GEOLOGY 1100 MIZZOU APPOLD QUIZ ANSWERS
9. A high grade metamorphic rock that has undergone partial melting is called 1. marble 2. migmatite 3. mylonite 4. metaconglomerate 5. mafic
migmatite
10. Which of the following geologic settings would most likely produce the greatest amount of rock deformation? 1. a swamp 2. a convergent plate boundary 3. an interior region of a tectonic plate (e.g. the Midwest of the United States) that is far from any plate boundaries 4. the abyssal plain of the ocean 5. a divergent plate boundary
a convergent plate boundary
17. The feature to which the arrow in the figure below is pointing is 1. a dike 2. a sill 3. a laccolith 4. a xenolith 5. a pyroclast
a dike
11. The heat and light from most stars is produced by 1. a fusion reaction of hydrogen to helium 2. a fission reaction of uranium to lead 3. radioactive decay by beta emission 4. gravitational compression 5. electromagnetism
a fusion reaction of hydrogen to helium
1. The sediments shown in the schematic cross section below http://commons.wvc.edu/rdawes/G101OCL/Basics/gradedbedding.gif) were most likely deposited in 1. a meandering stream 2. an alluvial fan 3. a delta 4. front of a glacier 5. a deep lake
a meandering stream
3. The structure shown in the vertical cross section below (http://mamontoff.org/SCIENCE%20fault%20reverse%2005-01_reverse_fault-jyougashima_DSC8766.jpg) is an example of 1. a normal fault 2. a reverse fault 3. an anticline 4. a strike-slip fault 5. a syncline
a reverse fault
9. An unconformity represents 1. a time of particularly rapid sediment deposition 2. a period of flooding by the sea 3. a rock layer that has been deformed 4. a time gap in the geologic record 5. the oldest rock layer in a sequence
a time gap in the geologic record
7. Referring to the figure below, the feature labeled B represents 1. a back-arc basin 2. a volcanic arc 3. a mid-ocean ridge 4. a fore-arc basin 5. a fore-arc ridge
a volcanic arc
7. Sediment that has undergone a high degree of both chemical and physical weathering is typically enriched in which of the following minerals? 1. biotite mica 2. amphibole 3. olivine 4. talc 5. quartz
quartz
Placing rocks and geologic events in their proper sequence without necessarily knowing their numeric ages is referred to as 1. absolute dating 2. relative dating 3. blind dating
relative dating
1. Which of the following is not true of continental rifts? 1. they represent incipient divergent tectonic plate boundaries 2. continental rifting typically occurs in a three-armed pattern 3. the Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya volcanoes are products of rifting in east Africa 4. rifting has so far never occurred on the North American continent 5. continental rifting likely initiates where heat builds up beneath continental lithosphere
rifting has so far never occurred on the North American continent
5. A rock formed from the weathered products of pre-existing rocks is called 1. igneous 2. metamorphic 3. sedimentary 4. volcanic 5. elementary
sedimentary
11. Information about past conditions at the surface of the Earth (e.g. climate, topography, plant and animal life) would most likely best be preserved by 1. intrusive igneous rocks 2. metamorphic rocks 3. sedimentary rocks 4. magma 5. Earth's atmosphere
sedimentary rocks
14. Which of the following rocks is composed of the smallest clasts? 1. sandstone 2. siltstone 3. shale 4. conglomerate 5. breccia
shale
14. The Acadian orogeny was a mountain-building event in the ___________ Mountains. 1. Rocky 2. Himalayan 3. Ural 4. Andes 5. Appalachian
Appalachian
4. Which of the following mountain ranges has its origin incorrectly represented? 1. Rocky Mountains: convergence of the Farallon and North American plates 2. Cascade Mountains: convergence of the Juan de Fuca and North American plates 3. Himalayas: convergence of India with the Eurasian plate 4. Alps: convergence of the African and Eurasian plates 5. Appalachians: convergence of the North American and Australian plates
Appalachians: convergence of the North American and Australian plates
6. Which of the following statements about seismic waves is false? 1. seismic waves can be reflected when they encounter boundaries between rock layers that possess different acoustic impedance values 2. seismic waves can be refracted (bent) when they encounter boundaries between rock layers that possess different acoustic impedance values 3. S waves cannot travel through liquids 4. seismic waves are useful for identifying rock layers within the Earth 5. S waves and P waves typically travel at the same velocity
S waves and P waves typically travel at the same velocity
5. Which of the following is an example of a transform plate boundary? 1. San Andreas Fault in California 2. Aleutian Islands, Alaska 3. Lesser Antilles Islands, eastern Caribbean Sea 4. Ural Mountains in Russia 5. Andes Mountains in western South America
San Andreas Fault in California
6. Which of the following minerals is a common product of chemical weathering? 1. diamond 2. plagioclase feldspar 3. pyroxene 4. olivine 5. clay
clay
2. Subduction does not occur at which of the following types of convergent plate boundaries? 1. convergence between two plates of oceanic lithosphere 2. convergence between oceanic lithosphere and continental lithosphere 3. convergence between two plates of continental lithosphere
convergence between two plates of continental lithosphere
