Geology Exam 1: Chapters 1-6
a) Angles between equivalent faces being equal
According to Steno's law, crystals of a given mineral will have: a) Angles between equivalent faces being equal b) Consistent crystal form c) Densities between 2 and 3 g/cc d) Atoms of equal size throughout
a) Divergent Boundary
Along which tectonic boundary is ridge push going to be most important? a) Divergent Boundary b) Convergent Boundary c) Transform Boundary
a) Convergent boundary
Along which tectonic boundary will chains of composite cone volcanoes be located? a) Convergent boundary b) Mantle plumes c) Transform boundary d) Divergent boundary
c) Wave erosion and coastal deposition have changed the shape of the continents
Although the jigsaw-puzzle fit of the southern continents was noted, opponents of Continental Drift argued that, even if continental displacement had occurred, a good fit between the continents today would be unlikely. What geological evidence did they cite to support this claim? a) Deposition in river deltas had changed the longshore current, resulting in erosion b) The tensional stress of splitting sheared the continents beyond all repair c) Wave erosion and coastal deposition have changed the shape of the continents d) Fissure eruptions along continental margins had created new land
a) Yellowstone
An example of a volcanic caldera that formed from the collapse of a magma chamber after large volumes of material were erupted is ________. a) Yellowstone b) Mt. Vesuvius c) Mt. Mazama d) Kilauea
d) Subduction Zone
At a ________, one colliding plate will be forced beneath another because of differences in density. a) Transform Boundary d) Subduction Zone c) Twilight Zone d) Continental Rift
c) Laccolith
A ________ is a mushroom-shaped pluton that forms by injecting magma between sedimentary strata, forcing the upper layers to arch upward. a) Sill b) Batholith c) Laccolith d) Dike
d) Platform
A ________ is a part of the craton that is covered by a thin veneer of sedimentary rocks. a) Shield b) Plateau c) Continental Shelf d) Platform
b) Sill
A ________ is a tabular, concordant pluton that is nearly horizontal and forms when magma exploits a weakness between sedimentary layers. a) Dike b) Sill c) Batholith d) Laccolith
d) East African Rift Valley
A location where continental rifting is occurring today is ________. a) Juan de Fuca Trench b) Mid-Continent Rift c) San Andreas Fault d) East African Rift Valley
a) True
A rock can be composed of almost entirely one mineral. a) True b) False
a) True
A vertical succession of soil horizons is called a soil profile. a) True b) False
a) Hypothesis
A(n) _____ is a tentative or untested explanation for why or how something happens. a) Hypothesis b) Theory c) Principle d) Law e) Doctrine
c) More gas than shield volcanoes
Based on the structure of the cone and the rock making it up, what interpretations can be made about the gas content of eruptions from cinder cone volcanoes compared to those of shield volcanoes? a) Less gas than shield volcanoes b) Same gas content as shield volcanoes c) More gas than shield volcanoes d) Gas is not found in volcanoes
a)Laboratory experiments involving melting rocks
Bowen's reaction series is based on: a)Laboratory experiments involving melting rocks b)Laboratory observations of silicate crystal structures
c) C-horizon
By definition, the ____ is composed of "partially altered parent material." a) A-horizon b) B-horizon c) C-horizon d) O-horizon e) E-horizon
c) Density
Chemical differentiation led to the formation of layers in Earth based on the______ of the materials that make up those layers. a) Volume b) Temperature c) Density d) Viscosity
b) False
Color is a reliable identification technique for minerals. a) True b) False
b) False
Concordant plutons cut across existing structures while discordant plutons are parallel to existing features. a) True b) False
b) False
Crystallization can produce metamorphic rocks. a) True b) False
b) Igneous
Crystallization of molten rock will produce ________ rocks. a) Sedimentary b) Igneous c) Metamorphic
b) The melting temperature of hot material is lowered as the confining pressure decreases.
Decompression melting occurs because: a) Hot material moves into a region with water or carbon dioxide, which lowers its melting temperature. b) The melting temperature of hot material is lowered as the confining pressure decreases. c) Water is added to a region with rocks at a temperature where they will melt if water is added. d) The melting temperature of hot material is lowered as the confining pressure increases.
