GEOG Exam

Which list of extrusive, igneous rocks is placed in order from lowest to highest density?

Rhyolite, Andesite, Basalt

Which of the following sediments are listed in order from smallest to largest?

clay, silt, sand, pebble

When studied over time, it was discovered that the center of an alpine glacier will move:

faster than the sides.

What is the driving force behind mass movement?

gravity

What type of faulting is shown in this profile (sideview) diagram here?

reverse

For a glacier to form

snowfall must exceed snowmelt

What is happening to the glacier in the ablation zone?

snowmelt and icemelt exceed snowfall

Which of the following IS one of the eight most common elements in Earth's crust?

Sodium

If this is a portion of the San Andreas Fault (seen from above), which two locations will become adjacent (next to each other) in the shortest amount of time?

Z and W

What are the two main components of lithosphere?

crust and uppermost mantle

A chain of volcanoes such as the Cascade Range is formed at what specific type of plate boundary?

convergent (oceanic vs. continental)

The outermost layer of the Earth is the:

crust

Mafic minerals tend to be:

dark color, higher density

Which type of plate boundary will generally have no volcanic activity associated with it?

transform

Which type of weathering involves minerals in a chemical reaction with water?

oxidation

Which of the following sediments are listed in order from largest to smallest?

pebble, sand, silt, clay

Which type of weathering is extremely effective in wearing down limestone and marble?

carbonation

Glaciers will tend to form at:

high elevation and high latitude

Which list of intrusive, igneous rocks is placed in order from lowest to highest density?

Granite, Diorite, Gabbro, Peridotite

Starting at Earth's surface and moving downward, what is evident when passing through the Mohorovicic Discontinuity (called the Moho for short)?

a significant increase in density

What is the important function of the asthenosphere?

It is plastic and allows the lithosphere to move over it

What was the name for Wegener's original supercontinent?

Pangaea

Which is an example of an endogenic process?

a volcanic eruption on the ocean floor

Marble, a metamorphic rock, likely originated as what type of rock?

limestone

What type of moraine forms where two lateral moraines join together?

medial

Where on the ocean floor will I find the youngest rock?

at sea floor spreading centers

Which of the following factors is UNLIKELY to cause (or worsen) a mass movement event (landslide, mudflow, etc)?

combined wind and heat

What type of forces are evident at convergent plate boundaries?

compressional

Gneiss, a metamorphic rock, likely originated as what type of rock?

conglomerate or granite

At what type of plate boundary might I find reverse faulting?

convergent

A volcanic island chain such as the Marianas Islands is formed at what specific type of plate boundary?

convergent (oceanic vs. oceanic)

Which list of Earth's internal layers is placed in order from highest to lowest density?

core, mantle, crust

A glacial erratic is an example of a/an:

depositional landform

At what type of plate boundary might I find normal faulting?

divergent

Which landform is definitely NOT associated with alpine glaciers?

drumlin

Which is NOT a natural cause of oversteepening?

effusive volcanic eruptions

What type of forces are evident at divergent plate boundaries?

extensional

What characteristic (or characteristics) would you expect to find in a composite volcano?

extremely explosive with steep slopes

In classifying clastic sedimentary rocks, what important quality did we focus on?

size of sediment

Which is the best definition of the term "snowline"?

the elevation above which at least some snow remains all year

What are the classic characteristics of glacial till?

the sediment is UNsorted and UNlayered

What characteristic (or characteristics) would you expect to find in a shield volcano?

thin, runny lava and mafic minerals

Which of these processes is probably most responsible for driving (or causing) tectonic plate movement?

upwelling of magma at divergent boundaries

Felsic minerals tend to be:

light color, lower density

Which land mass was once connected to Gondwanaland?

Antarctica

Which is an example of an exogenic process?

a river carving through a mountain

In which eon do humans live?

Phanerozoic

In which geologic era do humans live?

Cenozoic

Assume that an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 and a depth of 14 km occurs in Smithville. Where is the focus of the earthquake?

14 km beneath Smithville

Much of northern North America (Canada and Northern US) was covered by glaciers as recently as _________________ years ago.

15,000

In which geologic epoch do humans live?

Holocene

At which location is a continental rupture (split) occurring?

B Southeast Africa

At which location did a continental collision (also called continental suture) occur in the past?

C (India)

Which of the following is NOT one of the eight most common elements in Earth's crust?

Copper

Assuming these rocks have the same size and shape, which one has the least amount of potential energy?

D

Where is subduction NOT occurring?

D (middle of ocean on East coast of USA)

If this is an example of a right-lateral strike slip fault (seen from above), which two locations will become adjacent (next to each other) in the shortest amount of time?

V and Y

If this is an example of a left-lateral strike slip fault (seen from above), which two locations will become adjacent (next to each other) in the shortest amount of time?

Z and W

According to most geologists, planetary physicists, widely respected Earth scientists, and your textbook, the age of the Earth is:

4,600,000,000 years

Approximately how fast do lithospheric plates move across the Earth?

5 cm/yr

You are on the island of Imsotired. It is a volcano which was formed at a "Hot Spot" 5.7 million years ago. Approximately 650km away there is another island, which was formed 14.7 million years ago by the same hot spot. Based on these facts, how fast is the plate moving over this hot spot?

7.22 cm/yr

You are on the island of Arewedoneyet. It is a volcano currently forming at an active "Hot Spot." Approximately 1750km away there is another island, which was formed 18.1 million years ago by the same hot spot. Based on these facts, how fast is the plate moving over this hot spot? Group of answer choices

9.67 cm/yr

Assuming these rocks have the same size and shape, which one has the greatest amount of potential energy?

A

Which of the following was NOT used as evidence in support of Plate Tectonic Theory?

Global map showing the location of landslides and mudflows

Which of the following was NOT used as evidence in support of Plate Tectonic Theory?

Global map showing the location of large continental and mountain glaciers

Which is a true statement regarding mass movement events (e.g. rockfalls, landslides, mudflows, etc)?

Highly loose and weathered slope materials will significantly increase the liklihood of mass movement events. They tend to happen much more often in extremely wet conditions. They are commonly triggered by earthquakes.

Where is there likely a chain of explosive volcanoes?

P (South America coast)

Which list of intrusive, igneous rocks is placed in order from highest to lowest density?

Peridotite, Gabbro, Diorite, Granite

In which geologic period do humans live?

Quaternary

The San Andreas Fault of California is an example of what type of fault?

Right Lateral Strike Slip Fault

What do large, visible crystals in an igneous rock indicate?

Rock cooled slowly.

Imagine a huge lava flow formed thousands of years ago that is hundreds of feet thick. What will I find?

The most highly weathered material will be at the surface, with evidence of weathering becoming less and less apparent as you drill downward into the rock.