15. Which of the following bond types leads to the highest hardness in minerals? 1. ionic 2. van der Waals 3. covalent 4. metallic
covalent
4. Which of the following is not a distinct physical layer of the Earth? 1. inner core 2. outer core 3. asthenosphere 4. lithosphere 5. crust
crust
6. Which of the following is not an important mechanism for magma formation in the Earth? 1. increasing rock temperature 2. decreasing rock pressure 3. increasing the water content of rock 4. decreasing the air content of rock
decreasing the air content of rock
17. The type of deformation that the rocks have undergone in the image below consists chiefly of 1. displacement 2. distortion 3. rotation
displacement
12. The image below shows a pattern of circularly outcropping rocks, where the oldest rocks are in the center and the rocks become progressively younger outward. This map pattern most likely indicates which of the following structures? 1. basin 2. dome 3. diapir 4. meteorite impact crater 5. monocline
dome
1. A rock that has undergone a change in shape as a result of an applied stress, but that will return to its original shape after the stress has been removed is said to be 1. ductile 2. brittle 3. elastic 4. plastic 5. diapiric
elastic
5. Which of the following is the correct sequence of deformation styles that a rock will exhibit as the amount of stress applied to the rock is increased? 1. brittle→ductile→elastic 2. elastic→ductile→brittle 3. ductile→brittle→elastic 4. brittle→elastic→ductile 5. ductile→elastic→brittle
elastic→ductile→brittle
16. The aerial photograph below shows a coastline with open ocean at the top of the photograph, land at the bottom of the photograph, and several shallow inlets or bays of ocean water, the largest of which is labeled. These ocean inlets would be favorable for the formation of what type of rock? 1. granite 2. evaporites 3. conglomerate 4. breccia 5. basalt
evaporites
18. All geologic processes take place very slowly. 1. true 2. false
false
18. Igneous rocks have never formed in Missouri 1. true 2. false
false
According to the rock cycle, only igneous rock, not sedimentary rock, can be transformed into metamorphic rock 1. true 2. false
false
11. Magma produced by partial melting of diorite (intermediate composition rock) would be most likely to have what composition? 1. ultramafic 2. mafic 3. felsic 4. any of the above with equal probability
felsic
4. Which of the following magma compositions is the most viscous? 1. ultramafic 2. mafic 3. intermediate 4. felsic
felsic
16. Which of the following is not a description of crystal form? 1. cube 2. octahedron 3. rhombohedron 4. scalenohedron 5. fibrous
fibrous
19. Dolostone 1. is a clastic sedimentary rock 2. forms by alteration or replacement of limestone by magnesium-rich fluids 3. is a fine-grained evaporite 4. forms as a result of an increase in the pressure of seawater 5. forms from the buried remains of plant material
forms by alteration or replacement of limestone by magnesium-rich fluids
1. Which of the following processes did not contribute significantly to the early heating of the Earth that led to the Earth's differentiation? 1. friction caused by the motion of the Earth's tectonic plates 2. striking of the Earth by planetesimals and conversion of kinetic energy to heat energy 3. compression and volume reduction of the Earth due to gravity 4. radioactive decay of uranium, thorium, and potassium 5. the large scale sinking of iron toward the center of the Earth and conversion of gravitational potential energy to heat
friction caused by the motion of the Earth's tectonic plates
2. The cross beds shown in the top part of the photograph below were most like formed by a current flowing 1. from left to right 2. from right to left 3. up 4. down 5. in random directions
from left to right
15. Why does high magma viscosity increase the likelihood of an explosive eruption? 1. viscous magmas tend to have high concentrations of explosive chemicals like nitro glycerin 2. gases are not able to flow through and escape viscous magmas as easily as fluid magmas, allowing large pressure differences to develop between viscous magmas and their surroundings 3. higher viscosity magmas tend to be hotter than more fluid magmas, giving viscous magmas more energy for explosions 4. high viscosity magmas tend to have high concentrations of the element uranium, which commonly undergoes nuclear fission as the magma nears the Earth's surface, leading to a nuclear explosion 5. no scientific explanation for this relationship has yet been found
gases are not able to flow through and escape viscous magmas as easily as fluid magmas, allowing large pressure differences to develop between viscous magmas and their surroundings
12. Which of the following two igneous rocks have the same composition and differ only in terms of crystal size? 1. peridotite and andesite 2. granite and rhyolite 3. gabbro and andesite 4. diorite and komatiite 5. granite and peridotite
granite and rhyolite
12. According to mathematical solutions of Einstein's field equations for the theory of relativity, the material universe 1. has oscillated in size over time 2. has shrunk in size over time 3. has expanded in size over time 4. has remained constant in size over time 5. has varied randomly in size over time
has expanded in size over time
