General Science Flashcards
7 cards from real Picat practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 General Science flashcards as text
What is the outermost solid layer of the Earth called?
Answer: Crust
The crust is Earth's thin, solid outermost layer, divided into oceanic and continental types.
Which planet in our solar system is closest to the Sun?
Answer: Mercury
Mercury is the innermost planet and orbits the Sun at an average distance of about 36 million miles.
What is the primary cause of Earth's seasons?
Answer: The tilt of Earth's axis
Earth's 23.5° axial tilt causes different hemispheres to receive more direct sunlight at different times of year, creating seasons.
What type of rock is formed when magma cools and solidifies?
Answer: Igneous
Igneous rock forms from the cooling and crystallization of molten rock (magma or lava).
What is the term for the point on Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake?
Answer: Epicenter
The epicenter is the surface point directly above where seismic energy is released underground (the focus).
Approximately how long does it take Earth to complete one full orbit around the Sun?
Answer: 365.25 days
Earth's orbital period is approximately 365.25 days, which is why a leap day is added every four years.
What phenomenon causes ocean tides on Earth?
Answer: Gravitational pull of the Moon
The Moon's gravitational force pulls on Earth's oceans, creating bulges that produce high tides on the side facing the Moon and the opposite side.