Geo 111 Quiz Questions
How do greenhouse gases warm Earth's atmosphere?
greenhouse gas particles absorb infrared radiation from the earth
Which type of earthquake waves do the most damage?
surface waves
How does the lithosphere differ from the asthenosphere?
the lithosphere is stronger than the asthenosphere
What does the Richter Magnitude Scale depend on?
the maximum amplitude of earthquake waves on a seismograph
A transform plate boundary involves
two plates sliding laterally past each other.
Select all the engineering systems or structures mentioned in the video that were put in the New Orleans to deal with potential flooding.
- levees - flood walls - pumps - drainage canals
A tsunami may occur when ____.
-an earthquake occurs on or near the ocean floor - a volcano erupts underwater - an underwater landslide occurs (All of the above)
Select all the things that can occur BEFORE a catastrophic landslide.
-extensional cracks near the top of a slope - slumping of soils and sediments on a slope - small landslides
About how many earthquakes occur in Japan each year?
1,000
When Charles Keeling began monitoring CO2 at the Mauna Loa Observatory in 1960, he recorded CO2 levels at around 320ppm. What is the rate of change in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels between 1960 and 2017?
1.5 ppm/yr
The October 1963 Vajont Dam landslide killed around 2,500 people. How long did it take for the mass movement to flow out of the reservoir, over the dam, and into the valley below?
12 minutes
Increases in precipitation lead to increased landslide risk. On average, how many landslide-related deaths occur in Nepal during each monsoon season?
150
Approximately when did the rapid increase in human-produced atmospheric CO2 begin?
1800s
Between 20,000 - 800,000 years ago, there were several ice ages...
185 ppm
Approximately what year did CO2 levels start to noticeably increase from the pre-industrial levels? This part of the animation moves quickly so you will have to pause and rewind.
1850
After scientists installed seismographs, how many earthquakes per week did they record
25
From the time the siren went off and the tsunami hit the city of Sendai, how long did the residents of Sendai have to evacuate to higher ground before the tsunami hit?
3 minutes
How long before a flood can someone purchase insurance from the National Flood Insurance program?
30 days
An unusually wet summer was the primary cause of the 1993 Flood. The jet stream became locked over the midwest and ____ inches of rain fell over ____ months.
30, 6
Over the last 800,000 years before industrialization, what was the largest amount of CO2 during that time?
300pm
Over the last 800,000 years before industrialization, when was the largest peak of CO2?
325,000 yrs ago
What was the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere in January, 2017?
406 ppm
According to the video, how many people died in the Oso Landslide?
43
How many states in the United States are affected by landslides
50
The 1993 Flood had a recurrence interval of ______.
500 years
What is the elevation of the City of New Orleans?
7-10 feet below sea level
What would the Volcanic Explosivity Index be if Yellowstone erupts?
8
The Japanese islands from a volcanic island arc. At convergent ocean - ocean boundaries volcanoes form when the subducted plate is at what depth?
80-100km
How many states were directly affected by the 1993 Flood?
9
1. [A] crust is denser and thinner than [B] crust. 2. The [C] is the weak layer in the mantle that allows the tectonic plates to slip, collide, and separate. 3. Oceanic lithosphere is created at [D] and returns to the mantle at [E]. 4. At convergent plate boundaries, the subducting oceanic plate grinds along the base of the overriding plate, generating large [F].
A - Oceanic B - Continental C - Asthenosphere D - Mid-Ocean Ridges E - Subduction Zones F - Earthquakes
The wetlands surrounding New Orleans are rapidly disappearing. Why?
A and B
It was assumed that Yellowstone's heat source was an extinct volcano. What event made scientists realize that Yellowstone was still active and prompted them to take a closer look at the seismic activity of the national park?
A large earthquake in Yellowstone National Park in 1959.
Which of the following is NOT true concerning tsunamis on the open ocean?
A tsunami in the open ocean will look like a huge wall of water to a ship in its path.
A B C D E F G Boundary between the crust and the mantle
A- Crust B - Mantle C - Core D - Oceanic Crust E - Continental Crust F - Lithosphere G - Asthenosphere Boundary between the crust and the mantle - Moho
What is the major difference between oceanic crust and continental crust?
Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.
Earthquakes associated with reverse faulting results in crustal shortening, which is generally found at which type of boundary?
Convergent
Which of the following would NOT be a part of the Ring of Fire?
Hawaii
Which town's levee withstood the flood?