8. An igneous rock like the one in the figure below 1. has vesicular texture 2. formed from a gas-poor magma 3. formed as a result of instantaneous freezing of melt 4. could only form deep below the surface of the Earth
has vesicular texture
The two main sources of energy that drive most of Earth's geologic change are 1. heat energy from the sun and from the interior of the Earth 2. gravitational energy imparted by the moon and the sun 3. kinetic energy from the Earth's rotation on its axis and from its revolution around the sun 4. electrical and magnetic energy generated by the Earth's magnetic field 5. hydraulic energy from tides in the oceans and the flow of rivers and streams
heat energy from the sun and from the interior of the Earth
2. Ductile rheology in rocks is promoted by 1. low temperature 2. fast strain rate 3. high confining pressure 4. high mineral hardness on the Moh's scale 5. low water content
high confining pressure
14. Which of the following is true of the Earth's mantle? 1. it is motionless 2. it is thought to convect, contributing to the motion of Earth's tectonic plates 3. it is composed of rock that has on average the same density and composition as the rocks of the Earth's crust 4. it is entirely liquid 5. no samples of the mantle have ever been brought to the Earth's surface by any geologic process
it is thought to convect, contributing to the motion of Earth's tectonic plates
3. Magma that has reached the surface of the Earth is called 1. tephra 2. lava 3. tuff 4. melt 5. xenolith
lava
4. Eight chemical elements comprise about 98.5% of the mass of the crust. Which of the following is not one of these "geochemically abundant elements?" 1. silicon 2. lead 3. oxygen 4. aluminum 5. iron
lead
6. The current that formed the ripple marks shown below was flowing from (a. in http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/62600/62685/62685_ripple_marks_lg.gif) 1. left to right 2. right to left 3. up 4. down 5. back and forth (from left to right and from right to left)
left to right
17. Which of the following is typically formed as a result of precipitation from seawater due to an increase in temperature? 1. limestone 2. mudstone 3. halite 4. chert 5. komatiite
limestone
18. Marble is typically formed as a result of the metamorphism of 1. evaporites 2. basalt 3. granite 4. limestone 5. shale
limestone
20. Which of the following statements about magmatic gases is false? 1. mafic magmas tend to have higher gas contents than felsic magmas 2. when magmatic gases come into contact with water, the water typically becomes acidic 3. water vapor and carbon dioxide are typically the most abundant gases in magmas 4. magmas that have high gas contents are more likely to erupt explosively than magmas that have low gas contents 5. volcanic gas emissions have influenced Earth's climate over time
mafic magmas tend to have higher gas contents than felsic magmas
8. Which of the following is not thought to contribute to the motion of the Earth's tectonic plates? 1. downward slope of the lithosphere between mid-ocean ridges and oceanic trenches 2. wedging of ascending magma between diverging plates 3. magnetic attraction between the Earth's liquid outer core and the lithosphere 4. increasing density of the plate with increasing distance from the divergent plate boundary 5. convective motion of the Earth's mantle
magnetic attraction between the Earth's liquid outer core and the lithosphere
15. In the figure below, 1. A is older than B 2. D is older than A 3. G is oldest 4. H is older than E 5. A is older than D
. A is older than D
9. The most widely accepted date for the Big Bang is about _______ years ago. 1. 13.7 billion 2. 1 billion 3. 120 million 4. 74 million 5. 11,000
13.7 billion
20. If 16 radioactive parent atoms decayed to half of their original number after one year, how many radioactive parent atoms would be left after two years? 1. 4 2. 2 3. 1 4. 0 5. 8
4
3. The age of the Earth currently most widely accepted by the geologic community is 1. 1 trillion years 2. 4.6 billion years 3. 100 million years 4. 35 million years 5. 157,000 years
4.6 billion years
15. A typical rate of tectonic plate motion is approximately 1. 5 millimeters per million years 2. 5 centimeters per year 3. 5 meters per year 4. 5 kilometers per year 5. 5 kilometers per hour
5 centimeters per year
12. Atoms tend to be particularly stable when their outermost electron shell contains how many electrons? 1. 6 2. 7 3. 8 4. 9 5. 10
8
Which of the following statements about Earth's tectonic plates is false? 1. Earth's tectonic plates have remained stationary over time 2. the Earth's tectonic plates occur in the Earth's lithosphere 3. the boundaries between Earth's tectonic plates tend to be regions of particularly intense geological activity 4. Earth's tectonic plates vary greatly in size 5. the existence of Earth's tectonic plates is in part a result of the internal heat of the Earth
Earth's tectonic plates have remained stationary over time
10. The break-up of the supercontinent, Pangea, initially produced two smaller supercontinents. The northern supercontinent is called 1. Amerope 2. Glossopteris 3. Tethys 4. Gondwana 5. Laurasia
Laurasia
17. The image below (http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/study/Images/StrikeSlipLLFault.gif) contains a 1. Normal fault 2. Dip-slip fault 3. Reverse fault 4. Left lateral strike-slip fault 5. Right lateral strike-slip fault
Left lateral strike-slip fault
