Study Guide Unit 1 - Geology 1114

What is the speed of sound waves in water? A) 1,500 m/sec B) 5,000 m/sec C) 3,200 m/sec D) 10,994 m/sec

A) 1,500 m/sec

Near the top of the mantle, about 100 kilometers below the surface, the temperature is roughly _____ C. A) 1400 B) 1800 C) 32000 D) 17 million

A) 1400

On the HMS Challenger what was used to measure ocean depths? A) A weighted overline B) Echo location C) Multibeam sonar D) Satellite imagery

A) A weighted overline

A(n) _____ forms when sediments from the ocean floor and pieces of oceanic crust are scraped from a subducting oceanic plate and adhere to an overriding tectonic plate. A) accretionary wedge B) deep-sea fan C) active tectonic margin D) submarine canyon

A) Accretionary Wedge

Where is the lithosphere the thinnest and the top of the asthenosphere closest to Earth's surface? A) Along a mid-ocean ridge B) Above a deep mantle plume C) Along a transform fault D) Along a subduction zone

A) Along a mid-ocean ridge

Where is oceanic crust generated? A) Along divergent plate boundaries B) Where volcanic lava meets the sea C) Where continents collide D) Where magma bodies are emplaced deep in the crust

A) Along divergent plate boundaries

A relatively weak layer in the Earth due to temperature is known as the ________. A) asthenosphere B) crust C) lithosphere D) mantle

A) Asthenosphere

An important consequence of Pangaea's breakup was the creation of which new ocean basin? A) Atlantic B) Indian C) Pacific D) Southern

A) Atlantic

Throughout its existence, earth has been: A) changing B) crystalline C) inhabited D) stagnant

A) Changing

Which of the following sentences best describes slab pull? A) Cold oceanic lithosphere is pulled down into the mantle by gravity. B) Cold continental lithosphere is pulled below warmer asthenosphere. C) Cold continental lithosphere is pulled below warmer oceanic lithosphere. D) Warmer oceanic lithosphere is pulled below colder asthenosphere.

A) Cold oceanic lithosphere is pulled down into the mantle by gravity.

Which of the following groups contains all three major topographic provinces oceanographers use to define the seafloor? A) Continental margins, mid-ocean ridges, and deep-ocean basins B) Mid-ocean ridges, continental shelves, and divergent boundaries C) Submarine trenches, mid-ocean ridges, and turbidity currents D) Deep-ocean basins, active margins, and passive margins

A) Continental margins, mid-ocean ridges, and deep-ocean basins

Along which tectonic boundary are deep-ocean trenches found? A) Convergent B) Divergent C) Transform

A) Convergent

Another name for a _____ boundary is a subduction zone, where the lithosphere is descending into the mantle. A) convergent B) divergent C) transform D) hot spot

A) Convergent

Which layer of the Earth is the thinnest? A) Crust B) Mantle C) Outer Core D) Inner Core

A) Crust

What generates the magma necessary for seafloor spreading? A) Decompression melting B) Partial melting C) Mantle plumes D) Subduction

A) Decompression Melting

The interior of the Earth is divided into roughly spherical layers of differing ________. A) density B) temperature C) pressure D) magma

A) Density

Which of the four spheres of Earth is the most extensive in volume? A) Geosphere B) Atmosphere C) Hydrosphere D) Biosphere

A) Geosphere

The continental shelf is composed of which material(s)? A) Granitic crust covered with sedimentary rocks B) Basaltic crust C) Clay sediments and sands D) Ophiolites

A) Granite crust covered with sedimentary rocks.