Prairie du Rocher, IL
Moment magnitude depends on what main factor(s)?
Shear strength of the rocks displaced, total surface area of rocks ruptured, and average slip distance on the fault.
Which of the following is NOT true with respect to the San Andreas fault?
The San Andreas fault represents the convergent boundary between the North American and the Pacific plates.
Which of the following is NOT true with the respect to the San Andreas fault?
The San Andreas fault represents the convergent boundary between the North American and the Pacific plates.
What was the origin of the pumice rafts associated with the 1883 eruption of Krakatau?
The pumice rafts formed when hot ash from pyroclastic flows encountered cold seawater.
Which of the following is true with respect to tsunamis?
Tsunamis occur when the seafloor is suddenly uplifted or dropped down during an earthquake.
According the Case Study, what do residents of Houston blame for exacerbating flooding in their neighborhoods?
Unregulated development/building in the area
Like all hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Katrina began as _____.
a storm off the west coast of Africa
The boundary between the Gonave microplate and the Caribbean plate is ___________.
a strike slip fault
THe 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes occurred _________.
all of the above
The Reelfoot Rift formed ____________.
as a result of the breakup of Rodinia over 700 million years ago.
What contains the largest reservoir of carbon?
carbonate rock
Which town's levee failure was credited with saving St. Louis, MO from flooding?
Columbia, IL
Earthquakes associated with normal faulting cause the extension of Earth's crust. This type of faulting is generally associated with which type of plate boundary?
Divergent
Match the three major types of plate boundaries to the motion at those boundaries.
Divergent plate boundary - The plates are moving away from each other at mid-ocean ridges Convergent plate boundary - The plates are colliding with each other, and oceanic plates subduct under continental plates. Transform plate boundary - The edges of the plates slide past each other
Which of the following did NOT occur during the Dec. 16, 1811, New Madrid earthquake?
Downed power lines caused numerous small fires along the Mississippi River.
Which of the following did NOT occur during the Dec. 16, 1811, New Madrid earthquake?
Downed power-lines caused numerous small fires along the Mississippi River.
Earth's active volcanoes are found at convergent boundaries, divergent boundaries, and transform fault boundaries.
False
The Hawaiian Islands are volcanic arc atop an oceanic subduction zone.
False
The Realfoot Rift formed when the supercontinent of Pangea began to split apart around 700 million years ago.
False
The terms 'tsunami' and 'tidal wave' mean the same thing and are interchangeable when discussing a seismic sea wave.
False
TheGreat Tohoku earthquake occurred without any warning
False
What was unique about the 2014 Oso Landslide?
Given the heigh of the slope, the slide debris traveled 5 times farther than it should have.
Highly explosive magmas are controlled by which of the following?
High silica content and high water
A strike-slip fault has what type of motion?
Horizontal
Which proxy records are used in reconstructing the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations before modern direct measurements and monitoring stations?
Ice cores
If you are at the beach and feel a large earthquake, what should you do, and when should you do it?
Immediately run up slope as far as possible.
Why does the intensity map for the Dec. 16, 1811, earthquake not show any intensities on the west side of the map?
Intensities are not shown on the west side of the map because the population of the European settlers in that part of the U.S. was sparse.
The New Madrid Seismic Zone does NOT include which of the following states?
Iowa
Select all the methods used to mitigate or reduce the impact of natural hazards to people.
Land use planning Public education Insurance
What kind of natural hazards are not normally insurable?
Landslides
Which is the product of a non-explosive style of eruption?
Lava flows
After the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over New Orleans, why did the flood waters continue to rise in the low-lying areas of the city?
Levee along two canals failed and water from Lake Ponchartrain drained into the city center
Which of the following is true regarding the 2011 Tohoku (Japan) Earthquake.
Much of the initial problems associated with the nuclear power reactors was due to flooding of the generators, brought on by the tsunami.
What do the red and blue dots represent on the graph and small map?
NOAA observatory stations
Which earthquake waves travel the fasted and are felt first and appear first on a seismogram?
P waves
Which earthquake waves travel the fastest and are felt first and appear first on the seismogram?
P waves
The originator of the theory of the continental drift called the single landmass ____.
Pangaea
Besides wind, what is the biggest hazard from hurricanes?
Storm surge
Which of the following would be a modern analogy to the Midcontinent Rift of North America?
The East African Rift Valley
The Midcontinent Rift which underlies part of Iowa is evidence of what past geologic event?
