Geology Final Exam
radon is the
2nd leading cause of lung cancer
EPA action level
4 pCi/L
Fossil fuels represent % of US energy consumption
85%
2013 Boulder County floods were the most deadly in CO history
F
Basalt lava flows on GM reflect a violent period of caldera forming volcanic activity
F
CO currently uses all its water under the CO river compact?
F
flood plan is well known due to long history of floods
F
levees held in the 1993 Mississippi floods
F
which of the following formations are most commonly related to expansive clay problems in the Grand Valley?
Morrison Formation
May 2014 Collbran/West Salt Ck slide near GM was caused by fracking
T
Mississippi never had a significant flood until 1993
T
common hazard near Carbondale and GLenwood Springs is the formation of sinkholes
T
yellowstone is a hot spot
T
people can be harmed by levels as low as 2 pCi/L
True
not a typical property of asbestos
a gas
concern with mineral Pyrite
acid mine drainage
what was CO river compact?
agreement that allocated annual flow of CO river into western US
which of the following are key factors that partly determine whether or not a slope will fall?
all 3 slope angle mass of slope material and type of slope material
possible precursors of eruptions
all of the above
Hurricans
all of the above, atlantic ocean
ground water reps
ancient water
biological soil crust
are common throughout the US
a drainage basin is the
area which a river collects water
Hurricanes most commonly strike the
atlantic coast and gulf
which of the following helps to decrease wave energy?
beach with gentle offshore slope
dangerous form of asbestos
blue
statement about hydrocompaction is ture
broad depressions that look like sinkholes can form as silty soil si compacted...
The US Army Corps of Engineers has altered the channel of the Mississippi River from its natural state in all of the following ways with the EXCEPTION of which of the following?
built huge dams
How has the Mississippi River been altered?
built huge dams at the mouth of the Mississippi
why is mt rainer suseptible to lahars
capped by snow and ice
most dangerous volcanoes in the US
cascade mtns
mt pinatubo erruption of 1991
cause few deaths due to evacuation
hydrograph shows
changes in rivers discharge overtime
slope failure along the flanks of GM is primarily related to
clayrich weak shale and steep topography
Which of the alternative energy sources produces the most energy in the US?
coal
Unforeseen consequence of levees and Old River Control in Louisiana
coastal land loss
Natural geologic cause of land subsidence
collapsing cave roofs
use of radium
combating certain types of cancer
The EPA max level for selenium is 4.6 ppbb. value is example of
concentration
Convergent plate boundaries are subducted because
continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust
slow downhill movement of soil is referred to as
creep
expansive clay are potential problem with respect to
damage to structures and foundations
ouray has had many problems in the past with
debris flows
US oil consumption is and oil production is
decreasing decreasing
which is not true for deltas
deltas are rarely affected by humans
oil shale in western CO
deposit formed in ancient lakes that once covered
flood frequency curve is generally
determines the recurrence interval of flows
problems associated with selenium include
disruption of aquatic bird and fish reproduction
collapsible soils are common
dry climates where soil is undercompacted
Assume that lake erie is contaiminated with PCBs. Which is most hazardous to your health in terms of PCBs
eating fish from lake erie
which of the following environmental problems could have the largest global impact associated with the burning of fossil fuels?
emissions of CO2
which of the following would lower the potentiometic surface of confined aquifer?
excessive ground water pumping
volcanic hazards are a major concern for CO
false
Problems with artificial levees
flase sense of security
calderas
form as a result of collapse during catastrophic volcanic eruptions
plate tectonics boundaries are where
geological processes are especially active
Base flow in a river is controlled by
ground water
the largest source of liquid freshwater is
ground water
sedimentary basins contain
ground water, oil, and gas
karst subsidence is associated with
gypsum./limestone
One of the biggest disadvantages of geothermal energy is that it
has a limited distribution
how does radon originate
heating uranium bearing rocks
Which of the following is not a problem of nuclear power?
high emission of gases
what do aquifers generally have in common?