4. ___________ dating is the task of placing rock units and geologic events in their proper sequence. 1. Absolute 2. Relative 3. Sequence 4. Radiometric 5. Blind
Relative
19. The lava flow shown in the foreground of the photograph below is an example of 1. pahoehoe 2. aa 3. bb 4. pillow lava 5. ash
aa
12. The formation of sedimentary rocks involves 1. weathering of preexisting rock 2. transportation of rock fragments or matter dissolved in water (solute) 3. deposition of rock fragments or precipitation of solutes 4. burial and diagenesis 5. all of the above
all of the above
15. Metamorphic rocks are exposed at the Earth's surface mainly in 1. current or former mountain belts 2. continental shields 3. regions of deeply incised crust 4. all of the above 5. none of the above
all of the above
15. The longer sediment has been transported before it is deposited and lithified into a sedimentary rock 1. the smaller the sediment particles 2. the more rounded the sediment particles 3. the better the sorting of the sediment particles 4. all of the above 5. none of the above
all of the above
17. Which of the following is associated with divergent tectonic plate boundaries? 1. mid-ocean ridges 2. rising mantle rock and magma formation 3. black smokers, i.e. vents that discharge super-heated seawater 4. fissures in the oceanic lithosphere 5. all of the above
all of the above
2. Magmas and igneous rocks typically form at 1. convergent plate boundaries 2. divergent plate boundaries 3. continental rifts 4. hot spots 5. all of the above
all of the above
20. Chemical and physical weathering are commonly complementary because 1. physical weathering increases the surface area of rock that can be attacked chemically 2. chemical weathering commonly alters the rock to softer minerals that can be weathered more easily physically 3. the minerals making up chemically weathered rock are not as well consolidated, making the rock easier to weather physically 4. all of the above 5. none of the above
all of the above
20. Differences in the composition of Earth's atmosphere compared to that of Mars and Venus is probably caused by 1. the presence of life on Earth 2. the widespread presence of liquid water on the surface of the Earth, which has pulled some gases out of Earth's atmosphere and dissolved them 3. all of the above 4. none of the above
all of the above
5. Bedding structures in sedimentary rocks can be caused by 1. changes in the environment in which the sediment was being deposited 2. changes in the speed of the fluid that was transporting the sediments 3. changes in the sediment source 4. all of the above 5. none of the above
all of the above
5. The ability of water to act as an agent of chemical weathering is commonly enhanced by the addition of CO2 from __________ to the water to form carbonic acid. 1. the atmosphere 2. soils 3. all of the above 4. none of the above
all of the above
5. Which of the following factors contributes to high magma viscosity? 1. high silica content 2. low water content 3. low temperature 4. all of the above 5. none of the above
all of the above
7. Which of the following is a type of evidence for the presence of a fault? 1. offset or displacement in rock layers 2. topographic discontinuities 3. breccia 4. slickensides 5. all of the above
all of the above
9. Continental landmasses on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean 1. appear as if they could fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle 2. contain some similar rock formations that look as if they could once have been connected 3. contain fossils of some identical land animals and plants that could not easily have arisen independently on opposite sides of the ocean 4. all of the above 5. none of the above
all of the above
Which of the following is a concern of the science of geology? 1. understanding the materials that make up the Earth 2. understanding Earth's history 3. understanding the processes that shape and alter the Earth 4. locating and extracting economically valuable mineral and energy resources 5. all of the above
all of the above
8. The sedimentary rock package shown in the figure below represents 1. a disconformity 2. a dike 3. an angular unconformity 4. a nonconformity 5. a misconformity
an angular unconformity
18. The geologic structure shown in the vertical cross section below is an example of 1. a syncline 2. an anticline 3. a monocline 4. a basin 5. a graben
an anticline
11. The simplest, most fundamental unit of composition of matter is 1. an alpha particle 2. an element 3. a substance 4. a mineral 5. a chemical
an element
19. The Principle of Inclusions states that 1. an inclusion is always the same age as the rock matrix in which it is contained 2. an inclusion is always older than the rock matrix that encloses it 3. the largest inclusions in a rock are always the youngest 4. the smaller the inclusion the more recently it was incorporated into the rock 5. an inclusion must be younger than the rock matrix that surrounds it
an inclusion is always older than the rock matrix that encloses it
13. A chemical bond formed as a result of the transfer of electrons between two or more atoms is called 1. an ionic bond 2. a van der Waals bond 3. a metallic bond 4. a covalent bond 5. a nuclear bond
an ionic bond
