Earth Science 1 (Exam 1)

List several interesting facts about the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

- Ground shook for 45 seconds. - 28,000 buildings, or 1/10th of the city was destroyed. - Fires lasted 4 days.

What is so interesting about Mussell Rock?

- It is where the SA Fault meets land. - Composed of 2 dif rocks. - Plate Boundary.

Briefly describe diamond carats.

1 carat = 200 mg or 1 g.

How many large earthquakes have occurred along the San Andreas Fault since records began?

13

How big was the meteorite that hit Northern Arizona and what was it made of?

150' in diameter.

The biggest known earthquake in Southern California occurred in what year?

1857

The idea of Continental Drift was proposed by Alfred Wegener in what year?

1912

Where did the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake originate?

2 miles offshore on the seafloor.

How long ago did the San Andreas Fault form?

20 million years ago.

How long did it take Earth to grow to (almost) its present size?

30 million years.

About _________ earthquakes occur in California every year and most of those are less than magnitude ________.

37,000. 4.0

According to modern radiometric dating techniques the Earth is ________ billion years old.

4.567

How long is the San Andreas Fault?

800 miles.

How are Iceland's volcanoes related to plate tectonics? a. They lie on an oceanic spreading center where two plates are diverging. b. They lie on a continental rift where two plates are diverging. c. They lie on a subduction zone where two plates are converging. d. They lie on a continent with a hot spot below it. e. all of the above

A. They lie on an oceanic spreading center where two plates are diverging.

Atoms that have an electrical charge due to a gain or loss of electrons are called ________. a. ions b. isotopes c. isochrons d. neutrons e. protons

A. ions

How are clay minerals sometimes used in fast-food restaurants?

As an additive to thicken milkshakes.

The January 17th 1994 Northridge earthquake occurred on a __________ fault.

Blind-thrust.

How did the Earth move during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake?

Coast moved north, inland moved south.

What type of volcano is found all around the Ring of Fire?

Composite Cones (Stratovolcanoes) = shaped like cones.

What determines the amount of damage after an earthquake?

Distance from the fault.

Why is it a major challenge to study the birth of the Earth?

Erosion, volcanic activity, and plate tectonics.

What did the Alquist-Priolo Bill require?

Mapping of active fault zones.

What is a GIA grading Report?

Most technological diamond evaluation.

What does the mineral Hornblende tell us about the formation of magma?

Only forms in the presence of water.

The February 9th 1971 Sylmar earthquake occurred on a ____________ fault.

Reverse.

What was volcanic glass (obsidian) used for today and in the Stone Age?

Stone Age : cutting tools Today: scalpels for delicate plastic surgery because they cause less scarring from steel scalpels. steel = rough edge, obsidian = sharp & smooth.

Yellowstone is one of the largest what on Earth?

Volcanic calderas.

What is one of the worlds heaviest cut and polished gem stones?

A 22,892.5 carat golden-yellow topaz. It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution, roughly 10 lbs, and about the size of a automobile headlamp.

A quartz watch actually contains what to keep time?

A quartz crystal. Before quartz watches, timepieces used some sort of oscillating mass or tuning fork.if voltage is applied to a quartz crystal it is 100 times better than tuning fork. Modern watches with mechanical movement are expensive.

Which of the following statements about the May, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens is false? a. During the eruptive period, the mountain peak was substantially enlarged by new lava flows and pyroclastic debris. b. Plumes of ash rose high into the atmosphere during the major eruptive events. c. Mudflows called lahars accompanied the major eruptive events. d. The most powerful explosive event was preceded by a massive landslide. e. all the statements are true

A. During the eruptive period, the mountain peak was substantially enlarged by new lava flows and pyroclastic debris.

Which of the following statements about mechanical weathering is false? a. Mechanical weathering does not affect metamorphic rocks. b. Mechanical weathering produces smaller pieces. c. Mechanical weathering does not change the rock's mineral composition. d. Mechanical weathering adds to the effectiveness of chemical weathering. e. all of the statements are false

A. Mechanical weathering does not affect metamorphic rocks.

Which of the following statements about the Earth's Mantle is true? a. The lithospheric mantle moves independently of the overlying plates b. The asthenosphere and lower mantle are made of roughly the same composition material, only it behaves differently in the asthenosphere c. The lower mantle is significantly less dense than the upper mantle d. The upper mantle is liquid, but the lower mantle is solid e. all of the statements are true