a) Resistance to breaking or deforming
Define the tenacity of a mineral. a) Resistance to breaking or deforming b) Resistance to scratching c) Parting along a plane of weakness d) A specific pattern of fracturing
d) Feldspars
During hydrolysis, ________ commonly decomposes into clay minerals, silica, and soluble constituents. a) Halides b) Carbonates c) Ferromagnesians d) Feldspars
a) Mantle
In which layer of the Earth does the convection necessary for plate motion occur? a) Mantle b) Outer Core c) Inner Core d) Crust
a) True
External processes driven by solar energy can create the materials necessary for sedimentary rocks. a) True b) False
a) More; higher
Felsic magmas/lavas are ________ viscous than basaltic magmas/lavas because they contain a _______ percentage of silica. a) More; higher b) More; lower c) Less; higher d) Less; lower
d) Magnesium and Iron
Ferromagnesian minerals are those that contain a great deal of ________. a) Calcium and Silicon b) Manganese and Iron c) Potassium and Aluminum d) Magnesium and Iron
a) True
Ferromagnesian minerals have a higher specific gravity than nonferromagnesian minerals. a) True b) False
d) Water occupies less volume than ice
Frost wedging occurs because: a) Rocks become brittle when they freeze and water flows downhill b) Rocks become brittle when they freeze and water occupies more volume than ice c) Water flows downhill and occupies more volume than ice d) Water occupies less volume than ice e) Rocks become brittle when they freeze
d) Inflation
GPS units, satellites, and lasers are some of the tools used to monitor ________ of the volcanic flanks, which indicates magma accumulating in the magma chamber. a) Subsidence b) Seismicity c) Gas content d) Inflation
a) True
Graphite and diamonds are polymorphs because both are made up of carbon atoms. a) True b) False
d) Fluids are boiled out of the subducting plate, which lower the melting point of the surrounding mantle
How is magma generated along convergent plate boundaries? a) Decompression melting of the mantle b) Friction from colliding plates melts the mantle c) Radioactive decay melts mantle material d) Fluids are boiled out of the subducting plate, which lower the melting point of the surrounding mantle
c) The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state in spite of the temperature
If the temperature in the Earth generally increases with depth, how is it possible that the Inner Core is a solid? a) The Inner Core is shedding the heat so quickly that melting does not have time to occur b) The material the Inner Core is composed of cannot melt at temperatures generated on Earth c) The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state in spite of the temperature d) Temperatures increase to a certain point before leveling off below the melting point of the core
d) Striations
Ignoring color, what is the best method to distinguish between potassium feldspar and plagioclase feldspar? a) Streak b) Cleavage c) Hardness d) Striations
d) Basaltic
In order to cover such large expanses of seafloor, shield volcanoes erupt ________ lava. a) Andesitic b) Porphyritic c) Rhyolitic d) Basaltic
c) The Circum-Pacific belt and Southern Europe/Asia
In what two areas are the youngest mountain ranges found today? a) The Circum-Atlantic belt and Southern Europe/Asia b) Scandinavia and Eastern Africa c) The Circum-Pacific belt and Southern Europe/Asia d) Western South America and the Appalachians of North America
c) Indian & Eurasian Plates
Match the convergent boundary with a real-world example. Continental-Continental a) Pacific & Philippine Plates b) North American & Juan de Fuca Plates c) Indian & Eurasian Plates
a) North American & Juan de Fuca Plates
Match the convergent boundary with a real-world example. Oceanic-Continental a) North American & Juan de Fuca Plates b) Pacific & Philippine Plates c) Indian & Eurasian Plates
a) Pacific & Philippine Plates
Match the convergent boundary with a real-world example. Oceanic-Oceanic a) Pacific & Philippine Plates b) Indian & Eurasian Plates c) North American & Juan de Fuca Plates
c) Living materials break down a rock
Match the mechanical weathering process with the correct definition. Biological Activity a) Expansion of ice forces a rock apart b) Reduction of pressure on a pluton results in concentric layers breaking off c) Living materials break down a rock d) Mineral crystal development forces a rock apart
d) Expansion of ice forces a rock apart
Match the mechanical weathering process with the correct definition. Frost wedging a) Living materials break down a rock b) Mineral crystal development forces a rock apart c) Reduction of pressure on a pluton results in concentric layers breaking off d) Expansion of ice forces a rock apart
a) Mineral crystal development forces a rock apart
Match the mechanical weathering process with the correct definition. Salt crystal growth a) Mineral crystal development forces a rock apart b) Living materials break down a rock c) Expansion of ice forces a rock apart d) Reduction of pressure on a pluton results in concentric layers breaking off
a) Reduction of pressure on a pluton results in concentric layers breaking off
Match the mechanical weathering process with the correct definition. Sheeting a) Reduction of pressure on a pluton results in concentric layers breaking off b) Living materials break down a rock c) Mineral crystal development forces a rock apart d) Expansion of ice forces a rock apart
b) Pyroxene
Match the silicate structure with the appropriate mineral example. Single Chain a) Olivine b) Pyroxene c) Muscovite d) Amphibole e) Quartz
