Geol 113 exam one Quiz questions
In the television series "Cosmos" the astronomer Carl Sagan used to say, "We are all made of star stuff." What did he mean by that? A.All of the chemical elements were formed during the big bang when the universe began, so we are like the stars. B.All of the chemical elements in our solar system were forged in an ancient star that went supernova. C.We all have to potential to be stars. D. The earth has incorporated large amounts of chemical material from the solar wind, so our bodies carry this material.
B
Magma tends to ___________. A.stay in one place B.rise upward, away from where it formed C.sink downward, away from where it formed D.move laterally (to the side)
B
What is the greatest danger from earthflow? A.loss of life by rapid downslope movement of the earthflow B.loss of property along the path of the earthflow C.loss of water quality by mud flowing into river drainages, polluting the water D.deforestation along the earthflow path
B
Material through which water readily flows is termed ____________. A.fluent B.porous C.permeable
C
Igneous rocks form from _________. A.precipitation of minerals out of a solution B.heat and pressure applied to a rock C.sediments cemented together D.molten rock cooling and forming crystals
D
A mass wasting process that involves rotational motion of material sliding above a distinct slip surface is called ________. A.a slump B.a slide C.a rock avalanche D.a rockfall
A
All other factors being equal, magma that cools beneath the surface to form intrusive rocks _____________ than magma that cools at the Earth's surface to form extrusive rocks. A.cool more slowly B.are more felsic C.cool more rapidly D.contain a smaller proportion of volatiles
A
All rivers flood sometimes - it is a natural process. A.True B.False
A
Cemented shells of marine organisms form which kind of sedimentary rock? A.biochemical B.detrital C.organic
A
Coarse-grained granite is most similar in mineral composition to fine-grained A.rhyolite B.basalt C.andesite D.komatiite
A
Consider a weathered rock or soil particle lying on a slope. How will the gravitational driving force pulling the particle downward along the land surface vary with the inclination of the slope? A.It will decrease as the slope angle is lessened. B.It will increase as the slope angle is lessened. C.It is not affected by the slope angle. D.It will possibly increase or decrease as slope angle is lessened, depending upon other factors.
A
Dynamothermal (regional) metamorphism occurs when ____________. A.rock becomes buried deeply during continental collision and mountain building B.regression of the sea leads to erosion of sedimentary cover atop a body of rock C.the upper surface of a body of rock develops a thick soil profile D.a pluton causes metamorphism in a small surrounding region
A
Five trillion atoms can fit into the head of a pin. Which of the following is in the correct order of smallest to largest? A.electron, proton, nucleus, atom B.atom, electron, nucleus, proton C.proton, electron, nucleus, atom D.atom, nucleus, proton, electron
A
Mechanisms that enhance or drive change are known as ________. A. positive feedback mechanisms B.open feedback mechanisms C. closed feedback mechanisms D.negative feedback mechanisms
A
Natural glass (like obsidian) is NOT considered a mineral because it ________. A.does not have an organized crystalline structure B.can be made synthetically as well as being a naturally occurring substance C.is organic D.is not produced by geologic processes
A
The ________ explains how our solar system probably formed from a giant cloud of gases and dispersed solid particles. A.nebular theory B.protogalactic theory C.planetary compression theory D.extrastellar solar hypothesis
A
The breakdown of exposed rock into small fragments (detritus) and dissolved ions is termed ____________. A.weathering B.erosion C.deposition
A
The most common minerals within Earth are ____________. A.silicates B.carbonates C.oxides D.hydroxides
A
V-shaped stream valleys result from the downcutting of stream erosion and ____________. A.mass wasting on the valley sides B.isostatic rebound C.the "rule of the V's" D.conservation of angular momentum
A
Which one of the following statements is correct? A.Sea level drops when water is stored in expanding ice sheets and continental glaciers. B.Sea level drops when evaporation rates increase over the oceans and when this extra atmospheric moisture falls on land as rain. C.Sea level rises when water is added to the oceans through increased rainfall and increased inflow from rivers. D.Sea level rises when water is stored in expanding ice sheets and continental glaciers.