A. The lithospheric mantle moves independently of the overlying plates

Chemical weathering would be most effective ________. a. in a warm, wet climate b. in a cold, dry climate c. in a warm, dry climate d. deep beneath a mountain range e. none of the above

A. in a warm, wet climate

Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii is an excellent example of a ________. a. shield volcano b. cinder cone c. composite volcano d. volcanic neck e. caldera

A. shield volcano

Cooler, older, oceanic lithosphere sinks into the mantle at _________________. a. subduction zones along convergent plate boundaries b. transform fault zones along divergent plate boundaries c. rift zones along oceanic ridges d. sites of long-lived, hot spot volcanism in the ocean basins e. none of the above

A. subduction zones along convergent plate boundaries

How do colliding microscopic mineral grains in a solar dust cloud come together to create an object the size of a planet?

Astronaut Dom Petty showed with salt that minuscule molecules stick to each other in zero gravity. Static charge caused "the stick".

When were the last two mega-tsunamis created by meteorite impacts?

Austrailian coast around 1500. and 65 million years ago in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula which was the largest impact-induced tsunamis ever.

The most violent volcanic activity on Earth is associated with ________. a. the Mid-Atlantic Ridge b. composite volcanoes c. cinder cones d. shield volcanoes e. calderas

B. Composite Volcanoes

Due to the arrangement of weaker bonds in their crystal lattice, the tendency of certain minerals to break along smooth, parallel planes is known as _________________________________. a. streak b. cleavage c. luster d. crystal habit e. fracture

B. cleavage

The principal divisions of Earth listed progressively from surface towards the center are _______________. a. asthenosphere, lithosphere and outer core b. crust, mantle, and core c. lower mantle, outer core, and inner core d. continents and ocean basins e. core, mantle, and crust

B. crust, mantle, and core

New oceanic lithosphere is formed at _________________________. a. convergent boundaries by submarine eruptions and intrusions of basaltic magma b. divergent boundaries by submarine eruptions and intrusions of basaltic magma c. divergent boundaries by submarine eruptions and intrusions of rhyolitic magma d. convergent boundaries by submarine eruptions and intrusions of rhyolitic magma e. none of the above

B. divergent boundaries by submarine eruptions and intrusions of basaltic magma

Which kind of rock may contain fossils? a. igneous b. sedimentary c. metamorphic d. minerals e. all of the above

B. sedimentary

What are the two sources of energy that power the Earth system? a. earthquakes and volcanoes c. hurricanes and thunderstorms d. tidal forces e. people

B. the Sun and Earth's interior

Which one of the following most accurately describes the volcanoes of the Hawaiian Islands? a. volcanoes associated with subduction and a convergent plate boundary b. volcanoes fed by a long-lived hot spot below the Pacific lithospheric plate c. volcanoes associated with a mid-Pacific oceanic ridge and spreading center d. volcanoes associated with a mid-Pacific transform fault e. none of the above

B. volcanoes fed by a long-lived hot spot below the Pacific lithospheric plate

Thousands of earthquakes occur daily. Why are most of these not felt?

Because most are too small to feel, and the rest occur in remote locations. This is only known because of sensitive seismographs.

How did the Earth's crust form?

Because of the freezing -450 temperature of space cooling the molten lava.

Why will an earthquake along the Puente Hills fault be "the earthquake from hell" for the Los Angeles Basin?

Because of the loose ground make-up of sand and rock.

Why do earthquakes occur in California?

Because of the many faults and plate tectonics.

Why did American (scientists) react more negatively to Wegener's ideas than European scientists?

Because of their views of isostacy and the scientific method.

Why do scientists use meteorites to determine the age of the Earth?

Because they formed at about the same time.

In 1902 when Mt Pelee erupted the US Senate was preparing to vote on which location to connect the Pacific and Atlantic?

Between Panama and Nicaragua. Supporters of the Panamanian route used the Nicaraguan explosion to persuade voters to make the route in Panama.

What did the October 1st 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake and aftershock bring to the attention of seismologists and policy makers?

Blind-thrust faults and energy release.

Why are these types of volcanoes so deadly?

Blocky lava flow is viscous and traps gases.

How does the "thickness" (i.e., viscosity) of Ring of Fire lava make the volcanoes lethal?

Bubbles of gases and pressure build up.

How do geologists regularly monitor movement along the San Andreas Fault?

By GPS measurements of the same spot.

