Geography 11-14 Quiz Questions

A 50-year flood has an annual exceedance probability of A. 2% B. 25% C. 5% D. 10% E. 50%

A. 2%

Most cratons date to the A. Precambrian eon B. Devonian period C. Paleozoic era D. Mesozoic era E. Paleocene epoch

A. Precambrian eon

Which of the following statements about Earth's core is not correct? A. The inner core is believed to be liquid and the outer core solid B. Scientists think the inner core formed before the outer core C. It is composed primarily of iron D. A third of the Earth's entire mass, but only a sixth of its volume lies in its core E. The inner, core, despite being well above melting temperature, remains solid due to tremendous pressure of overlying materials

A. The inner core is believed to be liquid and the outer core solid

Which of the following is an example of the principle of uniformitarianism? A. The processes by which streams carve valleys at present are the same as those that carved valleys 500 million years ago B. It is not possible to know how Earth processes have changed over time; therefore, it is not possible to deduce how Earth's ancient landforms evolved C. Prior to written history, knowledge of Earth history is largely unknowable D. Catastrophic events, such as major landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic episodes, are the primary drivers of geomorphological change E. The Earth's geological history is mostly uniform and homogenous, existing now as it mostly always has with the exception of minor recent changes

A. The processes by which streams carve valleys at present are the same as those that carved valleys 500 million years ago

Orogenesis refers to A. a general term for a mountain-building episode that thickens continental crust B. a general thinning of the crust C. the beginning of extensive faulting D. eroding away of surface material to expose a craton (continental shield) E. the creation of an escarpment during normal faulting

A. a general term for a mountain-building episode that thickens continental crust

Folded layers of rock can form a wavelike pattern of troughs and crests. The layers near the crest (i.e., the upward fold) form A. an anticline B. a thrust fault C. shear D. a syncline E. a tension zone

A. an anticline

Molten rock that pours forth on Earth's surface is called A. lava B. magma C. metamorphic D. intrusive E. pyroclastic

A. lava

What type of rock is derived from the bits and pieces of former rocks? A. sedimentary B. metamorphic C. hydrothermal D. mafic E. igneous

A. sedimentary

The sediment load consisting of fine-grained clastic particles help aloft in the stream is the A. suspended load B. bed load C. saltation D. flow load E. dissolved load

A. suspended load

Under pressure, rocks can bend and deform, and then spring back to their initial shape after pressure is released. This is known as A. the elastic-rebound theory B. continental drift C. orogeny D. folding E. plate tectonics

A. the elastic-rebound theory

Which of the following is incorrect regarding floodplains? A. Residual deposits from abandoned channels often result in meander scars in floodplains. B. They are characterized by rapids and low waterfalls. C. They are formed by recurrent flooding in the area adjacent to the stream D. They are generally low-lying areas E. Natural levees on either side of a stream are formed during times when the stream is at flood stage and overflows the bank

B. They are characterized by rapids and low waterfalls.

Refer to chapter 14 question 86 for picture A. The Mississippi River delta has widely spaced distributary channels extending long distances into the Gulf of Mexico. This is an example of a(n) ________ delta A. estuarine B. bird's-foot C. alluvial D. fluvial E, arcuate

B. bird's-foot

Sedimentary rock formed from dissolved minerals that precipitate out of water solution and build up to form rock are A. clastic B. chemical C. igneous D. inorganic E. organic

B. chemical

A large region where a craton is exposed at the surface is known as a A. continental platform B. continental shield C. composite zone D. terrane E. mountain mass

B. continental shield

All processes that cause reduction and rearrangement of landforms are included in the term A. evisceration B. denudation C. weathering D. mass movement E. erosion

B. denudation

Watersheds are defined by A. stream size and density B. drainage divides C. continental divides D. fluvial unites E. stream orders

B. drainage divides

A batholith forms from A. extrusive igneous rock B. intrusive igneous rock C. sediment accumulation in a depression D. clastic sedimentation E. metamorphic rock

B. intrusive igneous rock

Continuing dissolution and collapse may lead the coalescing of sinkholes to form a A. disappearing stream B. karst valley C. doline D. drip curtain E. rise

B. karst valley

The Andes of South America formed as a result of the Nazca plate subjecting beneath the South American plate. This is an example of ________ collision A. continental-plate-continental plate B. oceanic plate-continental plate C. oceanic plate-oceanic plate D. continental shield-craton E. terrane-craton