a) Two plates move toward each other
Match the tectonic boundary with its direction of motion. Convergent Boundary a) Two plates move toward each other b) Two plates slide past each other c) Two plates pull apart from each other
c) Two plates pull apart from each other
Match the tectonic boundary with its direction of motion. Divergent Boundary a) Two plates move toward each other b) Two plates slide past each other c) Two plates pull apart from each other
b) Two plates slide past each other
Match the tectonic boundary with its direction of motion. Transform Boundary a) Two plates move toward each other b) Two plates slide past each other c) Two plates pull apart from each other
b) False
Mature soils are characteristic of steep slopes. a) True b) False
a) True
Mineral crystals that form early in the crystallization process will have better-developed crystal faces than later crystals. a) True b) False
c) Oceanic lithosphere is more dense than continental lithosphere
Oceanic lithosphere is subducted beneath continental lithosphere because: a) Oceanic lithosphere is younger than continental lithosphere. b) Oceanic lithosphere is older than continental lithosphere c) Oceanic lithosphere is more dense than continental lithosphere d) Oceanic lithosphere is less dense than continental lithosphere e) Oceanic lithosphere is more ductile than asthenosphere
a) True
Oceanic lithosphere will get thicker the farther it gets from the mid-ocean ridge. a) True b) False
a) Sulfur
Only eight elements make up the vast majority of rock-forming minerals. Which of the following elements is not one of the eight? a) Sulfur b) Potassium c) Iron d) Oxygen
b) False
Parent material is the primary factor that causes differences among soils. a) True b) False
a) True
Partial melting will occur when continental collisions occur, thickening the crust and forcing some rocks to a depth where melting can occur. a) True b) False
b) False
Polymorphs are minerals that will have two identical mineral structures, but different chemical compositions. a) True b) False
c) Gravity
What is the driving force behind pyroclastic flows? a) Earthquakes b) Directed explosion c) Gravity d) Water
a) Basaltic
Which of the following lavas make up 90% of the total volume of lava on Earth? a) Basaltic b) Andesitic c) Rhyolitic
d) Polymerization
Silica tetrahedra are able to link into long chains that share oxygen ions through the process of ________. a) Precipitation b) Isolation c) Fission d) Polymerization
b) It contains water, air, rocks, and organic matter
Soil is considered to be an interface between spheres because: a) It contains spherical pore spaces b) It contains water, air, rocks, and organic matter c) It covers the entire solid earth and lies below the atmosphere d) It is too thin to be a sphere e) It is essential for human life
b) False
Soils can be eroded from distant sources and deposited in new locations. a) True b) False
b) False
Temperatures will decrease with increasing depth into the Earth. a) True b) False
a) Earth and the other planets formed at essentially the same time from the same primordial matter as the Sun.
The Nebular Theory states that: a) Earth and the other planets formed at essentially the same time from the same primordial matter as the Sun. b) The Sun formed from a giant cloud of dust, and the planets formed later as the dust cloud cooled. c) The moons formed from the impact of a nebular asteroid with Earth and other planets.
c) Uniformitarianism
The Principle of ________ states that the physical, chemical, and biological processes at work shaping the Earth today have also operated in the geologic past. a) Catastrophism b) Creationism c) Uniformitarianism d) Plate Tectonics
b) Pacific
The Ring of Fire is a narrow zone of composite cone volcanoes rimming the ________ Ocean. a) Indian b) Pacific c) Arctic d) Atlantic
b) Silicates
The ________ are the mineral class that accounts for more than 90% of the Earth's crust. a) Sulfides b) Silicates c) Sulfates d) Carbonates
d) Outer Core
The ________ is a layer of liquid nickel and iron believed to be responsible for generating the Earth's magnetic field. a) Mantle b) Crust c) Inner Core d) Outer Core
b) Trace elements
The addition of ________ influences a mineral's color. a) Pigment b) Trace elements c) Water d) Protons
b) False
The four spheres on Earth operate independently from each other. a) True b) False
a) Cools so fast that mineral grains cannot crystallize and grow
The glassy igneous rocks form when the magma _____. a) Cools so fast that mineral grains cannot crystallize and grow b) Cools so slowly that only one mineral is formed c) Is composed of basalt d) Is a rhyolitic type e) Cools at an extremely high temperature
a) True
The interior of the Earth is divided into roughly spherical layers separated by density. a) True b) False
a) Seismic waves caused by earthquakes.
The internal structure of Earth has been mapped using _____. a) Seismic waves caused by earthquakes. b) Temperature variations caused by volcanoes. c) Elevation variations caused by buoyancy. d) Strength variations caused by chemical variations. e) Radioactivity caused by the decay of potassium and uranium.
a) Shield volcano
The largest volcano in the world is a(n) _____. a) Shield volcano b) Stratovolcano c) Cinder cone d) Caldera e) Island arc volcano
b) False
The lithosphere is the layer in the interior of the Earth that is just below the crust. a) True b) False
b) False
The longer a soil has been forming, the thinner it becomes and the less it resembles the parent material. a) True b) False
a) They are less dense than the seafloor away from the ridges.
