Geography Chapter 3 quiz

The earth is approximately __________ billion years old. A. 3.5 B. 4.5 C. 6.0 D. 10 to 12

B. 4.5

Hurricane Sandy is a good example of a storm causing A. A tsunami B. Coastal erosion C. An earthquake induced cold front D. Tides

B. Coastal erosion

Which of the following statements about karst topography is NOT true? A. It is found in limestone regions. B. It is found in arid regions. C. It results from the action of water. D. It often results in sinkholes and caverns.

B. It is found in arid regions.

The separation of South America from Africa was caused by A. a convergent plate boundary in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. B. a divergent plate boundary in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. C. subduction along the Atlantic Coast of South America. D. subduction along the Atlantic Coast of Africa.

B. a divergent plate boundary in the mid-Atlantic Ocean.

Which one of the following groups contains only sedimentary rocks? A. limestone, sandstone, granite B. conglomerate, limestone, shale C. marble, basalt, conglomerate D. slate, gneiss, marble

B. conglomerate, limestone, shale

Karst topography is created by chemical weathering of ___________ rocks. A. basalt B. limestone C. granitic D. gneiss

B. limestone

Which of the following is a wind-deposited material? A. karst B. loess C. Richter D. barchan

B. loess

Fine-grained, windblown silt deposits are known as A. till. B. loess. C. drift. D. talus.

B. loess.

An intrusive igneous rock is formed from A. lava that cools rapidly on the earth's surface. B. magma that cools slowly beneath the earth's surface. C. other rocks that are transformed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions beneath the earth's surface. D. sediments that have accumulated under water in horizontal beds.

B. magma that cools slowly beneath the earth's surface

Which of the following rock types is formed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions within the earth's crust acting on the other two major types of rocks? A. tectonic B. metamorphic C. sedimentary D. igneous

B. metamorphic

Which of the following landforms are found in the floodplains of humid areas? A. natural levees, washes B. natural levees, oxbow-shaped lakes C. mesas, buttes D. dunes, arroyos

B. natural levees, oxbow-shaped lakes

Which of the following landforms results mainly from the effect of mass wasting or mass movement? A. mesa B. talus C. alluvial fan D. delta

B. talus

_____________ is the great pressure acting on the plates that deforms them by folding, twisting, warping, breaking, or compressing rock. A. Volcanism B. Subduction C. Diastrophism D. Mass movement

C. Diastrophism

Which one of the following is NOT a landform created by glaciers? A. Outwash plain B. Kame C. Oxbow lake D. Cirque

C. Oxbow lake

What are the three processes in which diastrophism is involved? A. weathering, mass wasting, erosion B. oxidation, hydrolysis, carbonation C. broad warping, folding, faulting D. subduction, seafloor spreading, transform movement

C. broad warping, folding, faulting

Oxidation, hydrolysis, and carbonation are forms of _______. A. mechanical weathering B. diastrophism C. chemical weathering D. volcanism

C. chemical weathering

Which of the following is NOT one of the steps in the rock cycle? A. cementation and compaction of sediment into sedimentary rocks B. weathering, transport, and deposition of igneous rocks into sediment C. cooling and solidification of magma into metamorphic rocks D. pressure and heat converting igneous rocks into metamorphic rocks

C. cooling and solidification of magma into metamorphic rocks

Which of the following processes was responsible for the Ridge and Valley region of the eastern United States? A. jointing B. faulting C. folding D. earthquakes

C. folding

Sharp ridges and U-shaped valleys are characteristic features of mountains that have undergone A. stream erosion. B. wind erosion. C. glaciation. D. diastrophism.

C. glaciation.

If a land surface where a mountain once stood is now a low, flat plain, __________ have been at work. A. tectonic forces B. volcanoes C. gradational processes D. earthquakes

C. gradational processes

Which of the following groups contain only landforms produced by glacial deposition? A. lateral moraines, fiords, permafrost B. outwash plain, lateral moraines, fiords C. lateral moraines, terminal moraines, outwash plain D. fiords, outwash plains, terminal moraines

C. lateral moraines, terminal moraines, outwash plain

Earthquakes are most often caused by A. mass movement. B. gradational processes. C. pressure at lithospheric plate boundaries. D. hot spots.

C. pressure at lithospheric plate boundaries.

The most important erosional agent is A. groundwater flow. B. chemical oxidation. C. running water. D. wind.

C. running water.

Continental glaciers exist today in A. the Northern Hemisphere only. B. the Southern Hemisphere only. C. the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres. D. no part of the world.

C. the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Theories of the evolution of glaciers include, as possible causes, all of the following EXCEPT A. periods of excessive dust in the atmosphere. B. changes in the shape, the tilt, and the seasonal positions of the earth's orbit around the sun. C. the drifting of continental plates over tropical regions. D. the periodic changes in the amount of solar energy received on the earth's surface.

