EES 021 Exam

Identify A-E on the cross section.

A continental crust B oceanic crust C lithosphere D lithospheric mantle E asthenospheric mantle

Below is a list of news headlines that pertain to geologic issues. From the dropdown list, choose the subdiscipline of geology that addresses the topic.

Soaring Nickle Prices Could Be a Problem for Automotive Manufacturers : Economic Hot Springs Reveal Where Continental Plates Collide Beneath Tibet: tectonics New Dinosaur Species Discovered at Construction Site: Paleontology California Mudslides Trap Residents, Damage Homes: Engineering NASA Rover Samples Martian Rocks: Petrology

Sort the planets into the appropriate categories.

Terrestrial: Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury Jovian: Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter

According to the nebular theory of planet formation, which type of force was responsible for causing particles in the protoplanetary disk to clump and bind together, growing from soot-sized specks into boulder-sized blocks, and eventually into planetesimals?

gravitational

The __________ is a semi-rigid layer of the uppermost part of the mantle that includes crust.

lithosphere

Mafic:

low silica, gabbro, denser

Jupiter has 63 of them

moons

Clarence King was the first director of the USGS. His main focus for the agency at the time was mining geology. Mining geology would involve which type of natural resource?

non-renewable resources

Lithosphere

outermost layer, relatively rigid

Label the layers of the atmosphere.

from the bottom- Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere

Felsic:

granite, high silica, less dense

What is the approximate distance from Earth to the Sun?

C. 150,000,000 kilometers

How did Wegener use a map of fossil distribution and rock types to support his hypothesis of continental drift?

C. He found similar rocks and fossils on continents that are currently separated by ocean and deduced that the continents must have been connected at some point.

Identify statements that are true of Earth.

C. It has one moon. D. It formed from the third protoplanet from the Sun.

Can the pattern of glacial striations be explained if continents have always been in their present-day locations?

C. No, because glacial ice moves toward coastlines, as many of the striations indicate, not toward the middle of continents.

What does the solar wind consist of?

C. dangerous radiation

What is the composition of A?

C. dust particles

A rock that forms from molten material is called _________ whereas a rock that forms from a preexisting rock and undergoes changes in heat and pressure is called ________.

C. igneous; metamorphic

Asthenosphere

Can flow, plastic, sits beneath tectonic plates, rocks warmer than 1,280 °C

Diagram of an atom

Center to outer layer: Nucleus, Inner electron shell, Outer electron shell

Order the steps in continental rift formation.

1) The lithospheric mantle begins to stretch horizontally and thin vertically. 2) The crust fractures, and faults develop. 3) Large fault blocks of crust slide down into the widening rift. 4) Magma erupts as lava, creating volcanoes along and near the center of the rift.

Order the steps of continental volcanic arc formation.

1. A subduction trench forms where the subjecting plate bends downward into the mantle 2. An accretionary prism begins to form 3. Magma, created by flux melting of the mantle rises through the continental lithosphere 4. Lava erupts onto the surface forming volcanoes

Place in order the steps of the formation of the Universe.

1. All matter is condensed into a single point 2. The singularity explodes 3. The first stars form 4. The first galaxies form 5. Humans evolve

Order the events chronologically that occurred in the formation of our Solar System

1. An accretionary disk formed. 2. A protosun formed 3. Rings formed in the protoplanetary disk 4. Planetesimals collected to form protoplanets

Please rank the objects in our Solar System from smallest (top) to largest (bottom).

1. Asteroid 2. Mars 3. Earth 4. Jupiter 5. Sun

The use of ______ for energy and ______ for construction are two examples of how society uses Earth materials.

1. Coal 2. Limestone

Volatile Materials

1. Hydrogen and Helium are examples 2. Melt/Vaporize at lower temperatures 3. Freezing yields ices

In the context of a scientific discusssion, a _________ is a statement that can be tested and a ________ is a statement supported by a substantial amount of data.

1. Hypothesis 2. Theory

Rank the following parts of the larger Solar System based on distance from the Sun.

1. Inner planets 2. Asteroid belt 3. outer planets 4. Kuiper Belt 5. Heliopause 6. Oort cloud

Massive Star

1. Iron core develops toward the end of its existence 2. forms a neutron star as its last stage of existence

Intermediate Mass Star

1. Is similar in mass to our own Sun 2. Carbon core develops toward the end of its existence 3. Forms a white dwarf as its last stage of existence

Place the following Solar System objects in order from closest to the Sun to farthest from the Sun.

1. Mercury 2. Earth 3. Asteroid belt 4. Jupiter 5. Neptune 5. Oort cloud

What are the stages of planet formation according to the nebular hypothesis?

1. Nebula formed from hydrogen and helium 2. Gravity pulled gas and dust inward to form an accretionary disk 3. Dust and ice particles began to stick together, forming planetesimals 4. More collisions led to protoplanets; photo Earth became round due to gravity 5. After Earth formed, it was hit by a protoplanet that ejected debris which then formed the Moon 6. Earth's atmosphere formed from volcanic gas

Place in chronological order the events that led to the formation of the Earth.