A
Which sediment load is likely to move the least, in between periods of flood? A.bed load B.dissolved load C.suspended load D.bank load
A
Molten or melted rock is also known as ______. (Select all that are correct.) A. melt B. gneiss C. magma D. lava E. marble
ACD
A mineralogist studies minerals and their origins. A mineralogist studying the Earth system would ________. A.Minerals can never be used to study the Earth system. B.study how minerals influence organisms living on them, how they react with water to produce soil forming minerals, or study how wind transports minerals as dust and influences climate C.do the same thing, studying minerals and their origins, as any other mineralogist D.study how minerals form rocks
B
As compared to coarse-grained igneous rocks, all fine-grained igneous rocks __________. A.solidify at higher temperatures B.cool and solidify more quickly C.solidify at lower temperatures D.cool and solidify more slowly
B
Given enough time, what factor is typically most important in soil formation? A.slope direction B.climate C.months of snow cover D.bedrock type
B
Granite is a type of rock that forms deep underground from magma that cools very slowly. What type of rock is granite? A.sedimentary B.igneous C.metamorphic D.Clastic
B
Haiti is a mountainous island nation with a rapidly growing population that has terrible problems with landslides. Which of the following explanations would best explain the problem? A.The area is hit by numerous tropical cyclones. B.Most of the forests have been cut down for charcoal, leaving barren slopes subject to mass wasting during heavy tropical rainstorms and earthquakes. C.Climate change has increased weathering rates on the island. D.A corrupt government has made poor roads subject to slope failure.
B
How does water get from the atmosphere into the groundwater system? A.Precipitation falls into rivers and then flows downriver into the groundwater system. B.Precipitation falls on the ground and infiltrates into the ground surface to fill pores and fractures. C.Water from the ocean is sucked up into the groundwater system due to a pressure difference. D.Plants secrete water into the groundwater system in a process called evapotranspiration.
B
In much of what is now Canada, glaciers covered the land as little as 12,000 years ago and glacial erosion scoured the land surface leaving very thin soil or bare rock over large areas. The Midwestern United States was also covered in ice at this time, yet this area contains some of the richest farm land in the world with thick soils. These soils are formed on glacial sediments and windblown dust deposits from the ice age. Why are the soil conditions between these areas so different when the soils are virtually identical in age? A.It is much colder in Canada so chemical weather is much slower; thus and soils have not had time to form. B.The Midwestern soils are transported soils with soil development on materials that were already loose, unconsolidated materials. C.Sea level rose following the ice age and covered the Midwest with an inland sea, rapidly forming soil. D.The Midwestern U.S. is much flatter than Canada, allowing soils to develop more quickly.
B
Limestone is composed almost entirely of the mineral calcite which has the chemical formula CaCO3. As a result, limestone is classified as ________. A.a mineral B.a rock C.both a mineral and a rock D.neither a mineral nor a rock because it is organic
B
Most commonly, felsic igneous rocks ___________. A.contain more iron and magnesium than intermediate rocks B.are lighter in color than mafic rocks C.are found in oceanic crust D.are darker in color than mafic rocks
B
The earth is estimated to be approximately 4.6 billion years old. Life appeared early in the history of Earth, but metazoans (multicelled organisms) did not appear until about 600 million years ago. If the history of Earth were compressed into a single year, when would metazoans appear? A. late September B. late November C.mid-December D.late January
B
The flat-lying area surrounding a river channel is termed the ____________. A.base level B.floodplain C.stream gradient D.thalweg
B
The largest of Earth's spheres is the ________. A.hydrosphere B.geosphere C.biosphere D.atmosphere
B
The main difference between sandstone and shale is A.the difference in the chemistry of the particles that make up the rocks. B.the difference in grain size of the particles that make up the rocks. C.that one rock is a detrital sedimentary rock and the other is a chemical sedimentary rock. D.the type of cement that binds the particles together.
B
The silicate tetrahedron that forms the backbone of all the silicate minerals is composed of silicon and what other element? A.magnesium B.oxygen C.iron D.carbon
B
Ultimately, the base level of a stream valley can be no lower than ____________. A.the average elevation of the continent on which it is found B.the level of water in the world's oceans C.the average depths of the world's ocean basins
B
Which of the following is not an example of a foliation in a metamorphic rock? A) compositional banding B) bedding planes and strata C) parallel alignment of flattened pebbles D) parallel alignment of platy or flat minerals
B
Which one of the following statements best describes erosion? A.movement of weathered rock and regolith toward the base of a slope B.the process by which weathered rock and mineral particles are removed from one area and transported elsewhere C.disintegration and decomposition of rocks and minerals at the surface D.the combined processes of leaching, eluviation, and mass wasting
B
What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical geology? A. Physical geology is the study of fossils and sequences of rock strata; historical geology is the study of how rocks and minerals were used in the past. B.Historical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and geologic events, utilizing the geologic time scale as a reference; physical geology includes the study of how rocks form and of how erosion shapes the land surface. C.Physical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and deposition in relation to plate movements in the geologic past; historical geology charts how and where the plates were moving in the past. D.none of the above—physical geology and historical geology are essentially the same.
