GEOG Exam
Which list of extrusive, igneous rocks is placed in order from lowest to highest density?
Rhyolite, Andesite, Basalt
Which of the following sediments are listed in order from smallest to largest?
clay, silt, sand, pebble
When studied over time, it was discovered that the center of an alpine glacier will move:
faster than the sides.
What is the driving force behind mass movement?
gravity
What type of faulting is shown in this profile (sideview) diagram here?
reverse
For a glacier to form
snowfall must exceed snowmelt
What is happening to the glacier in the ablation zone?
snowmelt and icemelt exceed snowfall
Which of the following IS one of the eight most common elements in Earth's crust?
Sodium
If this is a portion of the San Andreas Fault (seen from above), which two locations will become adjacent (next to each other) in the shortest amount of time?
Z and W
What are the two main components of lithosphere?
crust and uppermost mantle
A chain of volcanoes such as the Cascade Range is formed at what specific type of plate boundary?
convergent (oceanic vs. continental)
The outermost layer of the Earth is the:
crust
Mafic minerals tend to be:
dark color, higher density
Which type of plate boundary will generally have no volcanic activity associated with it?
transform
Which type of weathering involves minerals in a chemical reaction with water?
oxidation
Which of the following sediments are listed in order from largest to smallest?
pebble, sand, silt, clay
Which type of weathering is extremely effective in wearing down limestone and marble?
carbonation
Glaciers will tend to form at:
high elevation and high latitude
Which list of intrusive, igneous rocks is placed in order from lowest to highest density?
Granite, Diorite, Gabbro, Peridotite
Starting at Earth's surface and moving downward, what is evident when passing through the Mohorovicic Discontinuity (called the Moho for short)?
a significant increase in density
What is the important function of the asthenosphere?
It is plastic and allows the lithosphere to move over it
What was the name for Wegener's original supercontinent?
Pangaea
Which is an example of an endogenic process?
a volcanic eruption on the ocean floor
Marble, a metamorphic rock, likely originated as what type of rock?
limestone
What type of moraine forms where two lateral moraines join together?
medial
Where on the ocean floor will I find the youngest rock?
at sea floor spreading centers
Which of the following factors is UNLIKELY to cause (or worsen) a mass movement event (landslide, mudflow, etc)?
combined wind and heat
What type of forces are evident at convergent plate boundaries?
compressional
Gneiss, a metamorphic rock, likely originated as what type of rock?
conglomerate or granite
At what type of plate boundary might I find reverse faulting?
convergent
A volcanic island chain such as the Marianas Islands is formed at what specific type of plate boundary?
convergent (oceanic vs. oceanic)
Which list of Earth's internal layers is placed in order from highest to lowest density?
core, mantle, crust
A glacial erratic is an example of a/an:
depositional landform
At what type of plate boundary might I find normal faulting?
divergent
Which landform is definitely NOT associated with alpine glaciers?
drumlin
Which is NOT a natural cause of oversteepening?
effusive volcanic eruptions
What type of forces are evident at divergent plate boundaries?
extensional
What characteristic (or characteristics) would you expect to find in a composite volcano?
extremely explosive with steep slopes
In classifying clastic sedimentary rocks, what important quality did we focus on?
size of sediment
Which is the best definition of the term "snowline"?
the elevation above which at least some snow remains all year
What are the classic characteristics of glacial till?
the sediment is UNsorted and UNlayered
What characteristic (or characteristics) would you expect to find in a shield volcano?
thin, runny lava and mafic minerals
Which of these processes is probably most responsible for driving (or causing) tectonic plate movement?
upwelling of magma at divergent boundaries
Felsic minerals tend to be:
light color, lower density
Which land mass was once connected to Gondwanaland?
Antarctica
Which is an example of an exogenic process?
a river carving through a mountain
In which eon do humans live?
Phanerozoic
In which geologic era do humans live?
Cenozoic
Assume that an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 and a depth of 14 km occurs in Smithville. Where is the focus of the earthquake?
14 km beneath Smithville
Much of northern North America (Canada and Northern US) was covered by glaciers as recently as _________________ years ago.
15,000
In which geologic epoch do humans live?
Holocene
At which location is a continental rupture (split) occurring?
B Southeast Africa
At which location did a continental collision (also called continental suture) occur in the past?
C (India)
Which of the following is NOT one of the eight most common elements in Earth's crust?
Copper
Assuming these rocks have the same size and shape, which one has the least amount of potential energy?
D
Where is subduction NOT occurring?
D (middle of ocean on East coast of USA)
If this is an example of a right-lateral strike slip fault (seen from above), which two locations will become adjacent (next to each other) in the shortest amount of time?
V and Y
If this is an example of a left-lateral strike slip fault (seen from above), which two locations will become adjacent (next to each other) in the shortest amount of time?
Z and W
According to most geologists, planetary physicists, widely respected Earth scientists, and your textbook, the age of the Earth is:
4,600,000,000 years
Approximately how fast do lithospheric plates move across the Earth?
5 cm/yr
You are on the island of Imsotired. It is a volcano which was formed at a "Hot Spot" 5.7 million years ago. Approximately 650km away there is another island, which was formed 14.7 million years ago by the same hot spot. Based on these facts, how fast is the plate moving over this hot spot?
7.22 cm/yr
You are on the island of Arewedoneyet. It is a volcano currently forming at an active "Hot Spot." Approximately 1750km away there is another island, which was formed 18.1 million years ago by the same hot spot. Based on these facts, how fast is the plate moving over this hot spot? Group of answer choices
9.67 cm/yr
Assuming these rocks have the same size and shape, which one has the greatest amount of potential energy?
A
Which of the following was NOT used as evidence in support of Plate Tectonic Theory?
Global map showing the location of landslides and mudflows
Which of the following was NOT used as evidence in support of Plate Tectonic Theory?
Global map showing the location of large continental and mountain glaciers
Which is a true statement regarding mass movement events (e.g. rockfalls, landslides, mudflows, etc)?
Highly loose and weathered slope materials will significantly increase the liklihood of mass movement events. They tend to happen much more often in extremely wet conditions. They are commonly triggered by earthquakes.
Where is there likely a chain of explosive volcanoes?
P (South America coast)
Which list of intrusive, igneous rocks is placed in order from highest to lowest density?
Peridotite, Gabbro, Diorite, Granite
In which geologic period do humans live?
Quaternary
The San Andreas Fault of California is an example of what type of fault?
Right Lateral Strike Slip Fault
What do large, visible crystals in an igneous rock indicate?
Rock cooled slowly.
Imagine a huge lava flow formed thousands of years ago that is hundreds of feet thick. What will I find?
The most highly weathered material will be at the surface, with evidence of weathering becoming less and less apparent as you drill downward into the rock.