12. Which of the following was a flaw in Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift? 1. Wegener believed that gravitational forces from the Moon cause the continents to move 2. Wegener believed that the continents plow their way through stationary oceanic crust 3. Wegener believed that animals like mesosaurus, lystrosaurus, and cynognathus were capable of swimming across wide ocean basins like the Atlantic and Indian Oceans 4. answers 1 and 2 5. answers 1, 2, and 3
answers 1 and 2
10. Which of the following statements about minerals is false? 1. they cannot be liquids or gases 2. they must possess an ordered crystal structure 3. minerals cannot be formed solely through biologic processes (i.e. by living organisms) 4. at least two different kinds of minerals are needed to make a rock 5. they must be able to be formed by natural geologic processes
at least two different kinds of minerals are needed to make a rock
13. Which of the following statements about basalt is false? 1. basalt is the dominant rock type of the upper oceanic crust 2. pyroxene and plagioclase feldspar are major mineral constituents of basalt 3. basalt may have pahoehoe texture 4. basalt generally forms from magma extruded at or near the Earth's surface 5. basalt has felsic composition
basalt has felsic composition
10. Light emitted from an object in the direction opposite that of the object's motion would 1. be shifted toward the red end of the spectrum 2. have a shortened wavelength 3. be dimmed 4. look the same as light emitted from a stationary object 5. be brightened
be shifted toward the red end of the spectrum
12. Which of the following metamorphic facies would develop at high pressures and low temperatures, such as in the accretionary prism (forearc ridge) at a convergent plate boundary? 1. blue schist 2. granulite 3. hornfels 4. amphibolite
blue schist
18. The solids most commonly precipitated by water-dwelling organisms in order to build their shells and skeletons are 1. calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and silica (SiO2) 2. sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl) 3. iron disulfide (FeS2) and iron oxide (FeO) 4. calcium sulfate (CaSO4) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) 5. potassium feldspar (KAlSi3O8) and kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4)
calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and silica (SiO2)
10. Soils in tropical (i.e. hot and wet) climates commonly have low fertility because 1. the population of living organisms is too low to provide much organic matter for soils 2. high temperatures and high rainfall cause most of the nutrients of the soils to be leached out 3. too little mechanical weathering occurs in tropical climates to provide mineral matter for soils 4. the soils tend to very thin 5. the soils do not contain enough air
high temperatures and high rainfall cause most of the nutrients of the soils to be leached out
16. The Principle of Uniformitarianism 1. holds that geologic change in the Earth is caused primarily by sudden and dramatic catastrophes that may not necessarily have modern analogs 2. holds that the same geologic processes we recognize in action today have been operating throughout the Earth's history to create the features we see in the geologic record 3. states that rocks are always initially deposited in a horizontal orientation 4. states that all rocks have more or less uniform properties 5. states that the Earth is gradually becoming more geologically homogeneous over time
holds that the same geologic processes we recognize in action today have been operating throughout the Earth's history to create the features we see in the geologic record
9. Which of the following statements about "hot spots" is false? 1. the Hawaiian Islands were formed by a hot spot 2. the volcanic rocks and geysers at Yellowstone National Park are products of a hot spot 3. hot spots are formed by narrowly focused plumes of rising hot mantle rock that melt the overlying lithosphere 4. hot spots are typically stationary or move more slowly relative to the overriding tectonic plates 5. hot spots occur only at tectonic plate boundaries
hot spots occur only at tectonic plate boundaries
20. The world's deadliest earthquakes have caused fatalities numbering in the 1. dozens 2. hundreds 3. thousands 4. tens of thousands 5. hundreds of thousands
hundreds of thousands
11. Folds in rocks typically form 1. in response to tensional stresses (i.e. where rocks are being pulled apart) 2. where rocks have a brittle rheology 3. in response to compressional stresses (i.e. where rocks are being squeezed together) 4. from pyroclastic volcanic eruptions 5. where rocks are undergoing physical weathering
in response to compressional stresses (i.e. where rocks are being squeezed together)
6. The world's deepest earthquakes tend to occur 1. at divergent plate boundaries 2. at transform plate boundaries 3. in subduction zones at convergent plate boundaries 4. far from tectonic plate boundaries 5. in random locations(earthquakes are not associated with any known geologic features or processes)
in subduction zones at convergent plate boundaries
3. Coal typically forms 1. in glaciers 2. in deserts 3. in volcanoes 4. on beaches 5. in swamps
in swamps
13. As metamorphic grade increases, the grain size in the metamorphic rock typically 1. decreases 2. increases 3. stays constant 4. varies randomly
increases
15. As a gas is compressed, its temperature 1. decreases 2. increases 3. stays constant 4. varies randomly
increases
