OCE1001 Exam 1

(M.C.) Look at the accompanying map showing the locations of the 15 largest earthquakes in the world since 1900. Imagine an earthquake occurs at location 2 on the map (southern Alaska), which could generate a tsunami. Which of the following statements are most accurate?

1)All locations (except 9) could benefit from an alert that an earthquake occurred at location 2, as they are near the ocean and might experience a resultant tsunami. 2)All islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean should also receive warnings.

(M.C.)Which of the following ideas about the development of life on Earth make scientific sense?

1)As life developed on Earth, it began to significantly change Earth's environment. 2)Primitive life likely existed without the need for oxygen. 3)Early organisms likely evolved into more complex organisms. 4)The "prebiotic soup" of the primitive oceans provided a likely environment for life to develop.

(M.C.) Of the following statements about density stratification, which is/are true?

1)Density stratification has caused the highest-density material to be found at Earth's core. 2)Outgassing is a direct result of density stratification. 3)The origin of Earth's oceans and atmosphere are a result of density stratification. 4)Density stratification has caused Earth's internal structure to be layered.

(M.C.) Of the following statements about ocean crust, which is/are true?

1)Ocean crust is created at the mid-ocean ridge. 2)Ocean crust is destroyed at deep sea trenches.

(M.C.) Of the following statements about the asthenosphere, which is/are true?

1)The asthenosphere is a plastic layer that extends from the base of the lithosphere to a depth of about 700 kilometers (430 miles). 2)The asthenosphere is very hot and contains areas of partially molten rock.

(M.C.) After accretion, which tools could a geologist use to differentiate between a terrane and the continent onto which it accreted?

1)Use paleomagnetic data to tell if the rocks have shifted position significantly. (Paleomagnetism is the study of magnetic properties of a rock to determine the record of Earth's magnetic field). 2)Look at the rock types, and determine if they are distinctly different from the continent. 3)Look for fossils that are distinct from those of the continent.

The average depth of the world's oceans is approximately:

3,682 meters (12,080 feet).

Earth is about:

4.6 BILLION years old

Refer to the accompanying seismogram above again, and determine the time interval between the arrival of the first P wave and the arrival of the first S wave.

6 minutes

A. Aleutian Islands B. Canary Islands C. Galapagos Islands D. Hawaiian Islands E. Iceland

A

A. hydrothermal vents B. island arcs C. tall, folded mountain belts D. oceanic trenches E. large volcanoes caused by subduction

A

A. oxygen B. water vapor C. carbon dioxide D. methane E. ammonia

A

(M.C.) Of the following statements about nemataths and volcanic arcs, which is/are true?

All choices! 1)A nematath is created by a hotspot. 2)In a volcanic arc, any of the volcanoes can be active at any time. 3)Nemataths and volcanic arcs are both the result of volcanic activity. 4)A volcanic arc is associated with a convergent plate boundary. 5)In a nematath, the age of the volcanoes progressively decreases as you move closer to the volcanic source.

(M.C.) Of the following statements about Earth's magnetic field, which is/are true?

All choices. 1)The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the south magnetic pole. 2)The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the north magnetic pole. 3)The locations of Earth's magnetic poles have moved through time and have even reversed in polarity. 4)Earth's magnetic field has varying dips around the world that range from vertical to horizontal, depending on latitude. 5)The magnetic field is oriented horizontal (parallel) to Earth's surface at the magnetic equator.

Look again at the map. An earthquake at which of the following locations could cause a tsunami?

All of the locations except 9 could produce tsunamis, as all are subduction zones involving at least one oceanic plate.

_____ were the cominant navigators in the Mediterranean Sea in the Middle Ages.

Arabs

A. Gondwanaland B. Panamerica C. Pangaea D. Panthalassa E. Tethys Sea

B

A. Vasco de Gama B. Ptolemy C. Christopher Columbus D. John Cabot E. Ferdinand Magellan

B

______ was an English navigator who determined the outline of the Pacific Ocean and was the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle.

Captain James Cook

The first scientist to propose the origin of coral reefs based upon subsidence (sinking) of volcanic islands was:

Charles Darwin

_______ was an Italian navigator who made a total of four trips across the Atlantic. He was erroneously credited with discovering North America.