Which of these Earth "spheres" is the largest? a. biosphere b. hydrosphere c. geosphere d. atmosphere

C. Geosphere

What is the difference between the lithosphere and the asthenosphere? a. The lithosphere has more iron in its makeup than the asthenosphere. b. The lithosphere is solid and the asthenosphere is liquid. c. The lithosphere is more rigid than the asthenosphere. d. The lithosphere is thicker than the asthenosphere e. none of the above

C. The lithosphere is more rigid than the asthenosphere.

A transform plate boundary is characterized by ________. a. two plates colliding and thrusting up a mountain range b. two plates moving apart and opening up a new ocean basin c. a deep, vertical fault along which two plates slide past one another in opposite directions d. hot spot volcanism e. none of the above

C. a deep, vertical fault along which two plates slide past one another in opposite directions

Recent volcanic activity in Yellowstone National Park is caused by ________. a. subduction b. a divergent plate boundary c. intraplate volcanism d. a transform plate boundary e. all of the above

C. intraplate volcanism

The Earth's Core is interpreted to consist mainly of __________________________________. a. granite b. basalt c. iron and nickel d. mostly solid rock with a small amount of melt due to the temperature-pressure regime e. none of the above

C. iron and nickel

5. Regional metamorphism occurs during ________. a. intrusion of magma b. sheeting of exposed plutons of granite c. mountain building d. chemical weathering of limestone in caves

C. mountain building

Which element is the most abundant in the Earth's Crust by weight? a. carbon b. chlorine c. oxygen d. lead e. none of the above

C. oxygen

All of the atoms making up any given element have the same number of __________________. a. electrons in the nucleus b. neutrons in the outer nuclear shell c. protons in the nucleus d. electrons in the outermost valence shell

C. protons in the nucleus

Which of the following seismic waves is responsible for most ground shaking (and thus, the most damage to human structures)? a. P waves b. S waves c. surface waves d. scarp waves e. all are equally damaging

C. surface waves

To transform an igneous rock into a sedimentary rock, which of the following processes must take place? a. melting and re-cooling, followed by crystallization b. chemical reactions under conditions of elevated temperature or pressure c. weathering, transport, deposition, and lithification d. impact by a meteorite e. all of the above

C. weathering, transport, deposition, and lithification

Which of the following statements about the Earth's Crust is not true? a. It is the thinnest of the major subdivisions. b. It is thickest where prominent mountains exist. c. Continental rocks are compositionally different than oceanic rocks. d. Oceanic crust has an average composition of granite. e. all of the above are true

D. Oceanic crust has an average composition of granite.

The amount of destruction caused by earthquake ground shaking is affected by the _____________________. a. design of structures like roads and buildings b. intensity and duration of the seismic vibrations c. nature of the surface material d. all of the above

D. all of the above

What are the two principal divisions of Earth's surface? a. mountain belts and rivers b. upper mantle and lower mantle c. hydrosphere and atmosphere d. continents and oceans e. outer core and inner core

D. continents and oceans

Linear, magnetic patterns associated with mid-ocean ridges are configured as __________________. a. concentric circles about a rising plume of hot, mantle rocks and magma b. normal and reversed magnetized strips roughly perpendicular to the ridge axis c. reversed magnetizations along the rift valleys and normal magnetizations on the ridge d. normal and reversed magnetized strips roughly parallel to the ridge e. none of the above

D. normal and reversed magnetized strips roughly parallel to the ridge

What common mineral is composed entirely of the elements Silicon and Oxygen? a. calcite b. diamond c. olivine d. quartz e. none of the above

D. quartz

How often do California residents experience small to moderate-sized earthquakes?

Every year.

What did the "Field" and "Riley" acts require?

Field = schools and other buildings. Riley = That all California buildings be quake-proof.

What weird phenomena did shaking and landsliding in the hills adjacent to the San Fernando Valley create?

Giant dustclouds that spread valley fever.

Which transparent mineral was used as a building material present in Anatolia around 6,000 B.C and the Great pyramids in Egypt?

Gypsum. Today an average new home contains more than 7 metric tons of gypsum in the form of 6,000 sq ft of wallboard.

Why didn't the scientific community accept Wegener's idea?

He had poor evidence to prove his explanation of continental drift.

What two types of food make good lava viscosity analogies?

Honey = Hawaii-like. Peanut butter = blocky lava.

What is the most visible feature of the Ring of Fire?

Hundreds of volcanoes along the shore.

What is the largest volcanic island in the world?

Iceland. It has more than 20 active volcanoes and numerous geysers and hot springs. Icelanders named their first gusher of boiling water Geysir, which was then used for Old Faithful in Yellowstone.

What else did the Gemological Institute of America create?

International Diamond Grading System.