The main reason that oceanic ridges are high is that: a) They are less dense than the seafloor away from the ridges. b) They are brittle and easily fractured. c) They are split in the center with a rift valley, and the material from the center of the valley is pushed up on the sides. d) They are old and have accumulated a lot of sediment
a) Intermediate
The partial melting of a mafic magma would produce what composition of igneous rocks? a) Intermediate b) Ultramafic c) Mafic d) Felsic
c) Physical Geology is about the processes that have shaped Earth over time and Historical Geology is about how we can reconstruct the record of change on Earth.
The primary difference between Physical and Historical Geology is that: a) Historical Geology is about what people experienced on earth in past and physical geology is about the shape of the earth b) Physical Geology is about modern time and historical geology is about the past. c) Physical Geology is about the processes that have shaped Earth over time and Historical Geology is about how we can reconstruct the record of change on Earth. d) Physical Geology is the study of rocks and Historical Geology is the study of fossils.
d) The seafloor gets older as it moves away from the ridge and so more sediment has time to accumulate farther from the ridge.
The sediments on the ocean floor get thicker with increasing distance from the ridges because: a) The seafloor gets lower due to cooling of the oceanic lithosphere and make more room to trap sediment b) The seafloor gets closer to continents that are the source of most of the sediments. c) The seafloor undergoes weathering and the surface material breaks up and becomes sediment as it moves away from the ridge. d) The seafloor gets older as it moves away from the ridge and so more sediment has time to accumulate farther from the ridge.
d) Confining pressure decreases on a rising magma, allowing gas bubbles to expand and fracture the magma. This further decreases pressure on the magma and will result in an explosive event.
Using the choices below, select the statement that best explains how dissolved gases drive volcanic eruptions. a) Decreases in confining pressure result in decreasing viscosity of the magma, allowing the magma to ooze from the volcano. b) As the magma rises, gas bubbles contract, fragmenting the material and expelling it from the vent. c) As the magma rises, gases reduce silicate mineral chains by breaking silicon-oxygen bonds, resulting in an explosion. d) Confining pressure decreases on a rising magma, allowing gas bubbles to expand and fracture the magma. This further decreases pressure on the magma and will result in an explosive event.
a) Size and shape of mineral grains in the sample
What is the geological definition of texture? a) Size and shape of mineral grains in the sample b) The mineral content of the sample c) How the sample feels to the touch d) The percentage of silica in a sample
d) Halite
What is the mineral name for table salt? a) Dolomite b) Calcite c) Gypsum d) Halite
c) Oxygen
What is the most common element in the continental crust? a) Silicon b) Aluminum c) Oxygen d) Iron e) Calcium
d) Water
What is the most important agent of chemical weathering? a) Wind b) Salt c) Heat d) Water
d) Volatiles
What creates the small holes found in a vesicular texture? a) Soluble minerals b) Weathering c) Liquid water d) Volatiles
a) The seafloor spreads and magma rises up to fill the gap, forming underwater features like oceanic ridges and submarine volcanoes.
What happens at divergent boundaries? a) The seafloor spreads and magma rises up to fill the gap, forming underwater features like oceanic ridges and submarine volcanoes. b) The seafloor rises up and heats up the surrounding water to cause tsunamis. c) A gap is created and seawater rushes in to cool the magma in the trench. d) Huge mountains are formed by plates colliding.
a) The potassium feldspar reacts with water and carbonic acid to form clay while the quartz remains relatively unchanged
What happens to the potassium feldspar and the quartz in a granite during a chemical weathering? a) The potassium feldspar reacts with water and carbonic acid to form clay while the quartz remains relatively unchanged b) The quartz reacts with water and carbonic acid to form clay while the potassium feldspar remains relatively unchanged c) The quartz and potassium felspar react with water and carbonic acid to form clay d) The quartz and potassium feldspar react with each other to form sand and clay
b) Mature volcano
What interpretations can be made about the maturity of a volcano where most eruptions occur from basal fissures and there are a number of parasitic cones along the volcano's flanks? a) Early stages of growth b) Mature volcano
a) An upwelling of hot material from the Earth's interior that is cylindrical in shape
What is a mantle plume? a) An upwelling of hot material from the Earth's interior that is cylindrical in shape b) Material rising up from a subducting plate going through partial melting c) A form of batholith composed of ferromagnesian materials d) The magma that rises up from the mantle at a divergent plate boundary
b) 4.6 billion years
What is the accepted age of the Earth? a) 6,000 years b) 4.6 billion years c) 4.6 million years d) 1 million years
c) 4 billion years old
What is the age of the oldest rocks discovered on the planet? a) 6,000 years old b) 4.6 billion years old c) 4 billion years old d) 4.6 million years old
c) 13.7 billion years ago
What is the date of formation of the universe? a) 10 billion years ago b) 4.6 billion years ago c) 13.7 billion years ago d) 8.7 billion years ago
a) Transportation of fine clay particles
What is the definition of eluviation? a) Transportation of fine clay particles b) Accumulation of fine clay particles c) The collective term for the O, A, E, and B horizons d) Decayed organic material
a) A soft, low-velocity layer in the Upper Mantle
What is the definition of the asthenosphere? a) A soft, low-velocity layer in the Upper Mantle b) The transition zone between the Mantle and the Outer Core c) The portion of the Hydrologic Cycle that describes how plants contribute their respiration d) A portion of the atmosphere that blocks UV radiation
c) A primitive magma is the parent from which the secondary magma forms through differentiation.
