PSSA PSSA Earth and Space Science 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What are the three main layers of Earth, from the outside in?
- Crust, mantle, core (Correct answer)
- Lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere
- Crust, lithosphere, magma
- Surface, interior, center
Correct answer: Crust, mantle, core
Earth's three main layers from outside to inside are the crust, mantle, and core.
Question 2: What causes earthquakes?
- Volcanic eruptions underground
- The movement and collision of tectonic plates (Correct answer)
- Heavy rainfall weakening Earth's surface
- The Moon's gravitational pull on Earth
Correct answer: The movement and collision of tectonic plates
Earthquakes are caused by the sudden movement of tectonic plates along fault lines, releasing stored energy.
Question 3: What is the water cycle?
- The process of water being polluted and cleaned
- The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation (Correct answer)
- The filtration of water through soil layers
- The chemical reactions that purify ocean water
Correct answer: The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation
The water cycle describes the continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
Question 4: What type of rock forms from the compaction and cementation of sediments?
- Igneous rock
- Metamorphic rock
- Sedimentary rock (Correct answer)
- Volcanic rock
Correct answer: Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock forms when layers of sediment are compacted and cemented together over time.
Question 5: What is a solar system?
- A group of galaxies bound by gravity
- A star and all the objects that orbit around it due to gravity (Correct answer)
- A cluster of stars with similar properties
- The zone between two galaxies
Correct answer: A star and all the objects that orbit around it due to gravity
A solar system consists of a star and all the objects, including planets, moons, and asteroids, that orbit it due to gravity.
Question 6: What is the difference between weather and climate?
- Weather refers to long-term patterns; climate refers to short-term conditions
- Weather refers to temperature only; climate includes all atmospheric conditions
- Weather is the short-term atmospheric conditions; climate is the long-term average pattern (Correct answer)
- Weather changes seasonally; climate changes daily
Correct answer: Weather is the short-term atmospheric conditions; climate is the long-term average pattern
Weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate is the average pattern of weather in an area over a long period.
PSSA PSSA Earth and Space Science 1
What are the three main layers of Earth, from the outside in?