The Midcontinent Rift is evidence that the central part of the North American continent was once the site of a divergent boundary that failed.
The Midcontinent Rift which underlies part of Iowa is of what what past geologic event?
The Midcontinent Rift is evidence that the central part of the North American continent was once the site of a divergent boundary that failed.
In the spring of 2003, some unusual events occurred in Yellowstone that caused some to worry that Yellowstone might erupt. Select the 3 events that occurred in 2003.
The ground heated up and cracks opened up. A pack of bison died from poisonous gas. Steamboat Geyser, a geyser that can be dormant for up to 50 years, began erupting.
What is the principal difference between the inner core and outer core?
The inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid
Which of the following statements is NOT true with the respect of the Earth's mechanical layers?
The lithosphere contains the crust and the upper part of the plastic asthenosphere.
Why is Yellowstone's supervolcano so explosive?
The magma beneath Yellowstone is full of gas and very viscous because it is silica-rich
Why is Yellowstone's supervolcano so explosive?
The magma beneath Yellowstone is full of gas and very viscous because it is silica-rich.
What does the Richter Magnitude Scale depend on?
The maximum amplitude of earthquake waves on a seismograph
Which of the following did NOT occur as a result of the eruption of Krakatau?
The sound of the explosions could be heard as far away as San Fransisco, California.
What caused the Industrial Canal & Intercoastal Waterway levees to fail?
The storm surge sent a huge wave of water up the Intercoastal Waterway, over-topping the canal walls and scouring away the earthen levees.
What caused the Industrial Canal & Intercoastal Waterway levees to fail?
The storm surge sent a huge wave of water up the intercoastal waterway, over-topping the canal walls and scouring away the earthen levees.
Which of the following is NOT true with respect to the strongest aftershock during the 1811-1812 earthquakes?
The strongest aftershock caused the formation of the bluffs along the Missouri River near Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Why would a home built on the floodplain behind a levee be safe from flooding?
This statement is not true.
In a coastal area, why build a groin? (a series of groins are shown in the picture)
To stop longshore drift and trap sand to extend the beach.
The most recent supervolcano to erupt was _______ and it occurred _________ years ago. This volcano may have nearly ended human life on earth.
Toba; 74,000
A rapid retreat of the shoreline can indicate a tsunami wave is imminent.
True
A tsunami ripped the Dutch ship Berouw from its moorings and deposited it 0.5 miles upstream from the ocean. A subsequent wave picked it up again and carried it another mile upstream.
True
The island of Hispaniola, which Haiti is a part of, has a history of devastating earthquakes.
True
The theory of continental drift was explained and replaced by the theory of plate tectonics.
True
Which of the following is true with respect to tsunamis?
Tsunamis occur when the seafloor is suddenly uplifted or dropped down during an earthquake
Why did the 17th Street and London Street canals fail?
Water soaked into the underlying peat layer and weakened the soft sediments beneath the levee wall.
Based up on the Modified Mercalli Shake Map, the highest intensity estimated for the New Madrid December 16, 1811 earthquake was___________.
X+
What is Yellowstone?
Yellowstone is a caldera that overlies an active hotspot
What is Yellowstone?
Yellowstone is a caldera that overlies an active magma chamber.
Beach nourishment ______.
a coastal engineering method that replenishes the sand to provide a recreation beach and helps protect coastal properties from erosion by widening the beach
VEI stands for __________.
a volcano's explosivity index.
Eruptions dominated by basalt compositions are found where?
along divergent boundaries at mid-oceanic ridges
Moment magnitude depends on what main factor(s)?
amount of movement on the fault, strength of the faulted rocks, and total surface area of the fault plane
The layer of the Earth that deforms and flows, behaving like a plastic, is called the _____.
asthenosphere
The 1883 eruption of Krakatau had a VEI of 6, yet it is still one of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions known to humankind. Why is this?
because nearly 40,000 people died in this eruption
Which type or types of seismic waves can travel through the MANTLE of the Earth and be recorded by seismographs?
both P and S waves
An insurance company decides on the cost of a policy for a natural hazard by ____.
calculating the cost of the probable loss times the probability of that event.