What caused our solar nebula to contract and spin, eventually creating the planets? A) Gravitational interactions between particles B) Gravitational attraction from black holes C) Nuclear fusion joining atomic particles D) Solar winds from nearby stars

A) Gravitational interactions between particles

Which process, common near black smokers, uses hot water circulating through the crust to alter olivine and pyroxene into chlorite and serpentine? A) Hydrothermal metamorphism B) Decompression melting C) Partial melting D) Thermal contraction

A) Hydrothermal Metamorphism

When a scientist referenced something as a theory it means that: A) it has stood up to scientific inquiry and is considered the most robust explanation to date B) it is a law of nature and thus can never be refuted C) it is a mere guess D) it is not a well-established idea and there are a number of other equally accepted explanations

A) It had stood up to scientific inquiry and is considered the most robust explanation to date

Which of the following is NOT one of the major, but only a minor, tectonic plates on the Earth's surface? A) Juan de Fuca Plate B) North American Plate C) African Plate D) Pacific Plate

A) Juan de Fuca Plate

Which of the following locations is an example of spontaneous subduction? A) Mariana Trench B) Peru-Chile Trench C) East African Rift D) Cascadia Trench

A) Mariana Trench

What is the location for a spreading center? A) Mid-ocean ridge B) Subduction zone C) Collisional mountain chain D) Transform fault boundary

A) Mid-Ocean Ridge

What is the name of the supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener? A) Pangaea B) Rodinia C) Amasia D) Nuna

A) Pangaea

Which of the following materials will allow of the fastest transmission of seismic waves? A) Rigid, less compressible material B) Material that has been slightly heated C) Partially molten material D) Molten material

A) Rigid, less compressible material

What is the definition of planetary differentiation? A) Separation of materials based on density B) Categorization based on chemical formulas C) Mixing of materials to produce a new compound D) Divisions of planets based on constituent materials

A) Separation of materials based on density

At a ________, an oceanic plate will be forced beneath another plate because of differences in density. A) subduction zone B) continental rift C) transform boundary D) collision zone

A) Subduction Zone

Bill Anders, an Apollo 8 Astronaut, notes that the Apollo mission had gone to explore the moon, but discovered _____ Bill Sanders was awestruck by his discovery of the beauty of _____. A) the Earth B) Mars C) the moon D) Venus

A) The Earth

What will happen to a seismic wave when it's refracted? A) The wave will be bent when passing into a material of differing density. B) The wave will undulate. C) The wave will be bounced back toward its source. D) Nothing will change the wave.

A) The wave will be bent when passing into a material of differing density.

Which of the following is NOT a geological hazard? A) Use of poor construction materials resulting in a cracked foundation B) Volcanic eruptions sending lava flows toward a city C) Deforestation on a floodplain increasing the severity of river floods D) Climate change leading to sea-level rise

A) Use of poor construction materials resulting in a cracked foundation

Which of the following choices represents a rate of seafloor spreading commonly associated with a ridge such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge? A) 1-5 mm/yr B) 1-5 cm/yr C) 1-5 m/yr D) 1-5 km/yr

B) 1-5 cm/yr

As of 2015, what was the deepest drill core yet taken that allowed scientists to study the Earth's interior? A) 7.6 km B) 12.3 km C) 15 km D) 50.5 km

B) 12.3 km

In which decade was the theory of plate tectonics developed? A) 1940s B) 1960s C) 1970s D) 1990s

B) 1960s

What is the average density of the oceanic crust? A) 2.7 g/cm3 B) 3.0 g/cm3 C) 3.3 g/cm3 D) 5.6 g/cm3

B) 3.0 g/cm3

What is the average thickness of the oceanic crust? A) 4 km B) 7 km C) 40 km D) 70 km

B) 7 km

What is the asthenosphere? A) A portion of the atmosphere that blocks UV radiation B) A comparatively weak, low-velocity layer in the upper mantle C) The transition zone between the mantle and the outer core D) The portion of the hydrologic cycle that describes how plants contribute their respiration

B) A comparatively weak, low-velocity layer in the upper mantle.

Which of the following is a natural disaster? A) A hurricane forming in the ocean that terminates before reaching land B) A landslide striking a city C) A volcano erupting on an uninhabited island D) An earthquake occurring in a remote desert

B) A landslide striking a city.

