Geology

Continents have a density of ________ and are made of ________ rock.

2.7 g/cm3; granite

When contrasting a scientific hypothesis from a scientific theory,

a hypothesis is a yet untested explanation for a phenomenon, whereas a theory is a repeatedly-tested and widely accepted explanation for a phenomenon

What is the scientifically accepted age of the Earth?

4.6 billion years old

What percentage of the Earth is covered by oceans?

71%

How did the density and buoyancy of the materials that formed Earth affect its internal structure?

Denser materials, such as nickel and iron, sank to the Earth's center and became its core, whereas less dense, more buoyant materials such as silicon and aluminum, rose to the Earth's surface and became its primitive crust.

Crystallization of molten rock can produce metamorphic rocks.

False

What caused our solar nebula to contract and spin, eventually creating the planets?

Gravitational interactions between particles

What caused the planets to heat up during the early formation of the solar system?

High-velocity collisions of nebular debris and decay of radioactive elements

Part BWhat were the steps in the formation of Earth's layered structure?

Intense impacts with nebular debris and decay of radioactive elements heated young Earth hot enough to melt. Dense iron and nickel generally sank toward the core, and buoyant rock rose toward the surface.

________ was an important eighteenth-century geologist who developed the concept of Uniformitarianism to explain the slow, steady changes responsible for shaping the Earth.

James Hutton

What property of the crust allowed it to form as the exterior of Earth?

Materials that make up the crust are less dense and rose to the top.

The majority of water in the hydrosphere is found in which feature?

Oceans

Metamorphic rocks can form when which of the following conditions are met?

Pre-existing rocks undergo metamorphism when they are subjected to heat and pressure without melting.

Part C -Which of the following rock types is most abundant on Earth's land surface?

Sedimentary rocks

The formation of sedimentary rocks occurs under what conditions?

Sedimentary rocks form when weathered particles are cemented and/or compacted.

Part AWhat theory describes the formation of our solar system? Choose the correct outline of that theory.

The nebular theory, which describes the formation of the Sun, planets, and other celestial bodies during the contraction of a large dust and gas cloud.

Since temperatures in Earth increase with depth, why is the inner core solid?

The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state despite the temperature

What is the texture of a rock?

The size, shape, and/or arrangement of minerals in a rock

Geologic hazards are the result of natural processes.

True

Which of the below is studied under the discipline of historical geology but not physical geology?

biological changes over time

When contrasting catastrophism with uniformitarianism,

catastrophism was published first, and it proposed that Earth's landscapes were formed by catastrophic events. On the other hand, uniformitarianism was published over a century later and proposed that the physical, chemical, and biological processes that operate today have also operated in the geologic past.

What process forms igneous rocks?

cooling and solidification of magma

What are the three major layers of Earth from its center to its exterior?

core (an iron-nickel alloy), mantle (which is composed mainly of peridotite), and crust (with a granitic or basaltic composition)

What are the three major regions of the ocean floor?

oceanic ridges, which are comprised of layers of igneous rock, continental margins, which are flanked by steep continental slopes or shallow continental shelves, and deep-ocean basins, which are extensively comprised of flat abyssal plains

What is the correct order of steps followed in many scientific investigations?

raise a question; background research; form hypothesis; test hypothesis; analyze data; share the results with the scientific community if they support the hypothesis

The flat stable interior of a continent within a craton is called a ____.

shield

What are the two characteristics of a rock that help geologists determine how the rock was created?

the rock's composition and texture

Gravitational interactions between particles

the sun, which drives external processes, and heat inside the Earth, which drives internal processes

The principle of ________ states that the physical, chemical, and biological processes at work shaping the Earth today have also operated in the geologic past.

uniformitarianism

Sedimentary rocks are formed from igneous rocks beginning with the process of _____.

weathering