1. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram of Earth shown below.

Letters B, C, and D
represent layers of Earth. Letter Q represents a location on Earth's surface.

Which letter best represents Earth's mantle?

A) Q

B) B

C) C

2. Where has the process of nuclear fusion been occurring

for over four billion years?
A)
B)
C)
D)

D) D
3. A model of Earth's internal structure is shown below.

in Earth's inner core

on the surface of the Moon
at lithospheric plate boundaries
in the Sun's interior

Analysis of which type of data led to the development of

this model?
A)
B)
C)
D)

seismic waves
depth of Earth's oceans
electromagnetic radiation
isobar gradients

4. Base your answer to the following question on the cross section below, which shows the paths of seismic
waves traveling from an earthquake epicenter through the different layers of Earth's interior.

No P-waves or S-waves are received in the shadow zone because

A)
B)
C)
D)

P-waves are absorbed and S-waves are refracted by Earth's outer core
P-waves are refracted and S-waves are absorbed by Earth's outer core
both the P-waves and S-waves are refracted by Earth's outer core
both the P-waves and S-waves are absorbed by Earth's outer core

5. Which part of Earths interior is inferred to have

convection currents that cause tectonic plates to move?
A) rigid mantle
C) outer core

B) asthenosphere
D) inner core

6. Base your answer to the following question on the

diagram below, which shows a cutaway view of Earth in
which the interior layers are visible. The paths of
earthquake waves generated at point X are shown. A, B,
C, and D are locations of seismic stations on Earth's
surface, and point E is located in Earth's interior.

Both P-waves and S-waves were received at seismic

stations A and B, but only P-waves were received at
seismic stations C and D. Which statement best explains
why this occurred?
A) S-waves are much weaker than P-waves.
B) S-waves travel faster than P-waves.
C) The liquid outer core prevents S-waves from
traveling to seismic stations C and D.
D) The solid outer core prevents S-waves from
traveling to seismic stations C and D.
7. Why is Earths outer core inferred to be a liquid?
A)
B)
C)
D)

P-waves can pass through the outer core.

P-waves cannot pass through the outer core.
S-waves can pass through the outer core.
S-waves cannot pass through the outer core.

8. Base your answer to the following question on the passage below.

Crustal Activity at Mid-Ocean Ridges
Mid-ocean ridges are found at one type of tectonic plate boundary. These ridges consist of extensive
underwater mountain ranges split by rift valleys. The rift valleys mark places where two crustal plates
are pulling apart, widening the ocean basins, and allowing magma from the asthenosphere to move
upward. In some cases, mid-ocean ridges have migrated toward nearby mantle hot spots. This explains
why mid-ocean ridges and mantle hot spots are found together at several locations.
Which type of tectonic plate boundary is located at mid-ocean ridges?
A) convergent

B) transform

C) divergent

D) complex

9. The map below shows a portion of Earth's surface. Points X and Y are locations on the lithosphere.

Which cross section shows the inferred movement of material in the asthenosphere beneath points X and Y?
A)

B)

C)

D)

10. Which observation about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region

provides the best evidence that the seafloor has been
spreading for millions of years?
A) The bedrock of the ridge and nearby seafloor is
igneous rock.
B) The ridge is the location of irregular volcanic
eruptions.
C) Several faults cut across the ridge and nearby
seafloor.
D) Seafloor bedrock is younger near the ridge and
older farther away.

16. The movement of tectonic plates is inferred by many

scientists to be driven by
A)
B)
C)
D)

tidal motions in the hydrosphere

density differences in the troposphere
convection currents in the asthenosphere
solidification in the lithosphere

17. Base your answer to the following question on the

diagram below, which shows a portion of Earths
interior. Point A is a location on the interface between
layers.

11. The Indian-Australian tectonic plate is moving

A)
B)
C)
D)

away from the Philippine Plate

away from the Fiji Plate
toward the Pacific Plate
toward the Antarctic Plate

12. Based on the theory of plate tectonics, it is inferred that

over the past 250 million years North America has
moved toward the
A) northwest
C) southeast

B) southwest
D) northeast

13. The theory of continental drift suggests that the

A) continents moved due to changes in the Earth's
orbital velocity
B) continents moved due to the Coriolis effect caused
by the Earth's rotation
C) present-day continents of South America and
Africa are moving toward each other
D) present-day continents of South America and
Africa once fit together like puzzle parts
14. During which period were North America, Africa, and
South America closest?
A) Tertiary
C) Triassic

B) Cretaceous
D) Ordovician

15. Active volcanoes are most abundant along the

A)
B)
C)
D)

edges of tectonic plates

eastern coastline of continents
23.5 N and 23.5 S parallels of latitude
equatorial ocean floor

The arrows shown in the asthenosphere represent the

inferred slow circulation of the plastic mantle by a
process called
A) insolation
C) convection

B) convection
D) radiation

18. The block diagram below shows the bedrock age as

measured by radioactive dating and the present location
of part of the Hawaiian Island chain. These volcanic
islands may have formed as the Pacific Plate moved
over a mantle hot spot.