19. Temperature generally __________ with increasing depth in the Earth. 1. decreases 2. increases 3. stays constant 4. varies randomly
increases
2. From the center of the Earth to the surface of the Earth, the correct order of Earth's physical layers is: 1. mesosphere → lithosphere → asthenosphere → hydrosphere → atmosphere 2. outer core → inner core → lithosphere → mesosphere → asthenosphere 3. core → mantle → crust 4. inner core → outer core → mesosphere → asthenosphere → lithosphere 5. inner core → middle core → outer core → lower mantle → upper mantle → crust
inner core → outer core → mesosphere → asthenosphere → lithosphere
8. Which of the following is not a mechanism by which metamorphic rock can be produced? 1. heating by a magma body 2. chemical reaction with hot water 3. interaction of soil with glacial melt water 4. burial in a sedimentary basin 5. burial at a convergent plate boundary
interaction of soil with glacial melt water
3. The two most abundant elements in the Earth's core are 1. silicon and oygen 2. hydrogen and helium 3. iron and nickel 4. magnesium and titanium 5. nitrogen and oxygen
iron and nickel
Which of the following is true of the mineral matter component of soil? 1. soil composed entirely of mineral matter typically can support abundant plant life 2. mineral matter is typically an important source of potassium, calcium, and magnesium in soil 3. mineral matter is typically an important source of carbon and nitrogen in soil 4. the mineral matter component of soil is called "humus" 5. on average the amount of mineral matter in soil is very small compared to the amount of organic matter, water, or air
mineral matter is typically an important source of potassium, calcium, and magnesium in soil
7. The pattern in the image below most likely represents 1. fossilized dinosaur footprints 2. a turbidite bed 3. mud cracks 4. fossilized worm burrows 5. fossil shells
mud cracks
14. Isotopes are atoms of an element that possess different numbers of 1. neutrons 2. electrons 3. protons 4. all of the above
neutrons
16. The symmetric pattern of seafloor magnetic intensity and polarity centered on mid-ocean ridges suggests that 1. new oceanic crust is being generated at mid-ocean ridges 2. old oceanic crust is being destroyed at mid-ocean ridges 3. the direction of the Earth's magnetic field lines has remained the same throughout Earth history 4. the composition of oceanic crust must fluctuate with increasing distance from mid-ocean ridges 5. the intensity and polarity of Earth's magnetic field fluctuates across mid-ocean ridges
new oceanic crust is being generated at mid-ocean ridges
9. Which of the following minerals crystallizes from magma at the highest temperatures? 1. olivine 2. potassium feldspar 3. muscovite mica 4. quartz 5. amphibole
olivine
14. Within a sequence of undisturbed sedimentary rock layers, where would the oldest layer be located? 1. on the bottom 2. on the top 3. in the middle 4. could be located anywhere in the sequence with equal probability
on the bottom
19. Which of the following layers in the Earth is liquid? 1. mesosphere 2. crust 3. outer core 4. lithosphere 5. mantle
outer core
3. A prison convict who is smashing big rocks with a sledge hammer to make little rocks would be acting as an agent of 1. diagenesis 2. chemical weathering 3. physical weathering 4. metamorphism 5. magmatism
physical weathering
11. Which of the following rock sequences correctly represents increasing metamorphic grade? 1. shale → gneiss → phyllite → slate → schist 2. schist → mudstone → phyllite → slate → gneiss 3. shale → slate → phyllite → schist → gneiss 4. slate → schist → shale → gneiss → phyllite 5. phyllite → mudstone → gneiss → slate → schist
shale → slate → phyllite → schist → gneiss
16. Which of the following types of volcanoes tends to have the shallowest (most gentle) slopes? 1. shield volcanoes 2. composite volcanoes (stratovolcanoes) 3. cinder cones
shield volcanoes
20. The presence of stishovite, coesite, and tektites in a rock would be evidence for the past existence of 1. a desert 2. an estuary 3. shock metamorphism, as from a meteorite impact 4. a continental rift 5. a playa lake
shock metamorphism, as from a meteorite impact
17. The most common minerals in the Earth's crust are ________ minerals. 1. halide 2. sulfide 3. oxide 4. silicate 5. carbonate
silicate
19. What silicate structure is represented by the diagram below? 1. framework 2. single chain 3. double chain 4. triple chain 5. sheet
single chain
18. Which of the following anions could be packed around a cation in the greatest number? 1. small anions that have a low electric charge 2. large anions that have a low electric charge 3. small anions that have a high electric charge 4. large anions that have a high electric charge
small anions that have a low electric charge
7. The faster a magma cools, the ________ the crystals will be in the resulting igneous rock. 1. larger 2. smaller 3. shinier 4. harder 5. denser
smaller
13. The compass direction of the line produced by the intersection of a rock layer or fault with a horizontal plane is called the 1. strike 2. skew 3. dip 4. flip 5. plunge
strike
2. The vast expanses of 150 to 80 million year old granite that form the core of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in eastern California are products of 1. a continental rift 2. a hot spot 3. subduction of the Farallon plate beneath North America 4. transform plate boundary motion between the North American and Pacific plates 5. a meteorite impact
