that the volcanic rocks had reversed magnetism (b) the impact happened after the volcanism began Recently, how have scientists been testing whether the meteorite impact (which was pret ty sudden) or whether the Deccan volcanism (which lasted about 1 million years at the end of the Cretaceous) was the main cause of the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period? (a) By measuring the Ir content of fossils (b) by looking at how rapidly species died out (c) by measuring the paleomagnetism in the clay layer (d) by looking at how many species died in total (e) by comparing land fossils with marine fossils (b) by looking at how rapidly species died out The lithosphere consists of: (a) inner core and outer core (b) asthenosphere and mantle (c) crust and uppermost mantle (d) crust and outer core (e) asthenosphere and crust (c) crust and uppermost mantle The " plates " in plate tectonics are made of (a) crust (b) mantle (c) lithosphere (d) asthenosphere (e) core (c) lithosphere The difference between lithosphere and asthenosphere is primarily a difference in (a) composition (b) strength (c) pressure (d) water content (e) plate boundary (b) strength The main factor causing the difference in lithosphere and asthenosphere mentioned above is (a) composition, (b) pressure (c) water content (d) age (e) temperature (e) temperature Which of the following comes closest to the typical speed of the tectonic plates on Earth? (a) growth rate of fingernails (b) growth rate of grass (c) speed of a snail (d) speed of a turtle (e) walking speed of a typical grandmother (a) growth rate of fingernails Which of the following plates does not contain any continents? (a) Nazca plate (b) India - Australian plate (c) South American plate (d) Antarctic plate (e) Eurasian plate (a) Nazca plate What type of plate boundary existed between India and Asia prior to their collision ? (a) convergent (b) divergent (c) strike slip (d) there is no plate boundary between India and Asia (e) hot spots (a) convergent Explosive / violent erupting volcanoes are characteristic of which type of plate boundary ? (a) convergent boundaries (b) diver gent boundaries (c) strike slip boundaries (d) hot spots (e) all of the above (a) convergent boundaries How many different plates are subducting around the Pacific rim to produce the "Pacific Ring of Fire "? (a) one large plate (the Pacific plate) (b) about a dozen plates (c) several dozen plates (d) None. The volcanism is caused by divergent boundaries (e) None. The volcanism is caused by hot spots (b) about a dozen plates Which of the following phenomena best marks or outlines all the boundaries or edges of the plates? (a) earthquakes (b) volcanoes (c) hot spots (d) strong magnetic fields (e) strong reversals in the magnetic field (a) earthquakes