high porosities and permeable
most violent eruptions are associated with
high viscosity and high gas emissions
to minimize potential problems with expansive clays it would be best to
house area kept dry
lake on GM formed due to
huge landslides
ground water mining can cause all the following except
hydroeletric power
evidence of global warming include all of the following except
increasing concentrations of SO2
100 year flood plan is important because
insurance
which of the following leads to water with high salinities
intensive irrigation in places GV and abundant marine shales like mancos
pyrite consists of
iron and sulfur
critical problem with alfred wagner's theory of continental drift was that
lacked mechanism to explain how continents moved
Urbanization can cause Flood Hydrographs and Flood frequency curves to show
larger peak flows
sand beach replenishment lasts
less than 5 years
biological soil crust consists of
lichens, mosses, and cyanobacteria
attempts to decrease salinity and selenium in the CO river include efforts to
line canals and ditches with concrete and minimize the amount of excess irrigation water
plate tectonics are represented by
lithosphere
Subsidence is
lowering of land surface
how did water quality studies in Lake siskiwit alter understanding of water pollution?
many pollutants travel through air
slope failure due to gravity is referred to as
mass wasting
natural gas can form as
microbes decompose and deep burial and heating
convergent plate boundaries are associated with
mid ocean ridges
which is true about radon gas
mobile in air but not water
coal bed methane involves the production of
natural gas
most explosive volcanic eruptions occur
near subduction zones
one of the most stunning consequences of water use on the CO river is that
no longer flows all the way
which energy source produces the most electricity in the US and globally that is not a fossil fuel?
nuclear
Hypoxic waters in the gulf mexico
nutrient loading
fertilizers are common source of which waste polluntant?
nutrients
alternative sources of clean energy include all of the following except
oil shale
which is not true about coastline erosion
only 20% of US coastlines are eroding
Hypoxic waters have low amounts of
oxygen
environmental concern related to gas exploration in Piceance Basin
potential for polluting ground water
Which of the following IS NOT true concerning earthquake hazards?
precursor phenomena
slope problems along the river bluff in the redlands area all have the following in common:
presence of weak shale and sharp bend in CO river
Most dangerous and swift moving volcanic hazards
pyroclastic flow
vanadium from the uravan mineral belt
radioactive properties
Which of the following are ways in which dams impact rivers?
reduced floods and reduced transport of sand
One of the main goals of the CO river controlled floods in 1996 through 2010 was to
replenish sand bars
one of the disadvantages of solar energy is
require large amounts of land
The magnetic field of the earth has done which of the following?
reversed polarity numerous times in the past
calculate discharge through
riverss flow velocity and cross-sectional area
techniques used to minimize rockfall in Glenwood
rock bolts, concete buttresses and wire fences
in order to extract oil from oil shale which of the following must take place?
rock must be heated to high temps for long time
the seattle area is prone to large earthquakes because
san andreas fault
what 1960s key evidence was discovered that led to plate tectonics
sea floor spreading
coastlines are eroding because
sea levels are rising
mt rainer threatens
seattle
sedimentary basin
sediment filled depression
purpose of Old River Control Structure
shifting location of the channel
Problems with constructing a flood frequency curve
short records and human activities
most common natural hazard in CO are
slope hazardss
expansive clays are made of
smectite
in the saturated zone
spaces between sand grains filled with water
max. soil erosion occurs
sparse and arid areas
which of the following statements concerning Mt. St. Helens is TRUE?
the eruption was expected
selenium is common in our area because
there is lots of Mancos shale
drainage basin characteristics that least favor flash flooding
thick soils and vegetation
longshore currents move sediment due to
tidal fluctuations
ring of fire is made up of huge shield volcanoes
ture
generally not a concern of Dams
unwanted river erosion downstream of the dam
critical role in mining in GJ
uranium
which of the following is not a fossil fuel?
uranium
natural way to clean acid mine drainage
use wetlands as organic filter
aquiclude or confining beds are characterized by
very low permeability
lahars are
volcanic mudflows
storm runoff represents the amount of
water that enters in a river in response to a rainstorm event
Majority of Selenium load in CO river comes from
west CO
asbestos is controversial becauseof
wide spread, not equally dangerous, and expensive to fix
The movement of beach sediment by Littoral or Longshore currents is typically driven by
wind at oblique angles
how can you identify a river affected by acid mine drainage
yellow color and low pH levels
advantage of using beach replenishment to slow down or stop coastal erosion
you dont have to build hard structures
