Earth Science (written test)

This year's Earth Science Tryout Test will cover three events: Dynamic Planet, Ecology, and Hydrogeology.

Part 1. DYNAMIC PLANET

This portion of the test will involve knowledge about tectonic plates.

The following topics will be tested:

• Key scientists
• Identification of Earth’s layers
  • Crust, mantle, core, lithosphere, asthenosphere, etc.
• Types of plates, boundaries, and margins
  • Convergent, divergent, transform, etc
  • Examples of each
• Driving forces behind plate tectonics
  • Mantle convection, mantle plumes
• Plate movement
  • The Wilson Cycle
• Isostatic adjustments
  • Applications
• Magma formation
  • Geological settings, chemistry, and properties
• Geologic history of North America
  • North American Craton
  • Rocky Mountains
  • Appalachian Mountains
  • Yellowstone Hot Spot
• Other miscellaneous information about plate tectonics

Part 2. ECOLOGY

This portion of the test will cover general ecology principles and the human impact on ecosystems, with a focus on the Desert and Grassland biomes.

The following topics will be tested:

• General Principles of Ecology
  • Food webs and trophic pyramids
  • Nutrient Cycles
  • Community Interactions
  • Population Dynamics
  • Life history strategies
• Human Impact on Ecosystems
  • Acid Rain
  • Erosion
  • Pollution
  • Remediation
  • Alternative energy
• Biomes
  • Deserts
  • Grasslands
• Other miscellaneous information about ecology

Part 3. HYDROGEOLOGY

The following topics will be tested:

• Groundwater statistics/facts
  • Famous aquifers
  • Statistics about aquifers
  • Other miscellaneous information
• Groundwater vocab