MES7: Geology and Geologic Hazards
Fossil fuels are formed when organic materials are buried for a long time by thick layers of sediments deposited on top of them. This process of sediment accumulation over time leads to the __________ of sediments
Compaction
Once the carbon dioxide is captured from the fumes of a coal-burning power plant, something must be done with it. The option with the least environmental impact involves releasing the carbon dioxide into ________________
Deep underground caverns
Which of the following is least likely to fully support the U.S Clean Power Plan?
World Coal Association
Which of the following can help humans mitigate the negative impact of floods?
Zoning laws
Old Faithful Geyser at Yellowstone National Park in the United States acquires its energy from a ______________________
hot spot
During peak usage, what happens to the cost of electricity
it always increases
Which of the following U.S states would be least likely to be affected by a tsunami
Kansas
The slowly increasing distance between South America and Africa is due to __________________
Seafloor spreading
Layered_____________ exposed by erosion can be seen when looking at the Grand Canyon in the United States
Sedimentary rock
What color smoke coming from a coal-fired power plant would indicate wasted fuel?
black
The extremely deep ocean Marianas Trench is a result of___________________
subduction
Earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides can displace large volumes of water ad trigger which of the following natural disasters?
tsunamis
What percentage of Earth's surface is ocean?
71%
Which of the following areas would experience the most devastation after an earthquake?
A marshlike environment that was filled with landfill in order to build a city
What forces generate tsunamis?
Earthquakes trigger tsunamis by displacing large amounts of rock and sediment on the ocean floor along the fault line
How have volcanoes formed the Hawaiian islands with no subduction zones nearby?
Hawai'ian volcanoes are situated above a hot spot
Continental rifting formed which of the following?
North Atlantic Ocean
Which of the following happened first?
The Appalachian Mountains begin to form
Which of the following occurred about 21,000 years ago?
The formation of ice age glaciers
The formation of rock through compaction and cementation is called___________
lithification
Which of the following is least likely to be increasingly used to generate electricity as coal-fired power plants are phased out
oil
________________ found in the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe is composed of dense and relatively young rock
seafloor crust
All fossil fuels, including coal, are considered an indirect form of _________ energy
solar
What did government Japan do after the Fukushima disaster?
The government immediately shut down and ordered the rein spection of all 48 of its nuclear power plants
What environmental problem that contributes to global warming is addressed by using amine solutions to treat the fumes of a coal-burning power plant?
The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
Which of the following appears most likely in the next decade?
Use of coal will decreased in developed countries and increase in developing countries
If a significant amount of extrusive igneous rock is found in an area, one would expect to also find __________ nearby.
Volcanoes
What specifically triggered a meltdown in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant?
The earthquake-triggered tsunami breached a nearby seawall; its waters directly impacted the power plant by seeping into the plant, resulting in a nuclear meltdown
One-quarter of Scotland's electricity is generated by the third-largest coal-fired power station in Europe. In just three minutes, this power plant uses __________ of coal
one train car (wagon)
If trends since 2012 continue, which of the following countries will use the most coal?
China
Australia is composed of relatively old and thick ____________
Continental crust
Which of the following tectonic plate boundaries are responsible for the formation of some of the world's highest mountains?
Convergent plate boundaries
Several times a year volcanoes erupt along the Aleutian island chain in souther Alaska. What geologic feature is responsible for these hazardous events?
Convergent plate boundary
Which of the following correctly represents the compositional layers of the Earth from the innermost to the outermost layer?
Core, mantle, crust
How does a coal-fired power plant use the energy in coal to produce electricity
Burning coal heats water and creates steam that turns the blades of a turbine and generates electricity
When generating equal amounts of energy, which of the following is true?
Burning coal produces more carbon dioxide than burning natural gas
Many pollutants from coal-fired power plants are properly managed today. Which of the following is currently considered to be the biggest threat to the environment
carbon dioxide
The earthquakes that occur in Southern California generally occur above a ____________
fault
Where is electricity made at a coal-fired power plant?
generator