Where is the deepest place on Earth? A) Peru-Chile Trench B) Challenger Deep C) Kuril Trench D) Mid-Continent Rift

B) Challenger Deep

This is the flattest portion of the continental margin. A) Continental rise B) Continental shelf C) Continental slope

B) Continental Shelf

Which of the following is associated with an active continental margin? A) Divergent boundaries B) Convergent boundaries C) Transform boundaries D) No tectonic boundaries nearby

B) Convergent Boundaries

At a _____ is a geographic low, which marks the location where oceanic lithosphere descends into the mantle. A) fold and thrust mountain B) deep-ocean trench C) seismic zone D) mid-ocean rift

B) Deep-Ocean Trench

_____ is the process where materials separate into different layers due to density. A) Shearing B) Differentiation C) Phase change D) Tensional stress

B) Differentiation

What two pieces of information would researchers need to have in order to calculate the rate of plate motion for seafloor spreading? A) Age of the continent and depth of the water B) Distance from the spreading center and age of seafloor at that distance C) Age of the seafloor and age of the continent D) Type of rock and distance from the spreading center

B) Distance from the spreading center and age of seafloor at that distance.

Which ship was involved in the first global, comprehensive study of the Earth's oceans starting in 1872? A) U.S.S. Cyclops B) H.M.S. Challenger C) R.M.S. Titanic D) The Glomar Explorer

B) H.M.S. Challenger

The debris from the Big Bang was made almost entirely of ________. A) calcium and silicon B) hydrogen and helium C) iron and iridium D) carbon and argon

B) Hydrogen and Helium

What materials make up Earth's core? A) Perovskite and silica B) Iron and nickel C) Olivine and pyroxene D) Sulfur and aluminum

B) Iron and Nickel

Since the oceanic lithosphere in the Peru-Chile area is too buoyant to subduct spontaneously, it ________. A) does not subduct B) is forced under the overlying plate by compression C) locks up into a collisional mountain chain D) overrides the continental lithosphere

B) Is forced under the overlying plate by compression

If the outer core is cooler than the inner core, why is it in a liquid state? A) It has more radioactivity than in the inner core. B) It is under less pressure than the inner core. C) It has greater water content than the inner core. D) It has higher density materials than the inner core.

B) It is under less pressure than the inner core.

Which of the following is NOT one of the roles of the atmosphere? A) Energy exchanges between the surface and outer space, creating weather and climate B) Lessening the effects of weathering on the geosphere C) Protection from ultraviolet radiation and the intensity of the Sun D) Providing air for respiratory processes in the biosphere

B) Lessening the effects of weathering on the geosphere

In which layer of the Earth does the convection necessary for plate motion occur? A) Crust B) Mantle C) Outer core D) Inner core

B) Mantle

What property of the crust allowed it to form as the exterior of Earth? A) Magma at the surface cooled and crystallized before anything in the interior. B) Materials that make up the crust are less dense and rose to the top. C) Plate tectonic processes in the interior of the earth thrust crustal rocks toward the surface. D) Meteorites impacting Earth deposited this material at the surface.

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

Which type of convergence will result in a volcanic island arc? A) Oceanic-continental B) Oceanic-oceanic C) Continental-continental D) Transform

B) Oceanic-Oceanic

The majority of water in the hydrosphere is found in which feature? A) Rivers B) Oceans C) Water vapor D) Glaciers

B) Oceans

Where are the majority of transform faults located? A) Southern California B) On the ocean floor offsetting segments of oceanic ridge C) Near convergent boundaries as stress fractures D) At collisional mountain chains

B) On the ocean floor offsetting segments of oceanic ridge.

Which seismic waves would be most useful in determining the extent and thickness of the Earth's interior layers? A) P and L waves B) P and S waves C) S and L waves D) L and G waves

B) P and S Waves

_____ occurs when magnetic minerals in lavas align their magnetic fields with magnetic north, preserving a record of that pole's location at that moment in time. A) A mantle plume B) Preserved magnetism C) Magnetic reversal D) Seafloor spreading

B) Preserved Magnetism

Of the three mechanisms of heat transfer, which is the only one that does not operate in the interior of Earth? A) Convection B) Radiation C) Conduction

B) Radiation

The asthenosphere is an important layer because it ________. A) responds to forces by flowing as it is relatively strong B) responds to forces by flowing as it is relatively weak C) responds to forces by staying rigid as it is relatively strong D) responds to forces by staying rigid as it is relatively weak

B) Responds to forces by flowing as it is relatively weak.

