Chapter 20-28 quizzes
What is an explanation for the discovery of ancient coal beds in Antarctica? A) Antarctica's climate was once mild enough to support swamplands B) Antarctica was at one time located in the northern hemisphere C) the ancient coal beds were frozen in the Antarctic ice D) massive upheavals occurred during the Mesozoic era
A) Antarctica's climate was once mild enough to support swamplands
The slate of ____ is predominantly made up of the volcanic igneous rock basalt A) Hawaii B) Oregon C) Wisconsin D) Maine
A) Hawaii
A surface of erosion between rocks that represents a gap in Earth history is A) an unconformity B) called a dike C) a Marcks break D) a faunal conformity
A) an unconformity
Groundwater is water A) below the water table B) beneath the ground surface C) that soaks into the ground D) above the water table
A) below the water table
Coal is composed of A) buried plant material that has partially decayed B) petrified wood C) buried animal material that has partially decayed D) a combination of oil-rich sediments and calcareous ooze
A) buried plant material that has partially decayed
What type of forces will cause rocks to buckle and fold? A) compressional B) tensional
A) compressional
An assumption that Earth processes occurring today have always occurred is called A) uniformitarianism B) the principle of superposition C) the principle of original horizontality D) theory of unconformity
A) uniformitarianism
The Earth is approximately how old? A) 4.5 trillion years B) 4500 years C) 4.5 billion years D) 4.5 million years
C) 4.5 billion years
The half life of uranium 235 is A) 500 years B) 4.5 billion years C) 704 million years D) 2.2 trillion years
C) 704 million years
Beginning in the Carboniferous Period Laurasia and Gondwanland merged to form what continent? A) North America B) South America C) Pangaea D) Preidecker
C) Pangaea
The compound that constitutes the majority of dissolved substances in ocean water is A) sodium fluoride B) magnesium chloride C) sodium chloride D) sodium sulfate
C) sodium chloride
The continental rise is A) areas just barely above sea level B) the sloping region between the continental shelf and deep ocean C) the wedge of sediment at the base of the continental shape D) the elevated land next to a beach
C) the wedge of sediment at the base of the continental shape
What is the name of the crater on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico that is widely believed to be the site of the impact that caused the mass extinction that ended the reign of the dinosaurs? A) Chicoro B) Barringer C) Juarez D) Chicxulub
D) Chicxulub
What is the highest point in Louisiana? A) Marcks' Hill B) Mount Williard C) Arcadia Hill D) Driskill Mountain
D) Driskill Mountain
Why does Earth have seasons? A) Earth is closer to the sun part of the year B) the short-wave radiation from the sun varies regularly C) terrestrial radiation varies regularly D) Earth's axis of rotation is tilted
D) Earth's axis of rotation is tilted
The protective shells that many sea organisms grow are not minerals because they A) are made of ooze B) become compacted C) are not calcium carbonate D) are organic
D) are organic
At divergent boundaries the dominant rock type is A) andesite B) basalt, granite, and andesite C) granite D) basalt
D) basalt
A mineral that is not a silicate is A) quartz B) mica C) feldspar D) calcite
D) calcite
The isotope most useful for dating rocks from the late Pleistocene is A) uranium-235 B) potassium-40 C) uranium-238 D) carbon-14
D) carbon-14
The eight most common element on Earth make up what % of the entire mass of our planet? A) 100% B) 44% C) 77% D) 90% E) 98%
E) 98%
Which of the following seismic waves showed that Earth's outer core is liquid? A) Rayleigh waves B) P-waves C) Love waves D) S-waves
S-waves
The changing of vapor into liquid is A) condensation B) evaporation C) deposition D) sublimation
A) condensation
What type of plate boundary formed the Himalayan Mountains? A) continental-continental convergent plate boundary B) oceanic-continental divergent boundary C) transform plate boundary D) oceanic-continental convergent boundary E) continental-continental divergent plate boundary
A) continental-continental convergent plate boundary
Air is considered unstable when it A) continues to rise because it is warmer than surrounding air B) behaves unpredictably C) warms as it descends D) cools as it rises
A) continues to rise because it is warmer than surrounding air
What do we call an accumulation of sediments, commonly forming a fan shaped plain, deposited where a stream flows into a standing body of water? A) delta B) crew C) sediment spike D) sediment fan
A) delta
Fossils can be determine the relative age of rock layers because they are A) found in a definite order B) deposited horizontally, one fossil at a time C) found in sedimentary rock D) radioactive
