Geology 111 Final Exam
which of the following does NOT affect the amount of runoff from a precipitation event?
shape of the stream
marine organisms preserve the current oxygen-isotope ratio in their __________
shells
Besides wind, what is the biggest hazard from hurricanes?
storm surge
which type of earthquake waves do the most damage?
surface waves
which of the following is true with respect to the underlying geology in the Vajont River valley?
the Vajont River valley is underlain by rocks that dip into the valley
the recurrence interval for a flood of a given magnitude is defined as...
the average number of years between occurrences of a flood of that magnitude or greater
what is the principal difference between the inner core and outer core?
the inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid
how does the lithosphere differ from the asthenosphere?
the lithosphere is stronger than the asthenosphere
what does the Ritcher Magnitude Scale depend on?
the maximum amplitude of earthquake waves on a seismograph
the midcontinent rift which underlies parts of Iowa is evidence of what past geologic event?
the midcontinent rift is evidence that the central part of the North American continent was once the site of a divergent boundary that failed
which of the following was the main reason why most scientists did not believe in the concept of continental drift?
the originator of the concept of continental drift did not adequately explain how the continents could separate from Pangea
what was the origin of the pumice rafts associated with the 1883 eruption of Krakatau
the pumice rafts when hot ash from pyroclastic flows encountered cold seawater
which of the following did NOT occur as a result of the eruption of Krakatau
the sound of the explosions could be heard as far away as San Francisco, California
what is the tectonic reason for the Sundra Strait?
the sundra strait formed as a result of the wrenching motion caused by the north-northeast motion of the island of Sumatra and the east motion of the island of Java
Why does the damming of rivers sometime contribute to coastal erosion?
the supply of new sand to replenish beaches is cut off
in the days preceding hurricane Katrina, many people decide to stay in New Orleans even tough they were instructed to evacuate. Which of the following was NOT one of the reasons people stayed in the city
they did not receive a warning that a hurricane was approaching
Why would a home built on the floodplain behind a levee be safe from flooding?
this statement is not true
which of the following is NOT a common reason cited for building large dams on rivers?
to raise groundwater levels
in a coastal area, why build a groin?
to stop longshore drift and trap sand to extend the beach
Major eruptions of volcanoes emit large amounts of CO2 and CH4, but their total contribution to atmospheric levels is small.
true
a rapid retreat of the shoreline can indicate a tsunami wave is imminent
true
natural gas was the largest source of electricity/ power in the united states in 2016
true
the theory of continental drift did not explain how the continents separated from a single landmass and thus was replaced by the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s
true
which of the following is true with respect to tsunamis?
tsunamis occur when the seafloor is suddenly uplifted or dropped down during an earthquake
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2014 estimated that Earth's average surface temperature would likely rise by how much above preindustrial levels by 2050?
two degrees celcius
a transform plate boundary involves
two plates sliding laterally past each other
pyroclastic flows contains all the following except...
water
As a result of mass movements on the slope above the Vajont Dam, _______.
water levels in the reservoir were raised and lowered several times in an attempt to reach hydraulic equilibrium between the water level in the reservoir and the nearby rocks
when is a large natural event such as a major earthquake not considered a disaster?
when it happens in an area without any people
what effect do groins, breakwaters, and jetties have on coastal erosion?
why interrupt the transport of sand down the beach front
approximately when did the rapid increase in human-produced atmospheric CO2 begin?
1800s
approximately what year did CO2 levels start to noticeably increase from the pre-industrial levels?
1850
how long before a flood can someone purchase insurance from the National Flood Insurance program?
30 days
how many states in the US are affected by landslides?
50
the 1993 flood had a recurrence interval of _________
500 years
what is the elevation of the city of New Orleans?
7-10 feet below sea level
the Japanese islands formed from a volcanic island arc. at convergent ocean - ocean boundaries volcanoes form when the subducted plate is at what depth?
80-100km
the island is Hispaniola is located on which of the following plates
Gonave plate, North American plate, Caribbean plate
which of the following would NOT be a part of the ring of fire?
Hawaii
According to the intensity map of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the greatest intensity experienced during this earthquake was ______.
IX
which earthquake waves travel the fastest and are felt first and appear first on a seismogram?
P waves
how does pahoehoe lava differ from aa lava?
Pahoehoe is ropy-looking, and aa is clinkery.
most of earth's active volcanoes are found _____
Ring of Fire
which of the following would be equivalent to ancient midcontinent rift of North America, but in a modern setting?
The East African Rift Valley
VEI stands for ___
Volcanic Explosivity Index
how do volcanoes form at convergent boundaries?
Volcanoes at convergent boundaries form when water in the subducted plate is squeezed out and travels into the overlying plate, where it causes minerals to melt. This melt may then rise to the surface where it will form a volcano.
beach nourishment ______________
a coastal engineering method that replenishes the sand to provide a recreation beach and helps protect coastal properties from erosion by widening the beach
what is Anak Krakatau?
a small volcano that has formed over the site of the original Krakatau.
