Quiz 2, Part 1

During the past ice age, landmasses were generally a. pressed down into the asthenosphere by the load of ice. b. elevated, because ice is lighter than rock. c. unaffected by the climatic conditions of the time. d. more exposed to the atmosphere.

a. pressed down into the asthenosphere by the load of ice.

Who first proposed the theory of uniformitarianism? a. Plato b. James Hutton c. Charles Darwin d. Albert Wegner

b. James Hutton

The thickness of Earth's crust ranges from a. 5 km to 60 km (3 mi. to 37 mi.). b. 70 km to 250 km (43 mi. to 155 mi.). c. the surface to an unknown depth. d. the surface down to 2900 km (1800 mi.).

a. 5 km to 60 km (3 mi. to 37 mi.).

Which of the following lists is in the correct sequence from younger to older? a. Holocene, Pleistocene, Pliocene, Miocene b. Holocene, Precambrian, Cenozoic c. Paleozoic, Cenozoic, Mesozoic d. Tertiary, Quaternary, Cretaceous

a. Holocene, Pleistocene, Pliocene, Miocene

The average length of a period during which a given magnetic field polarity exists is about a. 1,000 years. b. 500,000 years. c. 400 million years. d. 1 billion years.

b. 500,000 years.

Which of the following is not a member of the silicate family of minerals? a. quartz b. calcite c. feldspars d. clay minerals

b. calcite

The heat that drives the tectonic cycle is derived from a. nuclear fusion. b. radioactive decay. c. chemical reactions. d. sunlight.

b. radioactive decay.

When geologists or archaeologists dig downward into a unit of rock or sediment, they are digging "back in time." This fact is based on the principle of __________. a. uniformitarianism b. superposition c. catastrophism

b. superposition

Which of the following is matched correctly? a. 3.0 grams per cubic centimeter - granitic crust b. 4.7 grams per cubic centimeter - upper mantle c. 3.3 grams per cubic centimeter - asthenosphere d. 3.0 grams per cubic centimeter - oceanic crust

c. 3.3 grams per cubic centimeter - asthenosphere d. 3.0 grams per cubic centimeter - oceanic crust

Which of the following is not a felsic mineral? a. quartz b. feldspar c. peridotite d. orthoclase

c. peridotite

The layer within Earth that lies directly below the lithosphere, but above the upper mantle, is best described as a. a plastic-like layer that flows in response to heat and pressure.a b. a granitic material that weighs an average of 2.7 grams per cm3. c. the core. d. resistant to movement of any type.

a. a plastic-like layer that flows in response to heat and pressure.

Mafic minerals are __________ minerals. a. dark colored, high density b. dark colored, low density c. light colored, high density d. light colored, low density

a. dark colored, high density

The density of material below the Moho is __________ that above it. a. greater than b. less than c. the same as

a. greater than

Which of the following is incorrect regarding Earth's inner core? a. It has a density of 13.5 grams per cm3. b. It is solid iron in composition. c. It is the source of Earth's magnetic field. d. It is about 1230 km (760 mi.) thick.

c. It is the source of Earth's magnetic field.

The principles of buoyancy and balance, when applied to Earth's crust, helps us to explain fluctuations in Earth's outer crust, a property known as a. magnetism. b. Moho effect. c. isostasy. d. orogenesis.

c. isostasy.

Which of the following is matched correctly? a. granite - metamorphic b. basalt - sedimentary c. marble - metamorphic d. sandstone - igneous

c. marble - metamorphic

Which of the following is not true regarding Earth's magnetic field? a. It causes magnetic particles in cooling magma to align with magnetic field lines. b. Transition periods, during which reversals occur, last an average of about 4000 to 8000 years. c. Earth's magnetic field will probably reverse in the next few thousand years. d. A given field orientation can last billions of years.

d. A given field orientation can last billions of years.

Which of the following plays a role in the shaping of Earth's surface? a. gravity. b. the action of wind, water, and ice. c. the radioactive decay of atoms. d. All of these e. the action of wind, water, and ice and the radioactive decay of atoms only

d. All of these

Which of the following is true of the aesthenosphere? a. It contains pockets of increased heat. b. It flows. c. It carries the lithospheric plates. d. All of these are true. e. None of these are true.

d. All of these are true.

The three most abundant elements in Earth's crust are a. rock, water, and tectonics. b. magnesium, potassium, and oxygen. c. iron, aluminum, and granite. d. oxygen, silicon, and aluminum.

d. oxygen, silicon, and aluminum.