subduction of the Farallon plate beneath North America
19. Sediments deposited on the abyssal plains of the oceans 1. tend to be very fine-grained 2. accumulate very rapidly 3. consist mainly of limestone 4. consist mainly of evaporites
tend to be very fine-grained
6. Normal faults are created by 1. tensional stresses 2. compressive stresses 3. shearing stresses 4. gravitational stresses 5. magnetic stresses
tensional stresses
20. In most minerals, silicon and oxygen typically combine to form a structure in the shape of a 1. cube 2. sphere 3. dodecahedron 4. rhombohedron 5. tetrahedron
tetrahedron
17. The reason why the surface of the Earth is less scarred by meteorite impact craters than the surfaces of other solar system bodies like the Moon, Mercury, or the asteroids is because 1. the surface of the Earth is very springy (elastic) compared to these other bodies and meteorites tend to bounce off the Earth without leaving much trace 2. the surface of the Earth is very soft compared to these other bodies and meteorites tend to be absorbed by the Earth without leaving much trace 3. the Earth has not experienced nearly as many meteorite impacts as these other bodies because the Earth's orbit has not often crossed the paths of meteors travelling through the solar system 4. the Earth is much more active geologically than these other bodies such that meteorite impact craters have largely been erased over time 5. the Earth is much younger than these other solar system bodies
the Earth is much more active geologically than these other bodies such that meteorite impact craters have largely been erased over time
8. According to the theory of plate tectonics 1. the position of the Earth's continents has remained the same over time 2. the Earth's plates have no significant effect on the planet's geology 3. the Earth's lithosphere consists of several discrete segments 4. the lithosphere cannot move over the asthenosphere 5. the Earth is expanding over time
the Earth's lithosphere consists of several discrete segments
13. Which of the following statements about the Earth's magnetic field is false? 1. its inclination varies as a function of latitude and can be used to determine the past locations of rocks 2. its polarity (direction) has reversed numerous times in Earth's history 3. some rocks are able to become magnetized by the Earth's magnetic field when they form 4. the observation of symmetric patterns of rock magnetism centered on mid-ocean ridges was important in developing the modern theory of plate tectonics 5. the Earth's magnetic field arises because of convection of rock in the Earth's crust
the Earth's magnetic field arises because of convection of rock in the Earth's crust
10. As magma cools and the precipitating crystals are separated from the residual melt, how does the composition of the residual melt change? 1. the composition of the residual melt moves toward the felsic end of the compositional spectrum 2. the composition of the residual melt moves toward the ultramafic end of the compositional spectrum 3. the composition of the residual melt changes randomly 4. the composition of the residual melt stays constant (does not change) as the magma cools
the composition of the residual melt moves toward the felsic end of the compositional spectrum
3. Magma formation at convergent plate boundaries is caused by 1. frictional heating as the subducting plate rubs against the overlying plate 2. the evaporation of water in the subducting plate which produces steam that infuses rock in the overlying plate and lowers its melting temperature 3. the drop in pressure experienced by rising hot mantle rock 4. anomalously high concentrations of radioactive isotopes of uranium, thorium, and potassium that generate large amounts of heat 5. increased temperatures generated by compression of the two colliding plates
the evaporation of water in the subducting plate which produces steam that infuses rock in the overlying plate and lowers its melting temperature
10. Which of the following does not contribute to the formation of foliation in metamorphic rock? 1. rotation of platy and elongate minerals 2. application of differential stress 3. crystal deformation 4. the growth of highly equant crystals (i.e. crystals whose dimensions are about equal in all directions) 5. recrystallization, where crystals dissolve in one direction but grow in another
the growth of highly equant crystals (i.e. crystals whose dimensions are about equal in all directions)
16. How would a metamorphic quartzite differ from a sedimentary quartzite (i.e. quartz sandstone)? 1. metamorphic quartzite would be more likely to contain well preserved fossils 2. the quartz grains in the metamorphic quartzite would be more tightly interlocking, leaving less pore space 3. metamorphic quartzite would be more likely to have a layered texture 4. metamorphic quartzite would be more likely to show cross bedding 5. metamorphic quartzite would be more likely than sedimentary quartzite to be found in the presence of shale and limestone
the quartz grains in the metamorphic quartzite would be more tightly interlocking, leaving less pore space