B.
Slopes composed of soil that are fully saturated with water are susceptible to landsliding because: (There are two possible correct answers - please click both.) A. The surface tension of the water in the pores reduces the strength of the soil. B. The pore pressure of the water pushes the mineral grains apart, reducing the friction between them, lowering the strength of the soil. C. Water lubricates the surfaces of the soil particles, and they easily slip past one another. D. Water is heavy and increases the load.
BD
Chemical weathering involves the breakdown of material due to _________. A.mechanical breakdown of rock B.baking in the hot sun C.interaction with water or air (or both) D.interaction with molten rock
C
Light elements like hydrogen and helium form a large percentage of the outer planets and Sun is made up primarily of hydrogen. Why are these elements nearly absent from the inner planets? A.It is a mystery that has never been solved by science. B.Hydrogen and helium have all been bound up by chemical reactions on the inner planets and are held in rock. C.These light elements are blown away from the inner planets by the solar wind. D.The Sun captured all of the hydrogen during its formation.
C
Mass wasting, a process that often occurs between weathering and erosion, involves ________. A. the mechanical breakdown of minerals due to exposure to the Sun and atmosphere B. the transport of material by water, wind, or ice C.the transport of material due to gravity D. the chemical dissolution of minerals due to water
C
Meandering streams ____________. A.consist of a series of intertwined channels that are overloaded with sediment B.have flowing water either episodically or during a portion of the year C.have a channel that is highly sinuous (curvy) D.are those that divert flow from streams they have intersected through stream erosion
C
Physical precipitation of gypsum due to evaporation of seawater produces which kind of sedimentary rock? A.biochemical B.detrital C.chemical D.organic
C
The elevation of the water table ____________. A.is a constant for a given area as long as the topography remains the same B.may rise during times of drought and sink during rainy periods C.may rise during rainy periods and sink during droughts
C
Which list properly orders metamorphic rocks from lowest to highest grade? A.shale, slate, phyllite, quartzite B.conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, shale C.slate, phyllite, schist, gneiss D.gneiss, phyllite, schist, slate
C
Which mass wasting process has the slowest rate of movement? A.slump B.rock fall C.creep D.rock avalanche
C
Which of the following processes CANNOT occur in the formation of metamorphic rock? A.segregation of minerals into layers of different compositions B.realignment of minerals so that they develop a preferred orientation C.complete remelting of the rock, followed by solidification to form a new rock D.solid-state rearrangement of atoms or ions to create a new assemblage of minerals
C
Which of the following processes is NOT considered an external process? A.mass wasting B.weathering C.volcanism D.erosion
C
Which type of magma has the greatest silica content? A.intermediate B.mafic C.felsic D.ultramafic
C
________ denotes the exposed, crescent-shaped rupture surface at the head of a slump. A.toe B.scoop C.scarp D.sole E.slump face
C
____________ commonly serves as a parent rock in the formation of marble. A.Sandstone B.Shale C.Limestone D.Slate
C
____________ commonly serves as a parent rock in the formation of quartzite. A.Shale B.Slate C.Sandstone D.Limestone
C
All of the following are factors that affect rates of weathering except for ________. A.climate B.rock characteristics C.surface area D.geologic age of earth materials
D
Chemical weathering rates are highest in ________. A.hot dry climates B.cold dry climates C.cold wet climates D.hot wet climates
D
Chemical weathering takes place most rapidly in environments that are _______ and _________. A.cool; dry B.cool; wet C.warm; dry D.warm; wet
D
Compaction and cementation of grains occurs during ____________. A.erosion B.weathering C.transport D.lithification
D
Foliated metamorphic rocks possess ____________. A.leafy plant fossils (ancient foliage) B.a homogeneous texture resulting from randomly oriented grains C.minerals precipitated directly from seawater D.a planar fabric consisting of mineral grains in preferred orientations or preferred patterns of association (banding)
D
If there is more rain that reaches the Earth's surface than it can absorb, what happens to most of the excess water? A.It is intercepted by plants. B.It pools on the surface and evaporates back into the atmosphere. C.It infiltrates the ground. D.It flows over the surface as runoff.