This diagram provides evidence that the Pacific Crustal

Plate was moving toward the
A) south
C) southwest

B) east
D) northwest

19. The two most abundant elements by mass in Earths

crust are oxygen and
A) potassium
C) nitrogen

B) hydrogen
D) silicon

20. The inferred temperature and pressure of Earth's

interior at a depth of 3,000 kilometers are
approximately
A)
B)
C)
D)

1000C and 0.5 million atmospheres

1000C and 1.0 million atmospheres
5000C and 1.5 million atmospheres
5000C and 3.0 million atmospheres

21. Which graph best shows the range of density in each of Earth's layers?
A)

B)

C)

D)

22. What happens to the density and temperature of rock

within Earths interior as depth increases?
A)
B)
C)
D)

density decreases and temperature decreases

density decreases and temperature increases
density increases and temperature increases
density increases and temperature decreases

23. Why does the oceanic crust sink beneath the continental
crust at a subduction boundary?
A) The oceanic crust has a greater density.
B) The oceanic crust is pulled downward by Earths
magnetic field.
C) The continental crust has a more mafic
composition.
D) The continental crust is pulled upward by the
Moons gravity.
24. Scientists have inferred the structure of Earths interior
mainly by analyzing
A)
B)
C)
D)

the Moons interior

the Moons composition
Earths surface features
Earths seismic data

25. The Earth's core is believed to be composed primarily

of
A)
B)
C)
D)

oxygen and silicon

aluminum and silicon
iron and nickel
carbon and iron

26. Base your answer to the following question on the data table below, which gives information collected at
seismic stations W, X, Y, and Z for the same earthquake. Some of the data have been omitted.

What is the most probable reason for the absence of S-waves at station W?
A)
B)
C)
D)

S-waves were not generated at the epicenter.

S-waves cannot travel through liquids.
Station W was located on solid bedrock.
Station W was located on an island.

27. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below, which shows models of two types of
earthquake waves.

Model A best represents the motion of earthquake waves called

A)
B)
C)
D)

P-waves (compressional waves) that travel faster than S-waves (shear waves) shown in model B
P-waves (compressional waves) that travel slower than S-waves (shear waves) shown in model B
S-waves (shear waves) that travel faster than P-waves (compressional waves) shown in model B
S-waves (shear waves) that travel slower than P-waves (compressional waves) shown in model B

28. Base your answer to the following question on the data table below, on the graph in your answer booklet,
and on your knowledge of Earth science. The data table shows the velocity of seismic S-waves at various
depths below Earths surface. The graph shows the velocity of seismic P-waves at various depths below
Earths surface. Letter A is a point on the graph.

What property of Earths interior causes the S-waves to stop at 2900 km, but allows the P-waves to
continue?
29. Identify a process occurring in the plastic mantle that is inferred to cause tectonic plate motion.

30. Base your answer to the following question on

the block diagram and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents the pattern of normal
and reversed magnetic polarity of the seafloor bedrock on the east side of a mid-ocean ridge center. The
magnetic polarity of the bedrock on the west side of the ridge has been omitted. Arrows represent the
direction of seafloor movement on either side of the ridge.

Describe the general relationship between the distance from the ridge center and the age of the seafloor
bedrock.

31. Base your answer to the following question on the map below, which shows the generalized surface
bedrock geology of Iceland, an island located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Points A, B, C, and D are
locations on surface bedrock which is igneous in origin. Glaciers cover some surface bedrock.

State the names of the two crustal plates that are diverging at Iceland.

32. Base your answer to the following question on the map and the modified Mercalli intensity scale below.
The map shows modified Mercalli intensity scale damage zones resulting from a large earthquake that
occurred in 1964. The earthquake's epicenter was near Anchorage, Alaska. The cities Kodiak and
Anchorage are shown on the map. The Mercalli scale describes earthquake damage at Earth's surface.

Explain why S-waves from this earthquake were not directly received on the opposite
side of Earth.

33. Base your answer to the following question on on the diagram below, which shows a seismograph that
recorded seismic waves from an earthquake located 4000 kilometers from this seismic station.

Which type of seismic wave was recorded first on the rotating drum?