A) found in a definite order
The __ effect is the process of longwave terrestrial radiation being trapped by gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide A) greenhouse B) scribbner C) solar D) gas trap
A) greenhouse
A hurricane's source of energy is A) heat released from condensing water B) evaporation of cool seawater C) rapidly sinking air D) strong winds
A) heat released from condensing water
What type of rocks are formed from the cooling and crystallization of magma or lava? A) igneous B) sedimentary C) metamorphic D) red
A) igneous
If evaporation exceeds precipitation, the salinity of the ocean in the area A) increases B) decreases C) gets denser D) stays the same
A) increases
Marble is the result of the rock __________ being metamorphosed. A) limestone B) gneiss C) schist D) granite
A) limestone
As sediments accumulate, compaction and cementation produce sedimentary rock. This process is called A) lithification B) consolidation C) solidification D) solifluction
A) lithification
The process that measures the ratio of radioactive isotopes to their decay products is A) radiometric dating B) physical dating C) chemical dating D) relative dating
A) radiometric dating
In a thick bed of sedimentary rocks, we found igneous dike. According to the principle of cross-cutting, the order in which the rocks formed is A) sedimentary before igneous B) igneous before sedimentary C) simultaneously D) unknown
A) sedimentary before igneous
Mauna Loa is which type of volcano? A) shield volcano B) composite volcano C) cinder cone
A) shield volcano
Based on its abundance in Earth's crust, most rocks contain a mineral composed of the elements oxygen and ____ A)silicon B)iron C)carbon D)sulfur
A) silicon
The limit at which the air contains as much moisture as it can hold for a given temperature is called saturation (T/F) A) true B) false
A) true
The oldest rocks have been dates by radioactivity are approximately A) 40 billion years o;d B) 4 billion years old C) 4 million years old D) 400 million years old
B) 4 billion years old
Who proposed the continental drift hypothesis? A) Harry Hess B) Alfred Wegener C) Paul Preidecker D) Charles Darwin
B) Alfred Wegener
Even though the temperature at depth is hotter than the rock's melting point, the rocks at depth are solid, because A) temp. would have to be even higher to counteract the increase in pressure B) all of these C) increased pressure prevents their melting D) they are under enormous pressure from rock above
B) all of these
A surface of erosion between rocks that represents a gap in Earth history is A) a faual conformity B) an unconformity D) called a dike
B) an unconformity
Andesitic magma produces A) granitic rocks B) andesite rocks C) metamorphic rocks D) basaltic rocks
B) andesite rocks
The origin of Earth's oceans is from A) comet debris B) comets and volcanic eruptions C) melting of polar ice caps D) volcanic eruptions
B) comets and volcanic eruptions
Uplift of the Rocky Mountains was a result of A) gnomes B) compressional forces C) crustal extension D) tensional forces
B) compressional forces
Trenches occur at what type of plate boundaries? A) transform plate boundaries B) convergent plate boundaries C) divergent plate boundaries D) subduction plate boundaries
B) convergent plate boundaries
At what type of plate boundary is new lithosphere created? A) transform-fault boundaries B) divergent boundaries C) convergent boundaries
B) divergent boundaries
The changing of a substance from a liquid into a vapor or gas is called A) sublimation B) evaporation C) deposition D) condensation
B) evaporation
Gneiss is the result of the rock ___ being metamorphosed A) marble B) granite C) schist D) limestone
B) granite
Rainfall associated with an advancing cold front is generally A) slow and steady B) heavy with gusty winds C) drizzly D) light to moderate, with steady mild winds
B) heavy with gusty winds
U shaped valleys are caused by what type of erosion? A) wind B) ice C) water D) chemical
B) ice
Rocks formed by cooling from molten state are A) sedimentary rock B) igneous rock C) precipitated rock D) metamorphic rock
B) igneous rock
Temperature in the air is increased by the process of A) all of these B) moisture condensation C) contact with cold surfaces D) moisture evaporation
B) moisture condensation
In general, when we refer to the time of the "ice age" we are referring to the A) jurassic B) pleistocene epoch C) precambrian D) tertiary era
B) pleistocene epoch
When comparing geologic time to a calendar year, the time of the dinosaurs is in the A) first half of February B) second half of December C) first half of December D) middle of October
B) second half of December
We are most likely to find fossils in which type of rock? A) igneous B) sedimentary C) metamorphic
B) sedimentary