Greenhouse gases include all of the following. Which gas is thought to have the greatest effect on global warming or increasing global temperatures?
carbon dioxide
In a single year, which of the following is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide into Earth's atmosphere?
coal-fired power plants
The gradual process of subsidence can result from all of the following activities except
digging open-pit mines for coal
Which does NOT control the characteristics or shape of a coastline
dominant wind direction
Due to the force of the water that hit the Vajont Dam, the dam itself sustained severe damage.
false
Earth's active volcanoes are found at convergent boundaries, divergent boundaries and transform fault boundaries.
false
Earthquakes occur in association with convergent and transform fault boundaries, but not divergent boundaries
false
The October 1963 Vajont Dam landslide occurred without any warning.
false
The terms 'tsunami' and 'tidal wave' mean the same thing and are interchangeable when discussing a seismic sea wave
false
On average, more people die from which type of natural disaster than any other?
flash floods and flooding
What aspect of tropical cyclones tends to cause the greatest death and destruction
flooding from rain, waves, and storm surge
The point along a fault where movement first occurs during an earthquake is called the earthquake's _____.
focus
Landslides associated with the 2010 Haiti earthquake were
found mostly on slopes steepened at their base by road construction
How might global warming exacerbate coastal hazards?
global warming is accompanied by sea level rise
Which of the following is the major driving force in all mass movements?
gravity
What is the primary cause fo landslides
gravity exceeds strength of slope
One of the geologists listed some potential precursor to a Yellowstone eruption. The precursors he listed are earthquake swarms, heating of the ground, increasing hydrothermal events, and _______.
ground uplift.
What keeps a stream flowing year-round, even though it may not rain for many months?
groundwater seepage from the adjacent ground into the stream
Highly explosive magmas are controlled by which of the following?
high silica content and high water
Most of Earth's active volcanoes are found _____.
in the Ring of Fire
Which change is NOT expected as a result of global warming?
increase in the flow of the warm Gulf Stream toward Europe
As a tsunami approaches land, the height of a tsunami wave _____.
increases primarily because the water depth and velocity decreases
As a tsunami approaches land, the height of a tsunami wave _________.
increases primarily because the water depth and velocity decreases.
We can see the correlation between the start of industrialization (increasing manufacturing) and the increasing CO2 levels. What activity related to industrialization would add increasingly large amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere?
increasing use of fossil fuels
Sand boils and mud volcanoes form when __________.
intense shaking ejects overpressured mud and sand to the surface along narrow fractures.
Over the past 30 years, hurricanes have become more _______ due to _______.
intense; warmer ocean temperatures
How do impermeable surfaces (ie: concrete) from urbanization affect runoff and flooding?
it increases runoff and decreases the time between the precipitation event and the water reaching the stream.
All the engineering approaches below are put in place to prevent a river from flooding except...
jetties
A basalt magma typically erupts in what form?
lava flows
Which is the product of a non-explosive style of eruption?
lava flows
All of the engineering structures below are used to alter or slow coastal wave erosion EXCEPT...
levee
Fissures in the harbor area following the 2010 Haiti earthquake were caused by ___________.
liquefaction of unconsolidated sediments along the coastal area.
When pore spaces in sediment becomes saturated with water, the sediment loses strength and cohesion. This phenomenon is called ______.
liquifaction
The current flowing parallel to and just offshore of a beach is called
longshore current
Which factors contribute to sea-level rise from global warming?
melting land ice and heating and expansion of sea water
The costs of catastrophic events continue to increase primarily because ___________.
more people are moving into areas at high risk for natural disasters.
Unlike regular ocean waves, tsunami waves are different because they ____.
move much faster
Unlike regular ocean waves, tsunami waves are different because they ________.
move much faster.
Earthquakes
occur on faults when rocks rupture, releasing stored up stress as energy
The residential construction that sustained the least amount of damage during the Haiti earthquake was _______.
one-story shanties made of mud and twig walls, sheet metal roofs, and earthern floors.
Water can be removed from a wet, unstable slope in all the following ways except....
placing a load on the slope to squeeze water out
The massive loss of life in the 2010 Haiti earthquake was PRIMARILY to __________.
poor construction and lack of attention to building design in residential homes
The massive loss of life in the 2010 Haiti earthquake was PRIMARILY due to ______.
poor construction and lack of attention to building design in residential homes.
An unstable marine sediment with a disorganized structure that can flow like water if disturbed is called _________.
quick clay
Greenhouse gases include all of the following except ________.
radon
Most natural disasters are which of the following?
rarely if ever cyclic because there are too many overlapping effects
The effect of aerosols can be best described as ______.
reflecting sunlight and cooling the atmosphere
Streams receive water from 2 primary sources:
runoff and groundwater
When you watch the segment for 1979-2011, you'll see the CO2 levels fluctuate (most dramatically at monitoring stations in the northern mid and low latitudes - around the equator) during each year. Why is this?
seasonal changes in vegetation photosynthesis
Which of the following does NOT affect the amount of runoff from a precipitation event?
shape of the stream
Marine organisms preserve the current oxygen-isotope ratio in their _______________.
shells
The Great Tohoku earthquake occurred as a result of ______.
subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American plate.
