geo midterm review questions
The Paleozoic Era starts at ______ million years ago, and the Mesozoic Era starts at _______ million years ago.
540,250
About how long ago did the Yellowstone volcano last have a cataclysmic, major eruption?
600,000 yrs
What differentiates a braided stream from a meander stream?
A braided stream flows down a higher slope and has higher energy
In relation to groundwater systems, land subsidence is the result of:
A high degree of compaction
A tributary is:
A smaller, subsidiary channel
What is the main cause of mantle melting at subduction zones? Put another way, why are there volcanoes at subduction zones?
Addition of volatiles like water, lowering the mantle's melting temperature
In the Central Valley of California, very high rates of water withdrawal have led to extreme land subsidence. What is this water primarily being used for? (Hint: this is from the documentary)
Agriculture
A layer of shale is made of very small particles tightly packed together. It is most likely a:
Aquitard
An artesian well releases a stream of pressurized water from an aquifer below. This water is pressurized because it is:
Below the potentiometric surface
Which of the following statements is true?
Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust
Which of the following is good evidence that fracking can cause earthquakes?
Earthquakes in Oklahoma have increased exponentially since the 1990s
A geyser is a conduit for hot groundwater to continuously reach the surface, without interruption.
False
In science, a theory is a guess based on observations.
False
T/F: A watershed must be at least 100 miles across to be defined as such.
False
T/F: Melting of continental crust results in basaltic (mafic) lava.
False
T/F: The addition of Phosphate to the Flint River water would have made it just as safe as Detroit water.
False
T/F: Water moves slower on the outside of a meander bend, causing erosion.
False
T/F: We can accurately predict when, where, and how strong a future earthquake will be.
False
T/F: the lead causing poisoning in Flint largely came from the Flint River water itself.
False
The epicenter is the point of rupture of an earthquake. That is, the point on a fault where the fault slips.
False
True or False: Alfred Wegner was celebrated for his development of the theory of plate tectonics within his lifetime
False
True or False: In science, a theory is a guess based on some observations
False
True or False: PFAS chemicals are no longer permitted in consumer products
False
Choose ALL of the following ingredients that are REQUIRED for hydrothermal activity
Groundwater in abundance
The Hawaiian island chain is the result of a:
Hotspot
Which of the following is most likely to pose a danger to a visitor to Yellowstone?
Hydrothermal eruption
What is tomography?
Imaging by sections or sectioning, through the use of any kind of penetrating wave.
Which of the following is TRUE about salt water intrusion?
It is a common, natural occurrence in coastal regions.
Earthquakes are the result of built-up stress in the _________________, the outer, brittle portion of the Earth.
Lithosphere
Which of following is a DIRECT effect of urbanization on groundwater systems? (only one answer)
Loss of recharge area
What is one way that we can currently mitigate earthquake hazards?
Mapping of earthquake probabilities (risk mapping) based on historical earthquake data.
Put the five elements of the scientific method in order.
Observation Hypothesis Test & gather data Formulate theory Reevaluate old ideas
Select ALL of the following that are types of seismic waves.
P Raleigh Love S
The name of the most recent supercontinent, when all continents were joined as one, is: (spelling counts!)
Pangaea
Given ALL options, the best solution to groundwater contamination and pollution is:
Prevent pollution from happening
Which two types of lava can be found in significant amounts at Yellowstone?
Rhyolite and basalt
Which of the following volcano types typically covers the widest area? (i.e., is the widest at its base)
Shield
Which of the following is NOT a common precursor to volcanic eruptions?
Small lava flows
The most destructive seismic waves generated by an earthquake are:
Surface waves
Past eruptions of the Yellowstone Hotspot track have created a flat area called:
The Snake River Plain
The lithosphere includes:
The crust and uppermost mantle
Base level is:
The lowest level to which a stream can erode
What does the concept of uniformitarianism mean?
The present is the key to the past
Why can the Legionnaires disease outbreak in Flint not be directly, officially connected to the water supply?
The water was never tested for the disease during the outbreak
T or F: A tsunami results from an earthquake that suddenly lifts OR drops the sea floor.
True
T or F: An unconformity is when two rock units of different ages come into contact.
True
T/F: Ash from a past eruption at Yellowstone can be found in the Gulf of Mexico
True
When a fault is moving via fault creep, it will not cause significant earthquakes.
True
The rock type formed from least viscous lava, with the least silica, is:
basalt (mafic)
In a large river system (like the Grand River), when does a precipitation event occur, relative to a flood?
before the flood
Yellowstone erupts mostly rhyolite, very explosively. Its volcano type is:
caldera
Which one of the following is NOT one of the 6 major hazards associated with volcanoes?
earthquakes
Which of the following emits primarily steam?
fumarole
For groundwater to be stored in, and flow through, an aquifer, you need:
high porosity and high permeability
Igneous rocks formed from magma are _____, and igneous rocks formed from lava are _____.
intrusive, extrusive
What is the term for the equilibrium that exists between parts of the Earth's crust, which behaves as if it consists of blocks floating on the underlying mantle?
isostasy
What is the term for the equilibrium that exists between parts of the earth's crust, which behaves as if it consists of blocks floating on the underlying mantle?
isostasy
Which of the following is made of volcanic ash and mud?
lahar
Which of the following is an example of a divergent tectonic boundary?
mid-Atlantic ridge
Which of the following is a former portion of a stream channel that is no longer connected, due to erosion and channel movement?
oxbow lake
What lava type has the most explosive eruptions?
rhyolite
The rock type formed from the coolest lava, with the most viscosity, is:
rhyolite (felsic)
Mauna Loa, on Hawaii, erupts basalt. Its volcano type is:
shield
Volcanoes form at all of the following EXCEPT:
transform boundaries