4. Exhumation of a rock body leads to mechanical weathering because 1. the removal of overlying rock reduces pressure on the rock body, causing it to expand and fracture 2. exposure to rain at the Earth's surface causes the rock body to begin to dissolve 3. exposure to air at the Earth's surface causes the rock body to dry out and to fracture 4. exposure to direct sunlight at the Earth's surface heats the rock body, causing it to expand and fracture 5. the rock body would feel increased gravitational attraction from the sun and moon, causing the rock body to stretch and fracture
the removal of overlying rock reduces pressure on the rock body, causing it to expand and fracture
14. Which of the following statements about the solar system is false? 1. the outer planets are composed mainly of volatile materials whereas the inner planets are composed mainly of rocky materials because temperature decreases with increasing distance from the sun 2. the inner planets are small compared to the outer planets because the inner planets are made of elements that are comparatively rare in the universe and difficult to form 3. the planets in the solar system are thought to have formed by a process of accretion 4. the solar system is thought to have formed in the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang 5. the material that today makes up the solar system is thought originally to have broken off from one of the spiral, rotating arms of the Milky Way galaxy
the solar system is thought to have formed in the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang
8. The rate and magnitude of the weathering of rocks increase 1. the cooler the temperature 2. the harder the minerals making up the rock 3. the wetter the climate 4. the flatter, more horizontal the slope of the environment 5. the finer the grain size of the rock
the wetter the climate
11. The presence of Late Paleozoic-age glacier-formed sedimentary rocks in southern Africa, southern South America, India, and Australia suggest that 1. these landmasses existed at significantly higher overall elevations during the Late Paleozoic 2. these landmasses existed closer to the south pole during the Late Paleozoic 3. water froze at higher temperatures during the Late Paleozoic 4. these landmasses experienced an intensive period of comet bombardment during the Late Paleozoic that cooled the Earth's crust there 5. cloud cover over these landmasses must have been much heavier during the Late Paleozoic, cooling the temperatures there
these landmasses existed closer to the south pole during the Late Paleozoic
1. Which of the following is true of carbonate minerals? 1. they are composed primarily of tetrahedral arrangements of silicon and oxygen atoms 2. they are the principal ore minerals in the Earth's crust of metals like iron, copper, zinc, and lead 3. they occur only in igneous rocks 4. they are probably the second most abundant type of mineral in the Earth's crust after silicate minerals 5. they are characterized by the presence of the SO ion in their mineral structure
they are probably the second most abundant type of mineral in the Earth's crust after silicate minerals
5. Compared to oceanic crust, continental crust on average is 1. thicker 2. denser 3. lower in elevation 4. more "mafic" in composition, i.e. enriched in iron and magnesium 5. younger
thicker
16. The Earth's Moon is thought to have originated 1. by gradual accretion of meteorites and planetesimals passing near the Earth 2. by magma ejected into space by intense volcanism early in Earth's history 3. from a tongue of material torn from the sun by a passing comet 4. through the collision of a large meteorite with the Earth 5. as an asteroid captured by the Earth's gravitational attraction
through the collision of a large meteorite with the Earth
13. Clastic sedimentary rocks are much more abundant in the Earth than chemical sedimentary rocks. 1. true 2. false
true
13. The presence of background microwave radiation throughout the universe is widely regarded as supporting evidence for the Big Bang. 1. true 2. false
true
18. Earth's continents existed largely as separate land masses prior to the existence of the supercontinent, Pangea. 1. true 2. false
true
14. Mount St. Helens, Soufrière Hills, Lassen Peak, Krakatoa, Vesuvius, and Mount Pinatubo are all examples of 1. hot spots 2. volcanoes that have erupted explosively 3. volcanoes that occur at divergent plate boundaries 4. cinder cones 5. ancient meteorite impacts
volcanoes that have erupted explosively
4. An environment that is especially favorable for the deposition of limestone is 1. warm seawater over a continental shelf 2. the frigid abyssal plains of the oceans 3. tepid swamps 4. scalding black smokers at mid-ocean ridges 5. cool mountain streams
warm seawater over a continental shelf
7. Earth's atmosphere 1. dates from the early accretionary phase of Earth's history 2. has always been as rich in oxygen as it is now 3. was probably much richer in carbon dioxide (CO2) during early Earth history 4. was probably derived from the evaporation of comets that collided with the Earth 5. lacks any distinct layers and is homogeneous with respect to elevation above the Earth's surface
was probably much richer in carbon dioxide (CO2) during early Earth history
1. The dark rock in the photograph below was broken off from a magma conduit wall and incorporated into magma that subsequently solidified into the surrounding lighter colored igneous rock. Thus, the dark rock would be a 1. pluton 2. xenolith 3. batholith 4. stock 5. laccolith
xenolith