What is the difference between primitives and secondary magmas? a) A primitive magma has never been melted before while a secondary magma is formed by remelting an igneous rock b) A secondary magma has never been melted before while a primitive magma is formed by remelting an igneous rock c) A primitive magma is the parent from which the secondary magma forms through differentiation. d) A secondary magma is the parent from which the primitive magma forms through differentiation. e) A primitive magma is the original magma that is altered to form a secondary magma through assimilation
e)The temperature of the environment: higher T = slower magma cooling
What is the most important factor for whether magma cools slowly or quickly? a)The pressure of the environment: higher P= slower magma cooling b)The presence or absence of volatiles (gases): less gases = slower magma cooling c)The temperature of the environment: lower T= slower magma cooling d)The presence or absence of volatiles (gases): more gases= slower magma cooling e)The temperature of the environment: higher T = slower magma cooling
c) Pangaea
What is the name of the supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener? a) Nuna b) Amasia c) Pangaea d) Rodinia
b) Geothermal gradient
What is the term used to describe increased temperature with depth in the Earth? a) Convection cells b) Geothermal gradient c) Hydrothermal alteration d) Decompression melting
b) Pyroclastic flow
What kind of volcanic hazard can be triggered by the collapse of a lava dome? a) Lava flow b) Pyroclastic flow c) Ash fall d) Lahar
a) Composite Cone
What kind of volcano is most closely associated with pyroclastic flows? a) Composite Cone b) Caldera c) Cinder Cone d) Shield
b) Andesite
What kind(s) of lava are most closely associated with composite cones? a) Basalt b) Andesite c) Andesite and Basalt d) Rhyolite
b) 71%
What percentage of the Earth is covered by oceans? a) 80% b) 71% c) 50% d) 17%
a) Materials that make up the crust are less dense and rose to the top
What property of the crust allowed it to form as the exterior of Earth? a) Materials that make up the crust are less dense and rose to the top b) Magma at the surface cooled and crystallized before anything in the interior c) Churning and upheaval in the interior thrust crustal rocks toward the surface d) Meteorites impacting Earth deposited this material at the surface
d) The Pacific Margin
What region on Earth has the largest concentration of composite volcanoes? a) The East African rift zone b) The atlantic margin c) The HImalayan convergence zone d) The Pacific Margin e) Italy
a) Water will lower the melting temperature of the rock, allowing it to melt
What role will water play in generating magma? a) Water will lower the melting temperature of the rock, allowing it to melt b) Water will lower the density of the of rock, allowing it to melt c) Water will cool the rock, preventing melting d) Water will lubricate the path for subducting plates, allowing them to subduct deeper
a) Liquid Portion, Solid Portion, Gaseous Portion
What three components make up most magmas? a) Liquid Portion, Solid Portion, Gaseous Portion b) Lava, Ash, and Gas c) Water, Melted Rock, and Solid Crystals d) Silicon, Potassium Feldspar, and Muscovite
a) Basaltic
What type of lava is produced at a divergent plate boundary? a) Basaltic b) Andesitic c) Rhyolitic
d) Fast because it was erupted from a volcano
What was the rate of cooling and the environment of formation for an extrusive igneous rock? a) Slow because the magma was insulated below the surface b) Fast because it cooled six miles below the surface c) Slow because it cooled in a volcanic lava flow far from the vent d) Fast because it was erupted from a volcano
c) Fractures and joints, which form concentric slabs in the igneous rock that may separate from the parent rock
When the pressure of overlying rocks is removed as an igneous intrusion is uplifted to the surface, it may cause the rock to form: a) Fracture and joints parallel to the surface b) Fractures and joints perpendicular to the surface c) Fractures and joints, which form concentric slabs in the igneous rock that may separate from the parent rock d) Fractures and joint, which form slabs in all orientations in the sedimentary rocks that are intruded by the igneous rock
b) On the ocean floor offsetting segments of oceanic ridge
Where are the majority of transform faults located? a) Southern California b) On the ocean floor offsetting segments of oceanic ridge c) Radiating from convergent boundaries as stress fractures d) Along mountain ranges that have been thrust up due to collision
d) The upper mantle
Where does most magma come from? a) The inner core b) The outer core c) The lower mantle d) The upper mantle e) The lithosphere
e) In a desert
Where would you expect to get the thinnest O-layer in a soil profile? a) In a region with a warm, moist climate b) In a region with a temperate climate c) In a high mountain plateau region d) In a river valley e) In a desert
a) Carbonic
Which acid is commonly responsible for the dissolution of limestone? a) Carbonic b) Hydrochloric c) Nitric d) Sulfuric
d) Frost wedging, unloading expansion, thermal expansion, biological activity
Which are the four most important physical processes of mechanical weathering? a) Frost wedging, exfoliation, biological activity, dissolution b) Exfoliation, thermal expansion, biological activity, hydrolysis c) Exfoliation, frost wedging, expansion, hydrolysis d) Frost wedging, unloading expansion, thermal expansion, biological activity
b) Soil-forming processes occur from the top downward. This causes vertical variations in soil composition, texture, structure, and color.
