Mock Exam Questions

• Which of the following geological eons contains NO evidence for life? A: Hadean B: Phanerozoic C: Archaean D: Proterozoic

• Which planet contains the greatest concentration of CO2 in its atmosphere? A: Earth B: Mars C: Venus D: Mercury

• At what temperature does seawater at 35 psu freeze? A: -0.91˚C B: -1.91˚C C: -2.91˚C D: 0˚C

• Fossils of which new species of hominid were recently discovered in Indonesia? A: Homo sapiens B: Homo neanderthalensis C: Homo floresiensis D: Homo penrynensis

• What is the name given to the proportion of insolation reflected back into space by different materials at the Earth’s surface? A: Alfresco B: Alfredo C: Albedo D: Abelone

• Where is the oldest oceanic crust to be found (today)? A: East Pacific Ocean B: West Pacific Ocean C: North Atlantic D: Indian Ocean

• Which of the following would make a drainage basin more flashy? A: Planting more trees B: Increasing natural soil cover C: Low antecedent moisture D: Urbanisation

• What was the level of global sea level below the present during the Last Glacial Maximum? A: -130 m B: - 230 m C: - 30 m D: -120 m

• Which of the following times in Earth history coincided with an Icehouse? A: 300 Ma B: 200 Ma C: 400 Ma D: 100 Ma

• Which of the following forms of nitrogen is most easily assimilatable by primary producers? A: NH3 (ammonia) B: N2 (nitrogen gas) C: NO2 (nitrite) D: NO3 (nitrate)

• What name is given to an area with minimal or no tide? A: amphipod B: amphitheatre C: amphidrome D: amphizone

• Which is the rarest naturally occurring stable isotope of oxygen? A: 17O B: 18O C: 16O D: 15O

• Which latitude has the best correlation with the Milankovitch periodicities in the oxygen isotope record? A: 65˚S B: 55˚N C: 55˚S D: 65˚N

• When did the current phase of 100,000 year glacial cycles begin? A: 800,000 years ago B: 600,000 years ago C: 500,000 years ago D: 350,000 years ago

• When did the current glaciation of Antarctica begin? A: 43 Ma B: 34 Ma C: 23 Ma D: 2.5 Ma

• Which hypothesis explains the drawdown of CO2 into the recent Icehouse as a function of a reduction in seafloor spreading? A: Raymo-Ruddiman Hypothesis B: BLAG Hypothesis C: Martin Hypothesis D: Shackleton-Kennett Hypothesis

• Which dataset provides independent evidence in support of the uplift weathering hypothesis? A: Deep sea oxygen isotopes B: Deep sea strontium isotopes C: Deep sea carbon isotopes D: Deep sea lead isotopes

• By how much was the glacial atmosphere dustier than the interglacial climate? A: x500 B: x50 C: x5 D: x0.5

• Which hypothesis explains the drawdown of CO2 as a result of oceanic iron fertilisation (dust flux)? A: Raymo-Ruddiman Hypothesis B: BLAG Hypothesis C: Martin Hypothesis D: Shackleton-Kennett Hypothesis

• Which of the following was the largest mass extinction event in Earth history? A: terminal Cretaceous event (K/T boundary) B: terminal Permian event C: terminal Ordovician event D: terminal Cambrian event