B. oceanic plate-continental plate

A(n) _______ is a meander that becomes isolated from the rest of the river A. cutback B. oxbow lake C. cutoff D. undercut bank E. point bar

B. oxbow lake

The three most abundant elements in Earth's crust are A. magnesium, potassium, and oxygen B. oxygen, silicon, and aluminum C. iron, aluminum, and calcium D. potassium, sodium, and iron E. magnesium, iron, and calcium

B. oxygen, silicon, and aluminum

Which of the following is incorrectly matched? A. compression - shortening or folding B. shearing - stretching or faulting C. tension - stretching or faulting D. tension - normal fault E. folding - compressional stress

B. shearing - stretching or faulting

In stream formation, surface water initially moves down slope in a thin film called A. gully B. sheetflow C. interfluve D. river E. rill

B. sheetflow

Which of the following is not a class of mass movement? A. flow B. slip C. slide D. fall E. creep

B. slip

Which of the following is not used to rate an earthquake on the moment magnitude scale? A. the amount of fault slippage that occurred B. the amount of death and destruction that occurred C. the size of the subsurface or surface area that ruptured D. the nature of the ground materials affected by the quake E. extreme ground acceleration

B. the amount of death and destruction that occurred

Plants are important to the development of karst primarily because A. the decay of large roots below the surface produces cavities which eventually enlarge to form caves B. they supply organic acids that enhance the dissolution process C. they lessen the impact of raindrops on the surface so the water can more rapidly flow into stream channels D. they provide the calcium carbonate necessary for karst topography to form E. openings adjacent to their roots serve as micro channels that allow water to enter the rock

B. they supply organic acids that enhance the dissolution process

Carbonation, in terms of chemical weathering, occurs when A. carbon dioxide gas in water is dissolved under high pressure B. water vapor dissolves carbon dioxide, yielding precipitation that contains carbonic acid C. carbon dioxide combines with hydrogen to form hydrocarbons that can weather rock and other materials D. carbon dioxide interacts with calcium hydroxide and hydrates calcium silicates E. any chemical reaction involving carbon dioxide occurs in the soil

B. water vapor dissolves carbon dioxide, yielding precipitation that contains carbonic acid

_________ are sites of upwelling of magma from the mantle independent of plate boundaries A. Transform faults B. Subduction zones C. Hot spots D. Plate boundaries E. Mid-ocean ridges

C. Hot spots

The main process contributing material in solution in sediment load is A. deposition B. erosion C. chemical weathering D. physical weathering E. biological weathering

C. chemical weathering

When pressure is removed from overlying rock, the pressure of deep burial is relieved, initiating pressure-release jointing. The joints then separate into curved slabs. This is known as A. salt crystal growth B. spheroidal weathering C. exfoliation D. crystallization E. frost wedging

C. exfoliation

The fact that water expands as much as 9% of its volume as it freezes is the basis of A. hydrolysis B. oxidization C. frost wedging D. salt crystal growth E. exfoliation

C. frost wedging

Which of the following is not a type of physical weathering process? A. exfoliation B. thermal expansion C. hydrolysis D. frost wedging E. salt crystal growth

C. hydrolysis

Effusive eruptions are not related to which of the following A. gently sloping shield volcanoes B. low-viscosity magma C. magma rick in silica and aluminum D. relatively gentle eruptions E. magma rick in iron and magnesium

C. magma rick in silica and aluminum

Refer to chapter 14 question 17 for picture This drainage pattern results when streams flow off a central peak or dome A. trellis B. annular C. radial D. rectangular E. deranged

C. radial

A gently sloping mountain landform built from effusive eruption is known as a A. pluton B. caldera C. shield volcano D. cinder cone E. crater

C. shield volcano

As a stream's competence decreases, which of the following sediments would be deposited last? A. gravel B. boulders C. silt D. pebbles E. sand

C. silt

Inclined surfaces that form the boundaries of landforms are known as A. viewsheds B. regoliths C. slopes D. free face E. catchments

C. slopes

The scientific study of rock strata (layers) is known as ________ and based on the principle of _________ A. Paleogeography; plate tectonics B. Paleotology; catastrophism C. stratigraphy; superposition D. geomorphology; uniformitarianism E. sedimentology; deposition

C. stratigraphy; superposition

Refer to chapter 12 question 29 for diagram When lateral shear causes horizontal movement along a fault plane, the resulting fault is called a A. lateral fault B. normal fault C. strike-slip fault D. thirst fault E. folded fault

