Date: ________________________________

_________________________________________

Name:

Unit 3 Exam
Modified True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
____ 1. The outermost Earth system is made of water.
____ 2. The most common gas in the atmosphere is oxygen.
____ 3. About 79% of Earths freshwater is contained in the cryosphere.
____ 4. The atmosphere and the hydrosphere overlap.
____ 5. From outside to inside, the layers of Earth are the crust, the mantle, and the
core.
____ 6. The solid inner core of the Earth is made up of solid platinum.
____ 7. Water leaves the plant life of biosphere and enters the atmosphere by way of
transpiration.
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. Which of the following is NOT one of the four systems into which scientists
divide Earth?
a. geosphere
c. hemisphere
b. hydrosphere
d. biosphere
____ 2. What happens to the atmosphere as you move from space toward Earths
surface?
a. It becomes thinner.
c. It becomes steadily warmer.
b. It becomes more dense.
d. It becomes steadily cooler.
____ 3. Which gas is represented by the 78% area of the graph shown?
a. oxygen
b. nitrogen
____ 4.

_________4. Where is the ozone layer found?

c. hydrogen
d. carbon dioxide

a. stratosphere
b. mesosphere

c. exosphere
d. thermosphere

____ 5. Based on the diagram shown, which statement is true?

a. Eleven percent of Earths water is contained in swamps.

b. Lakes contain more water than ice caps and glaciers.
c. Rivers make up 2% of fresh surface water, while fresh surface
water makes up only 1% of all fresh water.
d. all of the above
____ 6. Where is groundwater stored?
a. in lakes and rivers
b. in oceans
c. in ice caps at the poles
d. in cracks and pores beneath Earths surface
____ 7. How is ocean water different than most lake water?
a. It contains salt.
c. It contains oxygen.
b. It does not contain salt.
d. It does not contain oxygen.
____ 8. Where is water stored?
a. on Earths surface
b. in the atmosphere

c. underground
d. all of the above

____ 9. Which of Earths systems includes rock?

a. atmosphere
c. geosphere
b. biosphere
d. hydrosphere
____ 10. If you were studying the amount of pollution in a certain volume of air, which of
Earths systems are you studying?
a. atmosphere
c. geosphere
b. biosphere
d. hydrosphere
____ 11. Which of Earths systems contains pine trees?
a. atmosphere
c. geosphere
b. biosphere
d. Hydrosphere

____ 12. Thomas was comparing the amount of salt dissolved in ocean water to the
amount dissolved in water from the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Which of Earths
systems is Thomas interested in?
a. atmosphere
c. geosphere
b. biosphere
d. hydrosphere
____ 13. Which of the following is a part of the geosphere?
a. a cloud
c. an elk
b. a daisy
d. a cliff
____ 14. Which part of the geosphere is entirely liquid?
a. A
B. B
C. C
D.D
____ 15. When water evaporates, it enters the _____.
a. Atmosphere
c. geosphere
b. biosphere
d. hydrosphere
____ 16. What is the beginning of the water cycle?
a. ground water
b. water vapor in the atmosphere
c. oceans
d. none of these
____ 17. Water vapor is released by plants through their leaves. This process is called
_____.
a. transpiration
c. evaporation
b. respiration
d. photosynthesis
____ 18. The wavy vertical arrows represent waters introduction into which of Earths
systems?
a. atmosphere
c. geosphere
b. biosphere
d. hydrosphere

____ 19. Humidity is _____.

a.
b.
c.
d.

the force exerted by air molecules in all directions

the amount of water vapor in a given volume of air
the likeliness of precipitation on a given day
none of the above

____ 20. Where do most interactions between the three non-living Earth systems occur?
a. above Earths surface
c. below Earths surface
b. on Earths surface
d. The systems do not interact.
Completion
Complete each statement.
1. Sarah was working on her science homework about Earths systems when she
looked out the window and saw a chipmunk. Look! she cried, its part of the
_______________sphere!
2. The atmosphere is divided into layers according to changes in _______________.
3. All water on Earth is part of the _______________________________________ .
4. When animals release water vapor into the atmosphere,
_____________________________ has occurred.
5. When water vapor loses thermal energy it __________________________________,
and millions of droplets come together to form clouds.
Matching
Match the system of the Earth with each given item. Systems may be used
more than once.
a. atmosphere
c. geosphere
b. biosphere
d. hydrosphere
____ 1. Mt. Everest
____ 2. Pacific Ocean

4. ____

wind

5. ____

Nile River

____ 3. science teachers

Short Answer
1. What provides the energy that keeps the water cycle moving? What type of energy is
provided?
2. During which part of the water cycle is energy absorbed by water?
3. Name the zones of the atmosphere shown in this diagram.