Which best describes the "soil profile" and its relevance to weathering? a) Soil-forming processes occur from the bottom upward. This causes vertical variations in soil composition, texture, structure, and color. b) Soil-forming processes occur from the top downward. This causes vertical variations in soil composition, texture, structure, and color. c) Soil-forming processes occur in single layers at a time. This causes each layer to appear differently in composition, texture, structure, and color. d) Soil-forming processes occur laterally in the same layer, so different vertical profiles allows geologists to determine that variation from place to place
d) Warm and wet
Which climate contains the optimum environment for chemical weathering? a) Cold and wet b) Cold and dry c) Warm and dry d) Warm and wet
d) Slab Pull
Which factor contributes the most toward plate motion? a) Ridge Push b) Mantle Drag c) Friction d) Slab Pull
c) Olivine
Which ferromagnesian mineral is believed to constitute up to 50% of the mantle? a) Amphibole b) Biotite c) Olivine d) Garnet
b) Silicates
Which group of mineral is most common the surface of earth? a) Carbonates b) Silicates c) Oxides d) Sulfates
a) O and A Horizons
Which horizons make up the topsoil? a) O and A Horizons b) O, A, E, and B Horizons c) E, B, and C Horizons d) C Horizon
d) Effervescence
Which identification technique would be best to identify calcite? a) Streak b) Magnetism c) Taste d) Effervescence
c) Higher melting points are determined by higher pressures
Which is the following statements best describes the relationship between pressure and melting point in the Earth's Interior? a) Melting points of rocks are not dependent on changes in pressure b) Higher pressure leads to lower melting points c) Higher melting points are determined by higher pressures
a) Mantle
Which layer of the Earth is the thickest? a) Mantle b) Outer Core c) Inner Core d) Crust
d) Crust
Which layer of the Earth is the thinnest? a) Mantle b) Outer Core c) Inner Core d) Crust
c) Silicates
Which mineral class makes up most igneous rocks? a) Halides b) Sulfides c) Silicates d) Carbonates
b) A crater is a small, funnel-shaped depression; A caldera is a large depression that has a diameter of over 1 km.
Which of the following choices best explains the difference between a crater and a caldera? a) A crater is a fissure in the crust; A caldera is a collapsed summit. b) A crater is a small, funnel-shaped depression; A caldera is a large depression that has a diameter of over 1 km. c) A crater is a very large circular depression over 1 km across; A caldera is a small funnel-shaped depression. d) A crater is a large circular depression over 1 km across; A caldera is a small, parasitic cone growing on the flank of the volcano.
a) Mineral portion
Which of the following components of soil is usually in the greatest percentage? a) Mineral portion b) Pores filled with air c) Pores filled with water d) Organic portion
c) Metamorphism
Which of the following is not one of the three primary ways minerals can form? a) Crystallization of molten material b) Biological Processes c) Metamorphism d) Precipitation
d) Geosphere (Earth)
Which of the following is the thickest sphere on Earth? a) Biosphere (animals) b) Hydrosphere (water) c) Atmosphere (air) d) Geosphere (Earth)
d) All of the above
Which of the following materials can be used to make interpretations about the nature and composition of the interior of the Earth? a) Slivers of crustal and mantle rocks exposed at the surface b) Meteorites c) Diamond-bearing pipes d) All of the above e) None of the above
a) Deposition of material by biological processes.