Where is thickest continental crust in North America? A) Appalachian Mountains B) Rocky Mountains C) Basin and Range region D) Great Basin

B) Rocky Mountains

What is the name of the supercontinent that preceded Pangaea? A) Amasia B) Rodinia C) Challenger D) Africana

B) Rodinia

_____ is the name of the process by which new seafloor is generated at mid-ocean ridges. A) Subduction B) Seafloor spreading C) Convection D) Melting

B) Seafloor Spreading

What tool is often used to measure the topography of the seafloor today? A) High-resolution multibeam instruments B) Sonar C) Echo sounders D) Radar altimeters

B) Sonar

How do deep-ocean trenches form? A) Magma from a partially melting tectonic plate makes its way through the crust. B) Subducting lithosphere descends into the mantle. C) Two tectonic plates diverge and create a rift valley. D) Sediments from turbidity current settle out in a deep-ocean basin.

B) Subducting lithosphere descends into the mantle.

The inner core is believed to rotate independently from the outer layers of Earth. Why is this possible? A) The immense interior pressures generate rotation. B) The inner core is separated from the mantle by the liquid outer core and can spin freely. C) Radioactive decay generates spin. D) Frictional drag pushes the inner core at a different rate than the rest of the planet.

B) The inner core is separated from the mantle by the liquid outer core and can spin freely.

What is the major difference between the inner core and the outer core? A) The inner core is mostly iron and magnesium while the outer core is mostly silicon and oxygen. B) The inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid. C) The outer core is mostly iron and magnesium while the inner core is mostly silicon and oxygen. D) The outer core is solid while the inner core is liquid.

B) The inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid.

Since temperatures in Earth increase with depth, why is the inner core solid? A) Temperatures increase to a certain point before leveling off below the melting point of the core. B) The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state despite the temperature. C) Earth's interior does not reach temperatures high enough to melt the material of the inner core. D) The inner core is shedding the heat so quickly that melting does not have time to occur.

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

What is the definition of lithification? A) The breakdown of materials due to exposure to the elements B) The process by which sediments are made into rock C) The transportation of sediments from their place of origin. D) The crystallization of minerals through cooling

B) The process by which sediments are made into rock.

Outside of the crust, the layer that scientists know the most about is the mantle. Other than via seismic waves, how else do geologists obtain information about the composition of the mantle? A) Drill cores B) Volcanoes C) Sonar D) Seismic waves

B) Volcanoes

Which of these statements best describes the lithosphere? The lithosphere ________. A) is the layer in the interior of the Earth that is just below the crust B) is composed of the crust and the rigid part of the upper mantle C) is a low-density part of the upper mantle D) consists solely of the crust

B) is composed of the crust and the rigid part of the upper mantle.

What is the scientifically accepted age of the formation of the universe? A) 4.6 billion years old B) 10 billion years old C) 13.7 billion years old D) 8.7 billion years old

C) 13.7 billion years old

In the mid-twentieth century and corroborated ever since, researchers dredging the seafloor could not find any materials older than ________. A) 10,000 years B) 1.2 million years C) 180 million years D) 1.5 billion years

C) 180 Million Years

The rock that makes up ocean basins has a density of ________ and is made of ________. A) 1.9 g/cm3; sandstone B) 4.5 g/cm3; gneiss C) 3.0 g/cm3; basalt D) 2.7 g/cm3; granite

C) 3.0 g/cm3; basalt

P waves moving through the base of continents move at about ________ km/sec, but once they cross the Moho, the velocity changes to ________ km/sec. A) 8; 4 B) 2; 10 C) 6; 8 D) 3; 9

C) 6; 8

When considering evidence of glaciation on the southern continents, why did Wegener reject the explanation that the entire planet had experienced a period of extreme cooling? A) Because the glacial debris was localized to a few small mountain valleys B) Because he knew the "glacial debris" was actually a misinterpreted landslide C) Because geologic evidence supported the existence of tropical swamps in the Northern Hemisphere at the same time as the glaciers existing in the Southern continents D) Because the 16O/18O ratios in fossils supported an ice-free period at that time

C) Because geologic evidence supported the existence of tropical swamps in the Northern Hemisphere at the same time as the glaciers existing in the Southern continents.

