Earth Science, 16e (Tarbuck)
Chapter 1 Introduction to Earth Science
1) What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical geology?
A) Physical geology is the study of fossils and sequences of rock strata; historical geology is
the study of how rocks and minerals were used in the past.
B) Historical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and geologic events, utilizing
the geologic time scale as a reference; physical geology includes the study of how rocks
form and of how erosion shapes the land surface.
C) Physical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and deposition in relation to
plate movements in the geologic past; historical geology charts how and where the plates
were moving in the past.
D) None of the above-physical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
2) How many primary ocean basins are there on Earth?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
3) The study of Earth’s atmosphere is known as f i l l i n t h e b l a n k .
A) astronomy
B) oceanography
C) meteorology
D) cosmology
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
1
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,4) Which discipline is not used within the Earth sciences?
A) Chemistry
B) Physics
C) Biology
D) Mathematics
E) None of the above; Earth Science makes use of all of these sciences.
Answer: E
Diff: 2
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
5) Sedimentary rocks with marine fossils are exposed at the top of Mt. Everest. Which scientists
would make most use of this observation in their study?
A) meteorologists, because they could use the fossils as a guide to ancient climates
B) geologists, because their elevation is related to physical geology and fossils are related to
Earth history
C) oceanographers, because the fossils can tell us about periods when Earth was covered
with water to the height of Mt. Everest
D) astronomers, because they can study how life came from outer space to Earth
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
6) Hurricanes and tornados are natural disasters. What branch of the Earth sciences studies the
origin of these phenomena?
A) meteorology
B) geology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
2
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,7) Haley’s Comet visits Earth once every 76 years. What branch of the Earth sciences is the main
group that studies these phenomena?
A) meteorology
B) geology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
8) If you want to buy a house in an area and you are worried there may be an earthquake hazard,
who would be the best person to ask for advice on this hazard?
A) a civil engineer
B) a geologist
C) a physicist
D) an astrologer
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
9) Which of the following processes best explains why natural processes such as hurricanes and
earthquakes are considered hazards?
A) They occur frequently around the world.
B) They impact people who live in affected areas where these processes occur.
C) They cause significant damage to the Earth’s surface.
D) They only affect areas with specific climates.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
3
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, 10) Earth is estimated to be approximately 4.6 billion years old. Life appeared early in the history
of Earth, but the first multicelled organisms did not appear until about 600 million years ago.
If the history of Earth were compressed into a single year, about when would these first
multicellular organisms appear?
A) late September
B) late November
C) mid-December
D) late January
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
11) Which of the following would not typically be considered an Earth Science study?
A) volcanic eruptions
B) impact craters on the moon
C) acid mine waters and the bacteria that live in those waters
D) chemical refining of petroleum
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
12) Why are resources such as water, soil, and minerals considered a key focus of Earth Science?
A) They are abundant and require little study.
B) These resources are essential for sustaining modern civilization.
C) They are unaffected by human activity.
D) These resources are only found in specific regions of the world.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
4
Copyright © 2026 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Earth Science
1) What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical geology?
A) Physical geology is the study of fossils and sequences of rock strata; historical geology is
the study of how rocks and minerals were used in the past.
B) Historical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and geologic events, utilizing
the geologic time scale as a reference; physical geology includes the study of how rocks
form and of how erosion shapes the land surface.
C) Physical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and deposition in relation to
plate movements in the geologic past; historical geology charts how and where the plates
were moving in the past.
D) None of the above-physical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
2) How many primary ocean basins are there on Earth?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
3) The study of Earth’s atmosphere is known as f i l l i n t h e b l a n k .
A) astronomy
B) oceanography
C) meteorology
D) cosmology
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
1
Copyright © 2026 Pearson Education, Inc.
,4) Which discipline is not used within the Earth sciences?
A) Chemistry
B) Physics
C) Biology
D) Mathematics
E) None of the above; Earth Science makes use of all of these sciences.
Answer: E
Diff: 2
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
5) Sedimentary rocks with marine fossils are exposed at the top of Mt. Everest. Which scientists
would make most use of this observation in their study?
A) meteorologists, because they could use the fossils as a guide to ancient climates
B) geologists, because their elevation is related to physical geology and fossils are related to
Earth history
C) oceanographers, because the fossils can tell us about periods when Earth was covered
with water to the height of Mt. Everest
D) astronomers, because they can study how life came from outer space to Earth
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
6) Hurricanes and tornados are natural disasters. What branch of the Earth sciences studies the
origin of these phenomena?
A) meteorology
B) geology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
2
Copyright © 2026 Pearson Education, Inc.
,7) Haley’s Comet visits Earth once every 76 years. What branch of the Earth sciences is the main
group that studies these phenomena?
A) meteorology
B) geology
C) oceanography
D) astronomy
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
8) If you want to buy a house in an area and you are worried there may be an earthquake hazard,
who would be the best person to ask for advice on this hazard?
A) a civil engineer
B) a geologist
C) a physicist
D) an astrologer
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
9) Which of the following processes best explains why natural processes such as hurricanes and
earthquakes are considered hazards?
A) They occur frequently around the world.
B) They impact people who live in affected areas where these processes occur.
C) They cause significant damage to the Earth’s surface.
D) They only affect areas with specific climates.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
3
Copyright © 2026 Pearson Education, Inc.
, 10) Earth is estimated to be approximately 4.6 billion years old. Life appeared early in the history
of Earth, but the first multicelled organisms did not appear until about 600 million years ago.
If the history of Earth were compressed into a single year, about when would these first
multicellular organisms appear?
A) late September
B) late November
C) mid-December
D) late January
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
11) Which of the following would not typically be considered an Earth Science study?
A) volcanic eruptions
B) impact craters on the moon
C) acid mine waters and the bacteria that live in those waters
D) chemical refining of petroleum
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
12) Why are resources such as water, soil, and minerals considered a key focus of Earth Science?
A) They are abundant and require little study.
B) These resources are essential for sustaining modern civilization.
C) They are unaffected by human activity.
D) These resources are only found in specific regions of the world.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 1.1 What Is Earth Science?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
4
Copyright © 2026 Pearson Education, Inc.