Christopher Columbus

The European "Age of Discovery" began with:

Christopher Columbus's discovery of the "New World."

Which of the following statements regarding continental and oceanic crust is TRUE?

Continental crust is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust.

Which of the following is the main reason that Earth has a magnetic field? Select only one answer.

Convection in the liquid iron-nickel outer core generates a magnetic field.

A. Adriatic B. Black C. Caspian D. Indian E. Mediterranean

D.

Iceland is located on what type of plate boundary?

Divergent

A. divergent plate boundary B. oceanic-continental convergence C. oceanic-oceanic convergence D. transform plate boundary E. hot spot

E

A. transform fault B. San Andreas Fault C. oceanic transform fault D. Mendocino Fracture Zone E. Mariana Trench

E

The first person we are aware of who determined the circumference of the Earth using trigonometry and the angle of sunlight at Alexandria, Egypt, was

Eratosthenes.

(T/F) Convergent plate boundaries occur when tectonic plates move away from each other.

False

(T/F) Early Polynesians only traveled within sight of land.

False

(T/F) Free oxygen was present in the Earth's primordial atmosphere.

False

(T/F) In Europe, significant oceanographic knowledge was acquired during the Middle Ages.

False

(T/F) New crust is formed at trenches and older crust is subducted at oceanic ridges.

False

(T/F) Oceanic crust is less dense than continental crust because it is made of silica and manganese.

False

(T/F) The magnetic field of the Earth reverses itself each time that magma erupts at a mid-ocean ridge.

False

(T/F) The magnetic north pole has remained very close to the geographic North Pole throughout all of geologic time.

False

(T/F) The majority of the world's hotspots are associated with plate boundaries.

False

(T/F) Water depth decreases as you move away from the mid-ocean ridge.

False

Using the map of present-day oceanic plateaus and other submerged crustal fragments, determine which feature is most likely to be accreted onto a continent.

Galapagos Rise

______ used the polar north star to determine latitude (distance from equator).

Greeks

The book The History of Ocean Basins, which contained the idea of seafloor spreading, was written by geologist:

Harry Hess

How deep is the Mariana Trench (the deepest part of the ocean) compared to Mount Everest (the tallest mountain on Earth)?

Mount Everest is thousands of meters shorter than the Mariana trench is deep

Use the accompanying seismogram to answer which of the three types of seismic waves reached the seismograph first.

P wave

________ are some of the first navigators; they used stick charts to navigate the sea.

Pacific Islanders

The largest of the ocean basins, which currently covers more than half of the ocean surface, is the:

Pacific Ocean

_________ were the first humans from the Western Hemisphere to develop the art of navigation

Phoenicians

The first humans from Western Hemisphere known to have developed the art of navigation were the:

Phoenicians.

Which of the following best describes how scientists help the public prepare for an earthquake event?

Scientists cannot predict when exactly an earthquake will occur, but they can identify tectonically active areas that are likely to produce earthquake activity and let the public know they are in an earthquake-prone area.

Select the layer from A, B, and C that doesn't transmit all waves.

The Core

Which hypothesis best explains the continuous bend in the Hawaiian Islands-Emperor Seamount chain?

The direction of plate motion shifted over time over a stationary mantle plume (hot spot).

Which of the following best describes why the ground surrounding the students looks dry and solid, while the ground underneath them is wet and muddy?

The motion of the students' bodies in the water-rich soil caused it to flow like a fluid.

Which of the following is the best description of what happens to water-saturated soils during an earthquake?

The shaking causes water from between grains to move and push grains apart, weakening the material and allowing it to flow like a slurry.

Jogging on a beach where the sand is packed together, near where ocean waves meet the sand, you notice that your footprints quickly fill with water after each step. There are no waves that are filling them up. Instead, there is another reason. Where is the water coming from?

The water is from the pore spaces between the sand grains.

What do all plate boundaries have in common?

They are all associated with zones of earthquakes.

According to the Geologic Time Scale, which selection lists the correct order of coexistence, from earliest to latest?