Thermal springs known as ________ are often associated with oceanic ridges, where hot water containing dissolved minerals gushes from the seafloor. A) hot springs B) geysers C) black smokers D) ophiolites

C) Black Smokers

Submarine canyons found cutting into the continental shelf and slope are believed to have been created ________. A) by subduction B) by icebergs C) by rivers during the ice age D) by tectonic rifting

C) By rivers during the ice age

Which material is least dense? A) Oceanic lithosphere B) Mantle C) Continental lithosphere D) Asthenosphere

C) Continental Lithosphere

Which process is responsible for Earth's magnetic field? In which layer does this process occur? A) Radiation; upper mantle B) Subduction; lower mantle C) Convection; outer core D) Crystallization; inner core

C) Convection; Outer Core

Which layer is though to be the birthplace of deep mantle plumes? A) Transition zone B) Outer core C) D" layer D) Shadow zone

C) D" Layer

Which of the following materials or features are NOT found at mid-ocean ridges? A) Basaltic lava eruptions emitted along the ridge B) Stands higher above the surrounding seafloor C) Deep submarine trenches D) Thin layers of sediments

C) Deep submarine trenches

Volcanic island arcs are found near which features on the seafloor? A) Abyssal plains B) Coral atolls C) Deep-ocean trenches D) Rift zones

C) Deep-Ocean Trenches

Continental crust is mainly composed of _____, whereas oceanic crust is mainly composed of _____. A) olivine; basalt B) limestone; gabbro C) granite; basalt D) gabbro; granite

C) Granite; Basalt

_____ and _____ drive water from the pores of a subducted oceanic plate, which leads to partial melting. A) Compression; tension B) Air; heat C) Heat; pressure D) Salt; oil

C) Heat; Pressure

How do researchers today routinely determine the depth of the water to the seafloor? A) Ship-mounted gravimeters B) A weighted roped or cable C) High-resolution multibeam instruments D) Laser reflector systems linked to satellites

C) High-resolution multibeam instruments.

Which geoscience discipline describes Earth's origins and it's development through time? A) Natural hazards B) Physical geology C) Historical geology D) Uniformitarianism

C) Historical Geology

What physical property of continents makes them difficult to subduct? A) Age B) Temperature C) Low density D) Thickness

C) Low Density

Which layer of Earth makes up more than 82% of the volume of the planet? A) Outer core B) Crust C) Mantle D) Inner core

C) Mantle

In the whole-mantle convection model, what feature balances the deeply descending lithosphere by transporting hot material toward the surface? A) Continental Volcanic Arcs B) Decompression melting C) Mantle plumes D) Rift zones

C) Mantle Plumes

Volcanic islands such as the Hawaiian Islands form as a result of ________. A) subduction B) rifting C) mantle plumes D) batholith emplacement

C) Mantle Plumes

The _____ is a layer of liquid nickel and iron that believed to be responsible for generating the Earth's magnetic field. A) crust B) mantle C) outer core D) inner core

C) Outer Core

Which region is surrounded by an active continental margin? A) Atlantic Ocean B) Arctic Ocean C) Pacific Ocean D) Indian Ocean

C) Pacific Ocean

A _____ is a part of the crayon that is covered by a thin covering of sedimentary rocks. A) shield B) continental shelf C) platform D) plateau

C) Platform

Submarine volcanoes, called ________ may rise hundreds of meters above the surrounding seafloor. A) abyssal ridges B) hot spots C) seamounts D) trench plateaus

C) Seamounts

_____ are responsible for the heat generated in the interior today. A) Meteorite impacts B) Magma plutons C) Short-lived radioactive isotopes D) Nuclear reactions

C) Short-lived radioactive isotopes

What kind of subduction occurs when old, dense lithosphere sinks into the mantle by its own weight rather than by compressional force? A) Forced subduction B) Mantle plume subduction C) Spontaneous subduction D) Overriding subduction

C) Spontaneous Subduction

What is the relationship between the four spheres of Earth? A) The four spheres operate independently from each other. B) The geosphere and the hydrosphere overlap, but the atmosphere and biosphere operate independently. C) The four spheres overlap and interact with each other. D) The biosphere and hydrosphere interact with each other, whereas the geosphere and atmosphere are part of a separate system.