D
Imagine you are holding a rock composed of small sand grains cemented together. What type of rock is this? A.metamorphic B.crystalline C.chemical D.detrital E.igneous
D
In the whole Earth, the four most common elements are oxygen, silicon, magnesium, and ____________. A.lead B.copper C.zinc D.iron
D
Lithified detritus (breakdown products of preexisting rocks) forms which kind of sedimentary rock? A.organic B.chemical C.biochemical D.detrital
D
Metamorphism, in broadest terms, involves ____________. A.cementation of loose grains and precipitation of new minerals into pore spaces B.the settling of crystals in a melt as it cools C.the sorting of grains by size, as is accomplished by rivers and beach waves D.changes in mineralogy and texture in response to heat and pressure
D
Minerals are classified into groups known as mineral classes primarily on the basis of _______. A.crystalline structure B.chemistry, specifically the cations within the chemical formula C.number of cleavage directions present D.chemistry, specifically the anions within the chemical formula E.hardness; hard, soft, and medium are the three primary classes
D
Minerals can be destroyed by _____________ A.melting B.chemical reactions C.dissolving D.All of the above are correct.
D
Minerals in geodes form spectacular euhedral crystals because _________. A.minerals within geodes are always framework silicates B.all of the elements incorporated in the crystals are in plentiful supply C.minerals within geodes always contain iron D.the crystals have abundant room to grow in their follow surroundings
D
One important relationship between chemical and mechanical weathering is ________. A. chemical weathering can produce smaller pieces of rock that can then be modified by mechanical weathering B. chemical weathering can form brittle materials that are easily broken into smaller pieces by mechanical weathering C.mechanical weathering forms more brittle materials that are easily broken down by chemical weathering. D. mechanical weathering can produce smaller pieces of rock that have more surface area for chemical weathering to work on.
D
The ________ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth. A.geosphere B.hydrosphere C.atmosphere D.biosphere
D
The finely divided, red, brown, and yellow soil-coloring minerals originate by what process? A.mechanical weathering of very fine-grained, blue-gray clays B.chemical weathering of quartz and feldspars C.mechanical weathering of the feldspars and micas in granite and rhyolite D.precipitation of iron oxides during the chemical weathering process
D
The quartz in granite begins to melt at 650°C, so if we find a migmatite where quartz has melted in a granitic rock and we know the temperature in the region increased with depth by about 25°C per kilometer, we could estimate the depth that the rock had been at to be about ________. A.12.5 km B.18.0 km C.23.5 km D.26.0 km
D
Thermal (contact) metamorphism occurs ____________. A.as a consequence of the sinking of a broad region to great depth B.only where gneiss is in contact with schist C.only at Earth's surface, where rock is in contact with the atmosphere D.in areas surrounding igneous intrusions
D
What is the major distinction between internal and external Earth processes? A.Internal processes involve heat, and external processes involve oxygen. B.Internal and external processes can occur inside and outside the Earth, but external processes must also include the oxidation of Earth materials. C.Internal processes can only occur inside the Earth, but external processes can occur inside or outside the Earth. D.Internal processes are driven by the Earth's internal heat energy and external processes are driven by the sun.
D
Which of the following best describes the hydrologic cycle? A.the movement of water through the ground to form aquifers B.the cycle that water passes through when going from solid to liquid to gas C.the circular motion due to density differences created when water boils D.the movement of Earth's water through a series of reservoirs
D
Which of the following is not a criterion for defining something as a mineral? A.Orderly crystalline structure B.Naturally occurring C.Generally inorganic D.Hard
D
Which of the following is not a significant factor triggering mass wasting events? A.earthquake B.forest fire or clearcutting C.heavy rainfall D.mine tailings filling a valley
D
Which of the following would not be considered a rock? A.an object made of shells cemented together B.an object composed of interlocking crystals C.an object made of frothy glass D.a pile of unconsolidated sand
D
Which type of weathering process is happening to materials when they rust? A.hydration B.dissolution C.hydrolysis D.oxidation
D
Which typically moves the fastest? A.A rotational slump. B.A creeping slope. C.An earth slide. D.A rock fall that turns into a rock avalanche.
D
Why is understanding the hydrologic cycle so important to understanding how landscapes form? A.because water has the ability to seep underground and affect the layers of rock B.because the oceans cover a vast majority of our planet and are a main erosional agent C.because the rate at which groundwater moves through the subsurface determines erosion rates D.because water is the main erosional and depositional agent on Earth
D
Which science is not used within the Earth sciences? A.Chemistry B.Biology C.Physics D.Mathematics E.None of the above; Earth Science makes use of all of these sciences.
E
The probability that a landslide will occur on a slope increases when both the driving forces (gravity and loads) and the resisting forces (friction and cohesion) increase. True False
FALSE