1. The Earth cleared its orbit of all other matter, making it a true planet 2. The moon formed 3. Volcanic activity occurred releasing gases 4. An atmosphere formed

Order the steps that lead to seafloor spreading.

1. The asthenosphere beneath diverging plates rises and melts 2. A magma chamber forms beneath the ridge axis 3. Magma rises to the surface and erupts via submarine volcanoes 4. Newly formed crust is moved laterally away from the ridge

Place in chronological order the events that led to life as we know it on Earth.

1. The oceans formed 2. Photosynthetic organisms appeared on Earth 3. Oxygen (O2) accumulated in the atmosphere 4. Multicellular life developed rapidly on Earth

Order the steps of volcanic island arc formation.

1. a subduction trench forms where the subducting plate bends downward into the mantle 2. an accretionary prism begins to form 3. magma, created by flux melting of the mantle, rises through the overriding plate. 4. Lava erupts onto the surface, forming volcanoes.

The basic premise of ____________ is that discrete pieces of semi-rigid lithosphere move very slowly relative to each other over a softer _____________.

1. plate tectonic 2. asthenosphere

At 100 km/h (62 mph), how long would it take to drive a distance equal to the thickness of the breathable atmosphere?

A. 3.3 minutes

How does a planet differ from a protoplanet?

A. A protoplanet is a large, nonspherical body smaller than a planet.

How can glass be distinguished from a mineral?

A. Minerals have a crystal form; glass does not because its atoms are not arranged in an orderly manner.

What statements are true of nebulae

A. Nebulas are vast swirling clouds of gas and dust floating in space. B. A single late nebula can be a nursery for a large number of stars. C. Most of a nebula is hydrogen and helium left over from the Big Bang. D. Solar systems form within a nebula

How does a protoplanet differ from a moon?

A. Protoplanets orbit the Sun; moons orbit planets.

Imagine that you are a Greek philosopher living 2,000 years ago. If you were to lecture on the structure of the Universe to students, which of the following statements would help your students distinguish between stars and planets?

A. Stars appear to revolve around a fixed point. B. Planets move in complex paths independent of stars.

How does Earth's inner core differ from its outer core?

A. The inner core is solid; the outer core is liquid.

Select the item(s) that may show us what planetesimals looked like inside.

A. chondritic meteorites

In what direction do the planets revolve around the Sun?

A. counterclockwise

Identify ways in which heavier elements form.

A. during supernovae explosions D. in stars

On the diagram below, where is the youngest seafloor located?

A. in the red-shaded region

Which layer is responsible for the magnetic field?

A. outer core

What do the the length of the arrows on map B represent?

A. plate velocity C. direction of movement

Which of the following is not one of Earth's domains?

A. the Moon

What visible evidence illustrates the interaction between Earth's magnetic field and solar wind?

A. the aurora borealis

Which of the following best describes the habitable zone?

A. the distance from the Sun where temperatures range between 0°C (freezing) to 100°C (boiling)

Sort the following descriptions of Solar System bodies based on whether they are planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, or comets.

Asteroid: irregularly shaped, 215 m across, composed of metal Comet: irregularly shaped, 657 m long, mixture of ice and rock, highly elliptical orbit Planet: a rocky, spherical body, 5,000 km across, with no moons or debris orbiting the body spherical, 0.0006 AU across, made primarily of hydrogen and helium gas, with a rocky core, has multiple moons Dwarf Planet: spherical body, 940 km across, has not cleared its orbit of other bodies, has an icy surface Moon: spherical body with an icy crust, 500 km across, orbits a larger body volcanically active body, 3,600 km across, orbits a larger body

The International Space Station travels at 25,000 km/hr. How long would it take an object traveling that speed to go from Earth to the Sun?

B. 250 days

How does the crust of a continental shelf differ from the crust in a continent's interior?

B. Continental shelf crust is generally thinner and below sea level.

Why do astronomers use light-years to define distances between stars?

B. It is a convenient way to measure vast distances.

Could a planet like Earth have formed around a first-generation star?

B. No. First-generation stars formed from nebulae that had only elements 1 through 5 on the periodic table, whereas Earth's core is composed primarily of iron (26 on the periodic table).

Based on the geothermal gradient graph, what can be said about temperature and pressure within the Earth? Select all that apply.

B. Temperature increases with depth. F. At greater depths, the pressure is higher.

Which of the following best describes the geocentric model of the Universe?

B. The Earth is the center of the Universe, and the stars and planets rotate around it.

Which statement is true about the formation of the Moon?

B. The Moon formed from debris created when Earth suffered a catastrophic protoplanet collision.

Which of the following best describes the helioentric model of the Universe?

B. The Sun is the center of the Solar System, and the planets orbit around it.

Which of the following statements about differentiation are true?

B. The core formed as a result of differentiation C. The mantle formed as a result of differentiation

How does the lithosphere differ from the asthenosphere?

B. The lithosphere is rigid; the asthenosphere is plastic.

How did Wegener use this map to justify his continental-drift hypothesis?