C) The four spheres overlap and interact with each other.

Which of the following best explains the global distribution of plant species, such as the Glossopteris, during the Mesozoic? A) Seeds were small, so they could be carried by the wind. B) Seeds were ingested by animals and later deposited in scat. C) The landmasses were joined and the plant had a large geographic extent. D) Oceans that transgressed on the continents carried the seeds to different locations.

C) The landmasses were joined and the plant had a large geographic extent.

What will happen to a seismic wave when it is reflected? A) The wave will be bent. B) The wave will undulate. C) The wave will be bounced back toward its source. D) Nothing will change the wave.

C) The wave will be bounced back toward its source.

Which of the following plate boundaries is not usually associated with volcanism? A) Convergent B) Divergent C) Transform

C) Transform

Which type of plate boundary accounts for the smallest percentage of all plate boundaries on the surface of the Earth? A) Convergent boundaries B) Divergent boundaries C) Transform boundaries D) Hot spot boundaries

C) Transform Boundaries

Continents have a density of ________ and are made of ________ rock. A) 1.9 g/cm3; sandstone B) 4.5 g/cm3; gneiss C) 3.0 g/cm3; basalt D) 2.7 g/cm3; granite

D) 2.7 g/cm3; granite

What is the scientifically accepted age of Earth? A) 10,000 years old B) 1 million years old C) 4.6 million years old D) 4.6 billion years old

D) 4.6 billion years old

The following choices contain densities of various materials. Based on this data, which will yield the fastest seismic velocity? A) 2.7 g/cm3 B) 3.0 g/cm3 C) 3.3 g/cm3 D) 5.6 g/cm3

D) 5.6 g/cm3

The scientific community rejected the motion of continents for _____ years. A) 5 B) 10 C) 20 D) 50

D) 50

What happened when the spreading center that generated the Farallon plate collided with the North American plate? A) A mantle plume formed. B) A divergent plate boundary was created. C) The spreading center subducted, resulting in the Yellowstone Hot Spot. D) A transform boundary was created.

D) A transform boundary was created.

Which scientist developed the continental drift hypothesis? A) Isaac Newton B) Charles Darwin C) Albert Einstein D) Alfred Wegener

D) Alfred Wegener

What is a mantle plume? A) The magma that rises up from the mantle at a divergent plate boundary B) Material rising up from a subducting plate going through partial melting C) A type of batholith composed of ferromagnesian minerals D) An upwelling of hot material from the Earth's interior that is cylindrical in shape

D) An upwelling of hot material from the Earth's interior that is cylindrical in shape.

What rock would you expect to find associated with a mid-ocean ridge? A) Sandstone B) Granite C) Limestone D) Basalt

D) Basalt

The measurement of ocean depth and the topography of the ocean floor are known as ________. A) geophysics B) seismic tomography C) topographic surveying D) bathymetry

D) Bathymetry

What is the major similarity between oceanic-continental convergence and continental-continental convergence? A) both involve volcanism B) both involve oceanic lithosphere being subducted C) both involve trench formation D) both involve plates moving towards each other

D) Both involve plates moving towards each other.

Which part of a passive continental margin is built up by repeated deposition from turbidity currents? A) Abyssal plain B) Continental shelf C) Continental slope D) Continental rise

D) Continental Rise

The lithosphere is composed of the _____ and the uppermost part of the _____. A) outer core; inner core B) mantle; core C) crust; core D) crust; mantle

D) Crust; Mantle

The _____ layer is thought to have large variations in composition as well as temperature. A) A" B) B" C) C" D) D" E) E"

D) D"

A _____ forms when a rising mantle plume causes the overlying crust to some and separate into three rifts. A) triple junction B) complex rift C) submarine canyon system D) divergent boundary

D) Divergent Boundary

How did researchers in the mid-twentieth century obtain ocean floor rock and sediment samples in order to determine the age of the seafloor? A) Satellite imagine images B) Deep-diving manned submersibles C) Hydraulic vacuum tubes D) Drilling ships

D) Drilling Ships

The lithosphere is broken into _____ major plates and many minor plates. A) seven B) nine C) twelve D) fifteen

D) Fifteen

How can hot spots leave evidence of plate motion? A) Hot spots are always found at plate boundaries B) Hot spots move, indicating plate tectonics is occurring C) Polar wandering creates hot spot patterns, showing plate motion D) Hot spot tracks of volcanic islands are created as plates move over mantle plumes

D) Hot spot tracks of volcanic islands are created as plates move over mantle plumes.