C. strike-slip fault

During the past 4 million years, _________ geomagnetic reversals have occurred. A. 1,000 B. 25 C. 100 D. 9 E. 50

D. 9

The river with the greatest discharge is the A. Orinoco B. Ganges C. Yangtze D. Amazon E. Mississippi

D. Amazon

The transition zone from the upper mantle to the crust is known as the ________ discontinuity A. asthenosphere B. crustal C. Gutenberg D. Mohorovii E. lithosphere

D. Mohorovii

Refer to chapter 11, question 8 for diagram Which of the following is correct regarding the geologic time scale? A. Modern humans live in the Tertiary period B. The Jurassic period occurred during the Paleozoic era C. Flowering plants emerged in the Precambrian D. The bulk of Earth's history has occurred during the Precambrian eon E. Over 87 percent of Earth's history has elapsed during the more recent Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic eras

D. The bulk of Earth's history has occurred during the Precambrian eon

Limestone formed from the shells of marine organisms is an example of _________ sedimentary rock A. contact B. inorganic C. clastic D. biochemical E. extrusive

D. biochemical

Excess sediment may result in which of the following channel patterns? A. straight, steep-walled channels B. meandering stream C. deeply entrenched U-shaped valleys D. braided stream E. V-shaped valleys

D. braided stream

Mounting evidence indicates that the dramatic increase in the number of earthquakes in the central United States is caused by A. large wind turbine farms B. global climate change C. the re-awakening of a long dormant fault D. deep wastewater injection wells E. geothermal energy production

D. deep wastewater injection wells

A stream's volume of flow per unit of time is its A. speed B. velocity C. flow rate D. discharge E. base load

D. discharge

The angle of repose represent a balance between the driving force and resisting force. Which of the following is the driving force? A. shear B. inertia C. friction D. gravity E. cohesion

D. gravity

Chemical weathering is greatest under conditions of A. higher rainfall, but lower temperatures B. lower rainfall and temperatures C. near absence of rainfall, but higher temperatures D. higher rainfall and temperatures E. lower rainfall, but higher temperatures

D. higher rainfall and temperatures

Refer to chapter 12 question 25 for diagram Tensional stress along a fault can result in a dropped hanging-wall block relative to the footwall side, producing a A. reverse fault B. lateral fault C. strike-slip fault D. normal fault E. thrust fault

D. normal fault

Refer to chapter 13 question 78 for picture The photograph shows an example of which mass movement process? A. creep B. landslide C. solifluction D. scarification E. debris flows

D. scarification

The most recent epoch in the geologic time scale is the _______, though numerous scientists agree we have entered a new epoch called the _______ A. Pleistocene; Holocene B. Miocene; Pliocene C. Oligocene; Miocene D. Pliocene; Pleistocene E. Holocene; Anthropocene

E. Holocene; Anthropocene

________ is the coherent theory that describes the motion of the Earth's lithosphere and associated processes and results A. Metamorphism B. Pangaea C. Contact metamorphism D. Sea floor spreading E. Plate tectonics

E. Plate tectonics

Which of the following may act as a local base level? A. a drainage divide B. an interfluve C. the headwaters D. the upper surface of a waterfall E. a lake that a river flows into

E. a lake that a river flows into

The geologic cycle is fueled by A. solar energy, only B. neither solar energy and the Earth's internal heat C. the Earth's internal heat, only D. the hydrologic cycle, only E. both solar energy and the Earth's internal heat

E. both solar energy and the Earth's internal heat

A ________ is a mixture of water and loosely consolidated sediment, such as gravels, boulders, and coarse rock fragments, moving downslope A. slump B. creep C. landslide D. rockfall E. debris fall

E. debris fall

Which of the following can lead to the slope failure that causes mass movement? A. saturation from rainfall B. volcanic eruptions C. earthquakes D. oversteepening of the slope E. saturation, oversteepening of slopes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions

E. saturation, oversteepening of slopes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions

The ultimate base level is A. any hard, resistant rock in a channel B. a drainage divide C. dependent on the geological substrate D. a dam E. sea level

E. sea level

A slow persistent mass movement of surface soil is called A. a rockfall B. a soil slide C. a debris avalanche D. slump E. soil creep

E. soil creep

Pulverized rock and clastic materials ejected violently during an eruption are called A. explosive debris B. cinders C. scoria D. volcanic ash E. tephra, or pyroclastics

E. tephra, or pyroclastics