Like all hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Katrina began as _____.
a storm off the west coast of Africa
which of the following is not true concerning tsunamis on the open ocean?
a tsunami in the open ocean will look like a huge wall of water to a ship in its path
unlike regular ocean waves, tsunami waves are different because they _____
move much faster
which of the following is true?
much of the initial problems associated with the nuclear reactors was due to flooding of the generators, brought on by the tsunami
earthquakes _________
occur on faults when rocks rupture, releasing stored up stress as energy
the residential construction that sustained the least amount of damage during the Haiti earthquake was _________
one-story shanties made of mud and twig walls, sheet metal roofs and earthen floors
Water can be removed from a wet, unstable slope in all the following ways except...
placing a load on the slope to squeeze water out
the massive loss of life in the 2010 Haiti earthquake was primarily due to _________
poor construction and lack of attention to building design in residential homes
An unstable marine sediment with a disorganized structure that can flow like water if disturbed is called _________.
quick clay
The effect of aerosols can be best described as ____.
reflecting sunlight and cooling the atmosphere
Streams receive water from 2 primary sources:
runoff and groundwater
Other than limestone, what other types of rocks are soluble and can form cavities that collapse?
salt and gypsum
Why are seacliffs so prone to erosion?
seacliffs are exposed to wave action, and they are also steep slopes, which can make them susceptible to landslides
what is the major difference between oceanic crust and continental crust?
continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust
Earthquakes associated with reverse faulting results in crustal shortening, which is generally found at which type of boundary?
convergent
the gradual process of subsidence can result from all of the following activities except
digging open-pit mines to mine for coal
Earthquakes associated with normal faulting cause the extension of Earth's crust. This type of faulting is generally associated with which type of plate boundary?
divergent
which does NOT control the characteristics or shape of a coastline
dominant wind direction
earthquakes occur in associated with convergent and transform fault boundaries, but not divergent boundaries
false
the Otober 1963 Vajont Dam landslide occurred without any warning
false
the terms 'tsunami' and 'tidal wave' mean the same thing and are interchangeable when discussing a seismic sea wave
false
On average, more people die from which type of natural disaster than any other?
flash floods and flooding
What aspect of tropical cyclones tends to cause the greatest death and destruction?
flooding from rain, waves, and storm surge
where in North America are sinkholes most prevalent and why?
florida, because it is almost all limestones and has abundant groundwater
what is the primary cause of landslides?
gravity exceeds strength of the slope
how do greenhouse gases warm earth's atmosphere?
greenhouse gas particles absorb infrared radiation from the earth
What keeps a stream flowing year-round, even though it may not rain for many months?
groundwater seepage from the adjacent ground into the stream
highly explosive magmas are controlled by which of the following?
high silica content and high water
If you are at the beach and feel a large earthquake, what should you do, and when should you do it?
immediately run up slope as far as possible
as a tsunami approaches land, the height of a tsunami wave _______
increases primarily because the water depth and velocity decreases
earth emits most of its radiation in the ___________ part of the electromagnetic spectrum
infrared
over the last 30 years, hurricanes have become more __________ due to _________
intense, warmer ocean temperatures
All the engineering approaches below are put in place to prevent a river from flooding except...
jetties
select all the methods used to mitigate or reduce the impact of natural hazards to people
land use planning, public education, insurance
mass wasting or slope failures include ______
landslides, slumps and creeps
all the engineering structures below are used to alter or slow coastal wave erosion except...
levee
Select all the engineering systems or structures mentioned in the video that were put in place in New Orleans to deal with potential flooding.
levees, flood walls, pumps, drainage canals
When pore spaces in sediment becomes saturated with water, the sediment loses strength and cohesion. This phenomenon is called __________.
liquefaction
Fissures in the harbor area following the 2010 Haiti earthquake were caused by _____.
liquefaction of unconsolidated sediments along the coastal areas
Rapid global warming may result in all the changes listed below except...
migration of people to coastal areas
Why are the impacts of coastal hazards such as erosion, storm surge and flooding so great?
because densely populated areas are located at or near the coasts
the 1883 eruption of Krakatau had a VEI of 6, yet it is still one of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions known to humankind. why is this?
because nearly 40,000 people died in this eruption
In what way can the construction of dams and levees INCREASE flood damage on a floodplain?
by giving a false sense of security that encourages building and living on the floodplain
how do we know about the (deep) internal structure of the earth?
by using the behavior of seismic waves as they travel through the earth
if a 100-year flood occurred this year, when is the next 100-year flood possible?
anytime
select all the things that can occur BEFORE a catastrophic landslide:
- extensional cracks near the top of a slope - slumping of soils and sediments on a slope - small landslides
Select the 3 methods inspired by the 1993 Flood to prevent future damage and loss from flooding.
- returning agricultural land to natural wetlands - elevating homes above flood level - leaving crop residue on the land to reduce soil erosion and run-off
sendai and the nearby region was hardest hit by the tsunami because _____
all of the above
an insurance company decides on the cost of a policy for a natural hazard by ____
calculating the cost of the probable loss times the probability of that event
what contains the largest reservoir of carbon?
carbonate rock
CO2 reacts with water to form ___________ which makes the ocean more acidic
carbonic acid
Select the 3 ENGINEERING flood-control methods.
dams, levees, channelization
due to the force of the water that hit the Vajont Dam, the dam itself sustained severe damage
false