Which of the following processes is most likely to form minerals? a) Deposition of material by biological processes. b) Accumulation of material produced by humans. c) Cementation of particles during d) Heating water 10 degrees more Stirring an aqueous solution
a) Granite, because it is an intrusive rock that formed from the cooling of relatively high-silica magma
Which of the following rocks is likely to have the most quartz within it and why? a) Granite, because it is an intrusive rock that formed from the cooling of relatively high-silica magma b) Diorite, because it is an intrusive rock that formed from the cooling of relatively intermediate-silica magma. c) Basalt, because it is an extrusive rock that formed from the cooling of relatively low-silica lava d) Basalt, because it is an extrusive rock that formed from the cooling of relatively high-silica lava.
a) Iron-rich minerals will form in a cooling magma, which leaves the remaining melt with a more andesitic composition
Which of the following statements best describes the formation of secondary magmas? a) Iron-rich minerals will form in a cooling magma, which leaves the remaining melt with a more andesitic composition b) Partial melting of felsic rocks, creating a silica-rich magma c) Decompression melting creates a mafic magma from mantle material d)Water sweating from a subducted plate will melt mantle material
d) Geosphere
Which of the four spheres of Earth is the most extensive? a) Bioshere b) Hydrosphere c) Atmosphere d) Geosphere
c) Oceanic-Continental
Which type of convergence will result in a continental volcanic arc? a) Continental-Continental b) Oceanic-Oceanic c) Oceanic-Continental
a) Oceanic-Oceanic
Which type of convergence will result in a volcanic island arc? a) Oceanic-Oceanic b) Continental-Continental c) Oceanic-Continental
a) Cinder Cones
Which volcanoes have flanks with the steepest angle of repose (between 30° and 40°)? a) Cinder Cones b) Lava Domes c) Composite Cones d) Shield Volcanoes
c) The lava flow cools quickly on the surface of earth so the mineral grains do not have time to grow.
Why are lava flows typically finer grained than intrusive igneous rocks? a) Intrusive magma is cooler because it is well insulated by the surrounding rock. b) Intrusive magma flows onto Earth's surface and cools very slowly, allowing many small mineral grains to grow. c) The lava flow cools quickly on the surface of earth so the mineral grains do not have time to grow. d) The lava, because it is deep below the surface, cools very slowly, producing very small mineral grains.
c) Ocean sediments were trapped and deformed during the continent-continent collision that formed the Himalayan Mountains.
Why are rocks that formed in an oceanic environment found in the highest parts of the Himalayan Mountains today? a) Sea level used to be much higher than it is today. b) The oceanic rocks were carried up by the volcanic eruptions that formed the Himalayan Mountains c) Ocean sediments were trapped and deformed during the continent-continent collision that formed the Himalayan Mountains. d) Oceanic lithosphere was uplifted by the subducting Indian Continent. e) A large inland sea was captured during the mountain formation and uplifted into the highest parts of the Himalayan Mountains
c) Warmer material near the ridge is less dense, so floats higher on the mantle
Why are the mid-ocean ridges higher in elevation than the surrounding ocean floor? a) Thermal springs developing in stress fractures are depositing large volumes of material, increasing the height b) Due to the high volume of magma issuing from the fissure c) Warmer material near the ridge is less dense, so floats higher on the mantle d) The collision of the tectonic plates is forcing material higher
e) There was no Atlantic Ocean 200 million years ago.
Why can't scientists retrieve information about the Atlantic Ocean basin that is older than roughly 200 million years? a) The technology is not yet available. b) Sediments of that age are too deeply buried. c) Sediments of that age do not provide much information. d) Seawater has affected the sediments for too long. e) There was no Atlantic Ocean 200 million years ago.
a)Basaltic magma is less dense than most oceanic crust but more dense than most continental crust
Why do basaltic magmas reach the surface more often on the seafloor than on continents? a)Basaltic magma is less dense than most oceanic crust but more dense than most continental crust b)Basaltic magma is more viscous in oceanic crust than in continental crust c)Basaltic magma is hotter in oceanic crust than in continental crust. d)The dissolved volatiles in the magma cannot escape in seawater but do escape into the atmosphere.
c) Magma is less dense because it hotter than solid rocks of the same composition
Why do magmas rise toward Earth's surface? a) Magmas are more viscous than solid rocks in the crust and upper mantle b) Most magmas are richer in silica than most crustal and upper mantle rocks c) Magma is less dense because it hotter than solid rocks of the same composition
b) Some minerals have weak bonds in some directions and strong bonds in other directions.