What drives air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure? A) winds B) the pressure-gradient force C) water vapor D) convection currents
B) the pressure-gradient force
Continental plates tend to move slower than oceanic plates, because A) they are convergent B) their roots extend deep into the mantle C) they are heavier D) of gravity
B) their roots extend deep into the mantle
Banded iron formations occurred when A) iron from lava flows settled into layered formations B) varying oxygen levels allowed the precipitation of alternating layers of iron oxide minerals and layers of iron-free sediments C) carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater D) iron oxide dissolved into the ocean
B) varying oxygen levels allowed the precipitation of alternating layers of iron oxide minerals and layers of iron-free sediments
The most important event during the Cambrian period was the A) emergence of the trilobite B) emergence of fishes C) ability of organisms to form an outer skeleton D) ability of organisms to develop lungs
C) ability of organisms to form an outer skeleton
What is the eye of the hurricane? A) area where upper-level air descends B) area of high pressure C) area of low pressure D) area of highest level of precipitation
C) area of low pressure
Metamorphism caused by the close proximity of a magma source is called ___ metamorphism A) touch B) flat line C) contact D) regional
C) contact
As a water wave approaches a shoreline, wave speed A) increases B) is unchanged C) decreases
C) decreases
In coastal areas during the heat of the day, wind blows A) from land to sea B) in various directions C) from sea to land D) parallel to the coastline
C) from sea to land
The ____ is the vertical drop in the elevation of a stream channel divided by the horizontal distance of that drop A) fall percentage B) graduate C) gradient D) drop rate
C) gradient
The time required for one-half of a radioactive material to decay is called the A) true-life B) absolute age C) half-life D) date age
C) half-life
A minerals resistance to scratching is called ___ and is dependent on the strength of a mineral's chemical bonds A) color B) chemical hardness C) hardness D) weight
C) hardness
The natural circulation of water - from ocean to air to ground to ocean and then back to the atmosphere is called the A) carbon cycle B) circle of life C) hydrologic cycle D) rock cycle
C) hydrologic cycle
Changes in Earth's history are recorded A) in magnetic tape at the bottom of the oceans B) moon rocks C) in the rock record D) by rocks at the library of congress
C) in the rock record
What do we call pieces of one rock contained within another rock? A) fragmentatons B) crystals C) inclusions D) ground mass
C) inclusions
How does the seafloor become magnetized? A) the seafloor becomes magnetized when the poles reverse B) when magnetic poles wander slightly around the geographic poles, the seafloor responds by becoming magnetized C) magnetite crystals become aligned with Earth's magnetic field as new oceanic crust cools from a molten state D) accumulating sediment on the seafloor aligns with Earth's magnetic field
C) magnetite crystals become aligned with Earth's magnetic field as new oceanic crust cools from a molten state
Ice wedging-freezing of water in cracks - is an example of A) chemical weathering B) lithification C) mechanical weathering D) oxidation
C) mechanical weathering
A sedimentary rock can turn into an igneous rock by A) compaction B) weathering and lithification C) melting and cooling D) compaction and cementation
C) melting and cooling
By definition, an ore is a mineral rich in valuable metals. To be considered as an ore means that the A) deposit is very rich and abundant in valuable metals B) metals are extremely valuable C) metals can be economically extracted to yield a profit D) metallic minerals are very abundant
C) metals can be economically extracted to yield a profit
Most of Earth's water is in A) the ground B) ice caps C) oceans D) rivers E) lakes
C) oceans
Tectonic interaction between plate boundaries does NOT explain A) mountain building B) magma production and the variety of igneous rock C) polar wandering D) global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes
C) polar wandering
The amount of dissolved salts in seawater is measured as ____ A) brackishness B) dissolved solids C) salinity D) saltiness
C) salinity
Running water shapes Earth's surface in two opposing ways it carves out the landscape but it also deposits ____ A) magnetism B) ice C) sediment D) none of these
C) sediment
Some ________ rock is formed from minerals that were once dissolved in water A) metamorphic B) igneous C) sedimentary
C) sedimentary