Most scoopable kitty litter today contains which naturally occurring mineral?

It contains bentonite. It is largely composed of highly absorbent clay minerals that swell and clump in the presence of moisture, which allows kitty waste to be isolated and scooped out leaving clean litter.

Why was the March 10th 1933 Long Beach earthquake one of the most important in the history of the world?

It enacted the first building codes and to quake-proof buildings.

Why is non-ductile reinforced concrete bad?

It is brittle.

The purity of gold is expressed by what and how much of that is pure gold?

It is expressed by karats, and 24 karats is pure gold. Anything less than 24 is a mixture of other metals. Ex. 14 karat gold = 14 parts gold and 10 parts of other metals.

Briefly describe diamond color.

Less color = higher grade. More color = lower.

Seafloor spreading was finally accepted by the existence of ______________ on the seafloor.

Magnetic fields and direction of rocks.

What did scientists realize about meteorites that have been found on Earth?

Meteorites are older than any Earth rock.

What was the name of Alfred Wegener's supercontinent?

Pangaea

What was the huge ocean called when Pangaea was in existence?

Panthalassa (pan = all, thalassa = sea). Today the only remnant of Panthalassa is the Pacific ocean which is constantly decreasing in size.

Which mineral is known as "fool's gold"?

Pyrite, because its color closely resembles gold. The name pyrite is derived from the Greek pyros (fire) because it gives off sparks when struck sharply.

What long-standing assumptions did the January 17th 1994 Northridge Earthquake challenge?

Quake-proof high-rises made of steel.

How often are super-continents formed?

Roughly every 500 million years. Pangaea was about 200 mil years ago, so we have about another 300 mil.

Th names of precious gems sometimes differ from the names of their parent minerals. Sapphire is an example of which?

Sapphire is one of two gems from the same mineral, corundum. Tiny amounts of titanium and iron in corundum produce blue sapphires, and when it contains chromium it produces red rubies.

What radical new idea was proposed in 1960 that explained the new unexpected features found on the ocean floor?

Seafloor spreading.

The viscosity of lava is primarily determined by the amount of ________ it contains.

Silica.

This process is similar to dissolved gasses escaping from a bottle of _________.

Soap.

What process was occurring along the coast of California before the formation of the San Andreas Fault?

Subduction.

What prompted a renewed interest in the seafloor during World War II?

Submarine warfare and sonar technology.

What did John Tuzo Wilson suggest about Earth's outer layer?

That it consists of about 12 separate plates that float.

What did they discover about deep fault movement along the San Andreas Fault? Is this good news or bad news? Why?

That it is moving an inch a year, but rocks deep down have moved 300". Bad news.

What is the biggest misconception about earthquakes in Southern California?

That we've had a bad one.

What was the most startling evidence from the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake?

The 8' gap of the picket fence.

what is the largest known volcanic event in modern history?

The eruption of Tambora, Indonesia in 1815. About 20 tiems more ash and rock were emitted than Mt St Helens. The sound of the eruption was heard 3000 miles away.

Because plate tectonics are powered by the Earth's interior, what will happen as a result in the future?

The forces that drive plate motion will cease sometime in the distant future. The work of external forces will continue to erode the Earth's surface which will result in: no earthquakes, mountains, or volcanoes.

What caused the Earth to heat up and completely melt in the freezing depths of space?

The incorporation of extremely hot radioactive elements.

When was the jigsaw fit of the coastlines of Africa and South America first recognized?

The late 1600's.

What is more dangerous than the initial explosion of a volcano?

The plumes of avalanche and ash. (pyroclastic flow)

Although wood pulp is the main ingredient in news-print, many higher grades of paper contain what?

They contain clay mineral (the mineral koalinite). The textbook consist of about 25% clay, and if rolled into a ball it would be larger than a golf ball.

Why is granite rock along the San Andreas Fault a dangerous thing?

They crack under stress. It is under great stress for the past 300 years.

What regular pattern do earthquakes follow along the southern segment (i.e., the Coachella Valley section) of the San Andreas Fault?

They strikes with regularity every 200 years.

Why did the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) develop the four C's of diamonds?

To create a universal language for diamond quality.

What is the first step in the GIA diamond grading process?

Whether it is natural or lab grown.

What can Geologists predict?

Which faults produce quakes, magnitude, and probability.

Has anyone actually witnessed the creation of a fault scarp?

Yes, in Idaho a large earthquake in 1983 created a 10' fault scarp that was witnessed by several people. Usually they are only noticed after they form.