The Great Tohoku earthquake occurred as a result of ____________.
subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American plate.
Th 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes were different from most California earthquakes because
the New Madrid earthquakes were centered in a plate interior.
Using LIDAR mapping and carbon dating, geologists found evidence that _____.
the area around Oso had a history of landslides
Why does the damming of rivers sometime contribute to coastal erosion?
the supply of new sand to replenish beaches is cut off
Which of the following would be a modern analogy to the Reelfoot Rift when it was active?
the triple junction centered around the Afar Triangle in northeast Africa.
When waves approach the shore and enter shallow water
the waves slow down and the wave height increases
What effect do groins, breakwaters, and jetties have on coastal erosion?
they interrupt the transport of sand down the beach front
Which of the following is NOT a common reason cited for building large dams on rivers?
to raise groundwater levels
Major eruptions of volcanoes emit large amounts of CO2 and CH4, but their total contribution to atmospheric carbon levels is small.
true
Natural gas was the largest source of electricity/power generation in the United States in 2016
true
Approximately 40,000 people died as a result of the 1883 eruption of Krakatau. What were the two volcanic hazards responsible for these deaths?
tsunamis and pyrcolastic flows.
Approximately 40,000 people died as a result of the 1883 eruption of Krakatau. What were the two volcanic hazards responsible for these deaths?
tsunamis and pyroclastic flows
Pyroclastic flows contains all the following EXCEPT....
water
As a result of mass movements on the slope above the Vajont Dam, _______.
water levels in the reservoir were raised and lowered several times in an attempt to reach hydraulic equilibrium between the water level in the reservoir and the nearby rocks.
What are the two most abundant gases in magmas?
water vapor and carbon dioxide
Using the accompanying diagram, label the features correctly.
A: head, B: toe, C: crown, D: scarp
Seismic waves are used to determine that the interior of the Earth is divided into layers of rock with different properties. Seismic waves will [ANSWER 1] or slow down depending on the [ANSWER 2] of the material they're traveling through. When seismic waves reach out the boundary between two layers, some waves will also [ANSWER 3] (bounce) off that boundary and some will [ANSWER 4] (bend) at the boundary.
ANSWER 1 - accelerate ANSWER 2 - density ANSWER 3 - reflect ANSWER 4 - refract
The meteorologist who originally purposed the idea of the continents being able to move around on Earth's surface was ___________.
Alfred Wegener
What was (were) the cause(s) of the La Conchita mudslides of 1995 and 2005?
All of the above
Which is true of sinkholes?
All of the above
The force of the October 1963 Vajont landslide was enough to _____.
All of the above are results of the 1963 Vajont Dam landslide.
What makes Houston susceptible to flooding?
All the above
Yellowstone's most recent eruption was _________. There is evidence that Yellowstone has erupted _________ in the last 2.3 million years.
- 600,000 years ago; 3 times-
Select the 3 methods inspired by the 1993 Flood to prevent future damage and loss from flooding.
- Elevating homes above flood level - Returning agricultural land to natural wetlands - Leaving crop residue on the land to reduce soil erosion and run-off
Select all the factors that contributed to the destabilization of the slope and led to the 2014 landslide.
- higher than average precipitation - undercutting of the slope by the Stillaguamish River - Slope composed of glacial sediments with high porosity
In the days preceding Hurricane Katrina, why did many people decide to stay in New Orleans?
- They were elderly or sick - Many did not have transportation - They had survived previous hurricanes without evacuating
Select the 3 ENGINEERING flood-control methods.
- dams - levees - channelization
Which of these conditions will cause rock to melt? Increase in temperature with pressure remaining the same High water content Decrease in pressure with temperature remaining the same
Answer 1 - Increase in temperature with pressure remaining the same Answer 2 - High water content Answer 3 - Decrease in pressure with temperature remaining the same
Which agency manages the rivers, dams, and levees in the United States?
Army Corp of Engineers
Based upon knowledge of landslide physics, where did geologists direct rescue workers to search for survivors?
At the distal edge of the slide