Trilobites and amphibians, insects and dinosaurs, dinosaurs and birds, flowering plants and fishes, humans and reptiles

(T/F) Areas of intense volcanic activity that remain in more or less the same location over long periods of geologic time and are unrelated to plate boundaries are called hotspots.

True

(T/F) Charles Darwin was the first person to propose a hypothesis on the origin of coral reefs.

True

(T/F) Deep-sea trenches are found at convergent plate boundaries.

True

(T/F) Radiometric dating is used to determine the ages of rocks.

True

(T/F) The Earth's crust solidified around 4.5 billion years ago.

True

In general, the salinity content of ocean water has remained constant throughout the majority of Earth's history.

True

_______ possessed excellent ships and good navigation skills to actively explore the Atlantic Ocean in the late 10th century.

Vikings

In science, which one of the following would be considered an observation? Select only one answer.

Waves are seen to approach the beach at an angle.

The important contribution to navigation made by Eratosthenes in the third century BC was __________.

a reasonably accurate calculation of the circumference of our planet

Compute the distance from the seismic station to the earthquake with the accompanying travel-time graph.

about 3,000 miles or 4,800 kilometers

Evidence for continental drift includes:

all of the above

All the following were accomplishments of Captain James Cook except :

all of the above are correct.

If all were accessible, which of the following items would be best for geologists to examine to better understand Earth's internal structure?

an iron meteorite

Which of the following is characteristic of oceanic-continental convergent plate boundaries?

andesitic volcanoes

Determine the relationship that exists between the majority of the following words. Please identify the word and/or phrase that does NOT fit the pattern. Enter only the letter of the answer (caps, no period, and not the full entry) in the field below.

atmosphere

One of the reasons that free oxygen in our atmosphere is important to the development and maintenance of life on Earth is because oxygen:

can form ozone and block some UV radiation.

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. core

composed mostly of iron and nickel with a liquefied metallic outer layer

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. lithosphere

crust and the uppermost mantle consisting of a solid rock layer

The lithosphere consists of Earth's __________.

crust and uppermost mantle

The separation of the Earth into layers while it was molten was the result of the:

differing densities of the elements that make up the Earth.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of a:

divergent plate boundary.

A tentative, testable statement about the general nature of a phenomenon is called a/an:

hypothesis

Climate distribution on Earth is primarily controlled by:

latitude.

Earthquakes can occur only in the __________.

lithosphere

Tectonic plates are pieces of the ________ that float on the more fluid ________ below.

lithosphere; asthenosphere

Match the term or person with the appropriate phrase. Ptolemy

mapped world with Roman knowledge showing latitude and longitude

The water in Earth's oceans came __________.

mostly from volcanic outgassing and partly from comets

The Hawaiian Islands are located where the Pacific plate is:

moving over a hot spot or mantle plume.

The Sun and the rest of the solar system formed about 5 billion years ago from a huge cloud of dust and gas called a:

nebula

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. basalt

oceanic crust

The study of historical changes of continental shapes and positions is called:

paleogeography.

The seafloor magnetic pattern is best described as:

parallel to and symmetric about mid-ocean ridges.

Earth's current atmosphere supports animal life because __________.

plant photosynthesis provides oxygen that is critical for aerobic respiration

Fossils of ancient tropical plants are currently found near the poles because the:

plants lived in the tropics, but landmasses have drifted to current locations.

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. seafloor magnetic stripes

spreading center

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. trench

subduction zone

Referring to the accompanying seismogram below, which of the seismic waves had the highest amplitude when it reached the seismic station?

surface waves

volcanoes on the seafloor that are flat-topped because of wave erosion are called:

tablemounts

1.Lacks a mid-ocean ridge 2.Deep ocean basin is present 3.Early signs of mountain formation 4.Volcanic island arc and trench absent

terminal

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. solar system

the Sun and the eight major planets revolving around it

Sea floor spreading along the axis of an oceanic ridge results in symmetrical patterns of all of the following EXCEPT ______________.

the location of subduction zones

Loihi is __________.

the newest Hawaiian volcano

Which of the following is characteristic of continental-continental convergent plate boundaries?

uplifted mountain ranges

Current scientific knowledge indicates that the most likely origin of most of Earth's oceans was due to:

water vapor released from volcanic outgassing.