Which of the following materials would cause the greatest gravity anomaly? A) Quartz B) Water C) Granite D) Metallic ore

D) Metallic Ore

The _____ is a seismic boundary between the crust and the mantle where there is a dramatic increase in seismic wave velocity. A) Schrodinger discontinuity B) Greenschist facies C) Low-velocity pathway D) Moho boundary

D) Moho Boundary

Which of the following is associated with a passive continental margin? A) Divergent boundaries B) Convergent boundaries C) Transform boundaries D) No tectonic boundaries nearby

D) No tectonic boundaries nearby

What are the two types of continental margins? A) Transform and divergent B) Trenches and rifts C) Continental shelves and slopes D) Passive and active

D) Passive and Active

What is the definition of subduction erosion? A) Sediments from the ocean floor are scraped off a subducting tectonic plate and adhere to the overriding plate. B) Diverging tectonic plates will cause rocks to slide downward along normal faults. C) Glaciers extending off the continent will scour deep grooves in continental shelves. D) Sediment and rock are scraped off the bottom of an overriding plate and transported into the mantle by a descending plate.

D) Sediment and rock are scraped off the bottom of an overriding plate and transported into the mantle by a descending plate.

The geologic rock cycle presents an orderly transition from igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic rocks. However, there are also some alternative paths of the rock cycle. Which of the following is the best example of one of those alternative paths? A) Igneous rocks are weathered and eroded to become sediments. B) Metamorphic rocks are melted to become magma. C) Magma cools and crystallizes to form igneous rocks. D) Sedimentary rocks are weathered into sediments, which become lithified into sedimentary rocks.

D) Sedimentary rocks are weathered into sediments, which become lithified into sedimentary rocks.

_____ is a technique to view three-dimensional changes in composition and density by using seismology. A) Magnetometry B) Paleomagnetism C) Chemical convection D) Seismic tomography

D) Seismic Tomography

What is the primary method scientists use to determine the layering of the interior of the Earth? A) Drill cores B) Volcanic rocks C) Sonar D) Seismic waves

D) Seismic Waves

How does water get from the surface to the middle of the mantle? A) Percolation via pores and fractures B) Subterranean streams C) Seawater seeping into the interior at mid-ocean rifts D) Subducting oceanic lithosphere

D) Subducting oceanic lithosphere

Which of the following will mark the furthest extent of a continent? A) The shoreline B) Tidal flats exposed during low tide C) The crest of the continental slope D) The lowest part of the continental slope

D) The lowest part of the continental slope

What is the source of flood basalts associated with oceanic plateaus? A) Decompression melting associated with seafloor spreading B) Partial melting associated with subduction C) Impact heating from a meteorite strike D) The melting of the head of a mantle plume

D) The melting of the head of a mantle plume.

Why do seismic waves follow strongly curved paths as they move through the interior? A) Their paths are altered by changes in temperature. B) Their paths are altered by reflection off dense materials. C) Their velocities are altered by changes in chemistry. D) Their velocities are changed because of increasing pressure with depth.

D) Their velocities are changed because of increasing pressure with depth.

The HMS Challenger expedition took about ________ years. A) 1 and a half B) 2 C) 2 and a half D) 3 E) 3 and a half

E) 3 and a half years

Which of the following rocks will be most buoyant on the Earth's mantle? Rock A: Density 1.4 g/cm3 Rock B: Density 5.6 g/cm3 Rock C: Density 5.1 g/cm3 Rock D: Density 2.7 g/cm3 A) Rock A B) Rock B C) Rock C D) Rock D

Rock A: Density 1.4 g/cm3