B. Wegener speculated that the distribution of late-Paleozoic sedimentary environments defined climate belts on Pangaea and therefore the position of the continents.

Why did most geologists of Wegener's day reject his hypothesis?

B. Wegner could not explain how or why continents were moving.

Does this nebula contain any uranium?

B. Yes, because the Crab Nebula represents a supernova explosion whose extreme high temperatures allowed for the formation of heavier elements.

Physicists have shown that the 92 naturally occurring elements in the universe form during the life cycle of stars. During what stellar process are the very large elements (those heavier than iron) created?

B. a supernova explosion

What is the composition of the material in B?

B. ice particles

What characteristics define a mineral?

B. often inorganic C. solid D. crystalline material with a definable chemical composition F. naturally occurring

What is the central area (A) called?

B. the Sun

Which of the following characteristics would be helpful to a geologist who is attempting to visually identify the rock makeup of an outcrop?

B. the presence or absence of bedding or foliation C. the amount and type of weathering of the outcrop D. the presence or absence of faults or folds

Sort the following characteristics based on whether they correspond to comets, asteroids, or both.

Comets: made of ice and rock can orbit along a plane other than the ecliptic plane formed in the kuiper belt made of ice and rock Asteroirds: reside between mars an jupiter made of rock and metal orbit only along the ecliptic plane Both: part of the solar system orbit the sun have irregular shapes have collided with the earth

Up to what elevation can you live without needing supplemental oxygen?

D. 5.5 km

How do sediments differ from melts?

D. Sediments are loose, unconsolidated grains; melts are liquids that were derived from solids.

Does the rock composition differ between point X and point Y? Do the temperatures at these points differ?

D. The rock composition is the same, but the temperature is different, with point X being cooler than point Y.

A material that can exist as a gas on the Earth's surface is called

D. a volatile.

Refractory Materials

Freezing yields rocky/metalic solids

This image shows a cross section of the Atlantic Ocean floor. Label the principal bathymetric provinces.

From left to right: Continental shelf, Abyssal plain, mid-ocean ridge, ridge axis

Label the parts involved in Earth's magnetic field.

From left to right: Solar wind, van Allen belts, magnetic field lines, magnetosphere

Label A-H on the map.

From top-bottom: Ice sheet, Mountain range, Abyssal plain, Seamounts, Mid-ocean ridge, Trench, Continental shelf, Fracture zone

Place each image in the correct box to indicate the Earth material it best represents.

Glass: black one Mineral: white quartz Melt: lava Sediment: gravel Rock: Boulder

Asthenosphere

Higher density, relatively soft (plastic)

Geologists observe a rock thin section under a petrographic microscope to definitively identify its mineral makeup. Which of the following makes a petrographic microscope different from a standard microscope?

It transmits polarized light through the thin section. It has the ability to rotate the thin section slide.

Donut-shaped ring of particles outside the orbit of Neptune

Kuiper Belt

To appreciate the relationship noted above, label the following on the image: mountains, coastal plain, continental shelf, and abyssal plain.

Left to right: Mountains, Coastal Plain, Continental Shelf, Abyssal Plain

Determine which properties go with which areas in the crust and upper mantle.

Lithosphere: composed of rigid upper mantle and crust Oceanic Crust: rocky layer composed of basalt, approximately 3-10 km thick Continental crust: layer composed of granitic rock; approximately 70km at its thickest

Using the earthquake location map below, select all of the locations that represent plate boundaries.

Location 1, Location 2, Location 4, Location 6

Identify the following substances as mineral, mineral simulant, or non-mineral.

Mineral: gypsum, corundum, aragonite, graphite Mineral simulant: hematine, cubic, zirconia Non-mineral: menthol, sugar, DNA, glass

Spherical layer of icy objects surrounding the Solar System

Oort cloud

Sort the characteristics typical of continental and oceanic crust into the correct categories below.

Oceanic Crust: shallow Moho, thin, higher density Continental Crust: thick, deep Moho, sits higher in the asthenosphere, deeper roots Both: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks on top

Identify statements true of Pangaea.

Rates of seafloor spreading in the Atlantic Ocean are compatible with what is known about the breakup of Pangaea. Pangaea was one of several supercontinents that have formed and broken up during Earth's history. The regional-scale folds visible in the Appalachian Mountains are remnants of Pangaea's formation

Lithospheric Mantle

Rigid, part of a tectonic plate, cannot flow, rocks cooler than 1,280 °C

oceanic convergence

Subduction, volcanism

Geological studies address a number of practical issues confronting society. A few are depicted here. Match the geolocial process shown with the appropriate label for the issue at hand.

Top left: Seismicity Top Right: Climate Change Bottom Left: Mineral Reserves Bottom Right: Deforestation

Located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

asteroid belt

Icy objects that follow an elliptical orbit

comets

continental collision

crustal thickening, mountain building

One of USGS's mission areas is Core Science Systems. This mission area doesn't focus on one specific Earth sphere but instead focuses on _______________ data into formats that are accessible for scientists and managers both in the United States and internationally.

translating