A soil with rounded particles of similar size will have a higher porosity than a soil with rounded particles of various sizes, because A) water flows more easily through rounded particles B) it will have a higher permeability C) smaller sediment grains will fit the open pore spaces between larger grains D) poorly sorted sediment will have more open pore spaces
C) smaller sediment grains will fit the open pore spaces between larger grains
The principle of superposition states that the top layer of rock is A) the oldest B) sedimentary C) the youngest D) igneous
C) the youngest
Like a giant vacuum cleaner, the strong winds of a ___ can pick up and obliterate everything in its path A) typhoon B) mid latitude cyclone C) tornado D) hurricane
C) tornado
The law of physics, chemistry, and geology have operated unchanged through time to shape Earth as we know it today can be summed up by the idea of A) natural history B) everlasting change C) uniformitarianism D) evolution
C) uniformitarianism
Which of the following occurred first in the development of Earth's atmosphere? A) cometary debris added water to Earth B) cyanobacteria converted carbon dioxide to oxygen C) volcanic gases erupted from Earth's interior D) water vapor condensed
C) volcanic gases erupted from Earth's interior
The major cause of the present increased greenhouse effect is A) carbon monoxide from human activities B) naturally occurring carbon dioxide C) naturally occurring water vapor D) carbon dioxide from human activities
D) carbon dioxide from human activities
Earthquake activity is associated with A) divergent and convergent boundaries B) convergent and transform plate boundaries C) transform plate boundaries D) divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries
D) divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries
The Earth's magnetic field is attributed to the A) movement of lithospheric plates at Earth's surface B) movement of lithospheric plates in the outer mantle C) flow of molten liquid in Earth's inner core D) flow of molten fluid in Earth's outer core
D) flow of molten fluid in Earth's outer core
Rocks are grouped into three classes depending on how the rock was A) located B) discovered C) shaped D) formed
D) formed
Young Earth developed a layered structure under the influence of A) gravitational contraction and radioactive decay B) impact heating and convection in its interior C) meteorite bombardment D) gravity and density segregation - the process of differentiation
D) gravity and density segregation - the process of differentiation
Mohs scale is based on minerals that have different A) shapes B) cleavage directions C) colors D) hardness
D) hardness
Water is vital to life on our planet. Most of Earth's fresh water supply is in the A) air B) rivers, lakes, and streams C) ground D) ice caps
D) ice caps
As air temperature decreases, relative humidity A) stays the same B) drops C) decreases D) increases
D) increases
Compared to the size of Earth, the Jovian planets are A) more dense B) a mixture of smaller and larger C) smaller D) larger
D) larger
The Mohorovicic discontinuity marks the change in rock density elasticity between the A) inner and outer core B) athenosphere and lithosphere C) core and the mantle D) mantle and the crustal surface
D) mantle and the crustal surface
Which is the correct ordering of the three most abundant elements in the atmosphere, from greatest to least? A) nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen B) oxygen, helium, nitrogen C) oxygen, nitrogen, argon D) nitrogen, oxygen, argon
D) nitrogen, oxygen, argon
The development of free oxygen was crucial to the emergence of life on Earth, because it led to the formation of A) the oceans, where life emerged B) ozone, which primitive organisms could breathe C) air for animals to breathe D) ozone, which helped screen Earth from harmful incoming UV radiation
D) ozone, which helped screen Earth from harmful incoming UV radiation
Plate tectonics differs from continental drift in which of the following ways? A) plate tectonics does not explain the fit between South America and Africa B) plate tectonics showed that Pangaea broke up much later than predicted by continental drift C) plate tectonics showed that ancient ice sheets did not exist D) plate tectonics provides a credible driving force
D) plate tectonics provides a credible driving force
The sequence of events involving the formation, destruction, alteration, and the reformation of rocks is known as the ___ cycle A) carbon B) geo C) water D) rock
D) rock
The ozone layer is a region within the A) mesosphere B) ionosphere C) troposphere D) stratosphere
D) stratosphere
Ice changing directly to water vapor is called ____ A) condensation B) evaporation C) deposition D) sublimation
D) sublimation
About 80% of the world's big earthquakes occur in subduction zones of A) volcanic hot spots B) continental-continental convergent boundaries C) mid oceanic ridges D) the ring of fire
D) the ring of fire