Why do some minerals break along one or more specifically orientated planes while others do not? a) Some minerals have crystal shapes that they maintain when they break b) Some minerals have weak bonds in some directions and strong bonds in other directions. c) Some minerals have a unique chemical structure that may vary in one or more directions.
b) The location of a volcano is usually dependent on the location of a convergent or divergent plate boundary or a rising magma plume from the deep interior of Earth
Why do some volcanoes form in the deep ocean basins, while others occur along margins of the continents? a) Volcanoes can occur anywhere and are very unpredictable b) The location of a volcano is usually dependent on the location of a convergent or divergent plate boundary or a rising magma plume from the deep interior of Earth c) Volcanoes do not occur along the margins of continents but are common in deep ocean basins. d) Volcanoes do not occur in deep ocean basins but are common along the margins of continents
b) The magma associated with Mount St. Helens are more viscous than those associated with Kilauea because they have more silica.
Why do volcanoes like Mount St. Helens erupt explosively, whereas others like Kilauea are relatively quiescent? a) Continental volcanoes, like Mount St. Helens, tend to be more explosive than oceanic volcanoes, like Kilauea, because they have less water around them. b) The magma associated with Mount St. Helens are more viscous than those associated with Kilauea because they have more silica. c) Kilauea has more volatiles than Mount St. Helens and volatiles reduce the strength of the eruption. d) Mount St. Helens is above a subduction zone and Kilauea is not.
a) The silicon to oxygen bonds are stronger than other bonds in silicate minerals
Why is quartz (SiO2) a strong mineral that is highly resistant to weathering compared to most other silicate minerals? a) The silicon to oxygen bonds are stronger than other bonds in silicate minerals b) Quartz has no cleavage planes to weaken it and allow weathering. c) Aluminum and other atoms cannot penetrate the framework structure of quartz. d) Quarts really is not all that strong, but the highly polished exterior does not allow weathering elements to enter its interior structure.
c) Catastrophism was consistent with ideas of rapid change and a young Earth while Uniformitarianism required long periods of time for most changes to occur and thus required an old Earth.
Why was Hutton's idea of Uniformitarianism such a radical change from the widely held idea of Catastrophism? a) Hutton proved that there are no catastrophic events in nature. b) Uniformitarianism argues that earth has always been like it is today. c) Catastrophism was consistent with ideas of rapid change and a young Earth while Uniformitarianism required long periods of time for most changes to occur and thus required an old Earth.
c) Shield
With the exception of volcanoes associated with a subduction zone, most volcanic islands are ________ volcanoes. a) Caldera b) Composite Cone c) Shield d) Cinder Cone
a) Quartz
You are attempting to identify a mineras. You determine that it does indeed have cleavage; therefore, your mineral cannot possibly be ________. a) Quartz b) Mica c) Calcite d) Halite e) Galena
d) Bowen's Reaction Series
________ describes how an entire suite of silicate minerals can form from a single basaltic magma as it cools and crystallizes. a) Geologic Rock Cycle b) Mohs Hardness Scale c) Theory of Plate Tectonics d) Bowen's Reaction Series
a) Magmatic Differentiation
________ describes the formation of one or more secondary magmas from a single parent magma. a) Magmatic Differentiation b) Decompression Melting c) Hydrothermal Alteration d) Partial Melting
d) Pumice
________ is a felsic igneous rock with a meringue-like vesicular texture created by small shards of volcanic glass. a) Obsidian b) Granite c) Scoria d) Pumice
b) Viscosity
________ is a material's resistance to flowing. a) Composition b) Viscosity c) Quiescent d) Volatiles
d) Residual soil
________ is a soil that has bedrock as its parent material. a) Transported soil b) Humus c) Regolith d) Residual soil
b) Transported soil
________ is a soil that has unconsolidated sediment as its parent material. a) Humus b) Transported soil c) Residual soil d) Regolith
b) Hardness
________ is defined as a mineral's resistance to scratching. a) Cleavage b) Hardness c) Fracture d) Streak
b) Soil
________ is the upper few feet of regolith that contains minerals and organic matter, water, and air and is capable of sustaining life. a) Sediment b) Soil c) Humus d) Horizon
b) Paleomagnetism
________ is when iron particles in lavas align their magnetic fields with magnetic north, preserving a record of that pole's location at that moment in time. a) Magnetic Reversal b) Paleomagnetism c) Mantle Plume d) Seafloor Spreading
c) Pyroclastic materials
________ is/are pulverized rock, lava fragments, and ash erupted from a volcano. a) Pahoehoe b) Lapilli c) Pyroclastic materials d) Basalt
d) Luster
________ refers to a mineral's intensity of reflected light. a) Streak b) Cleavage c) Tenacity d) Luster
c) Law of Constancy of Interfacial Angles
________ states that the angles between equivalent faces of crystals of the same mineral are always the same. a) Law of Superposition b) Law of Conservation of Mass c) Law of Constancy of Interfacial Angles d) Law of Opposite Interior Angles
c) Differential
________ weathering occurs when differences in resistance or environmental factors produce uneven surfaces on rocks. a) Spheroidal b) Mechanical c) Differential d) Chemical