C. the drifting of continental plates over tropical regions.

A large destructive sea wave resulting from an earthquake is called a A. tidal wave. B. Pangaea. C. tsunami. D. subduction.

C. tsunami.

For millions of years the Atlantic Ocean has been widening at the rate of about A. 1 mile (1.6 km) per year. B. 1 yard (.9 m) per year. C. 1 foot (.3 m) per year. D. 1 inch (2.5 cm) per year

D. 1 inch (2.5 cm) per year

Cirques are associated with coastal processes.

True

Great fractures in the earth's crust resulted in the creation, through subsidence, of an extensive rift valley system in East Africa.

True

Mesas are characterized by their resistant caprock.

True

Over geologic time, both igneous and metamorphic rocks can be converted to sedimentary rocks.

True

Over geologic time, sedimentary rocks can be transformed into metamorphic rocks and vice versa.

True

The Ridge and Valley region of Pennsylvania is a remnant of extensive folding.

True

The present continents were joined in a single landmass as recently as 20 million years ago.

True

The sudden decompression of gases contained within lava results in explosions of rock material to form ashes and cinders.

True

Volcanism is a gradational process.

True

Less chemical weathering occurs in humid and warmer areas than in dryer and colder regions.

False

Oxbow lakes form when rivers flow onto the more level land at the base of mountain slopes.

False

Permafrost results from the development of fiords by glaciers.

False

Stalactites and stalagmites are characteristic of arêtes and cirques.

False

In the United States, the greatest loess deposits are found mainly in the Mississippi River basin.

False

The buildup of sediment at the intersection of streams is an example of chemical weathering.

False

The farthest extent of glaciations in North America is approximated by the boundary between Canada and the United States.

False

The world's greatest loess deposits are found mainly in the Sahara Desert.

False

The landform often formed at the mouth of a heavily silted stream is called A. a delta. B. a spit. C. an offshore bar. D. a lateral moraine.

A. a delta.

A zone of subduction is associated with the occurrence of A. deep-sea trenches and mountain ranges. B. mid-ocean ridges and volcanoes. C. transform faults and earthquakes. D. relatively flat terrain on the ocean floor.

A. deep-sea trenches and mountain ranges.

Which of the following groups contains processes caused only by mechanical weathering? A. frost action, root action, development of salt crystals B. hydrolysis, oxidation, carbonation C. frost action, carbonation, root action D. development of salt crystals, oxidation, carbonation

A. frost action, root action, development of salt crystals

Granite, basalt, pumice, and obsidian are all ______ rocks. A. igneous B. metamorphic C. sedimentary D. diastrophic

A. igneous

Terrain created by an underground solution of limestone creating sinkholes and caverns is known as A. karst topography. B. knob and kettle topography. C. belted topography. D. gradational topography.

A. karst topography.

The theory of continental drift was formulated because A. of the remarkable fit of the continents. B. scientists observed that the Atlantic Ocean was widening. C. of the mountain ranges on the fringes of the Pacific Ocean. D. the landforms moved over faults.

A. of the remarkable fit of the continents.

Which group of coastal features exists as the result of erosion by sea waves? A. sea cliffs, headlands, embayments B. sandbars, talus slopes, sandpits C. fringing reefs, barrier reefs, atolls D. deltas, cuspate bars, capes

A. sea cliffs, headlands, embayments

The Richter scale is a well-known measure of the magnitude of A. seismic waves. B. tsunamis. C. epicenters. D. tectonic forces.

A. seismic waves.

An accumulation of rock fragments at the base of hills and mountains is called _____. A. talus B. mass wastes C. mass debris D. rock fall

A. talus

Glaciers move because A. the weight of snow causes compaction at the base and the formation of ice, which becomes plastic-like. B. the gravitational pull on steep slopes causes avalanches that dislodge the snow accumulations. C. the rotation of the earth holds the snowfields back, thereby forcing them to move. D. tectonic forces from within the earth dislodge loose materials, such as great slabs of snow and ice.

A. the weight of snow causes compaction at the base and formation of ice, which becomes plastic-like.

The major volcanic belt is located near the major earthquake and fault zones because A. volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults tend to be concentrated at or near plate boundaries. B. volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults are all interrelated forms of volcanism. C. volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults are all coastal processes. D. volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults are all gradational processes.

A. volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults tend to be concentrated at or near plate boundaries.

The largest areas of continental-size glaciers in the world today are in A. the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayan Mountains. B. the Himalayan Mountains and the Andes Mountains. C. Siberia, Canada, and Alaska. D. Antarctica and Greenland.

D. Antarctica and Greenland.

Great fractures in the earth's crust caused an extensive rift valley system in A. the Mediterranean Basin. B. Pennsylvania. C. California. D. East Africa.

D. East Africa.

A tsunami can occur due to all of the following EXCEPT A. an earthquake. B. an underwater landslide. C. a volcanic eruption. D. a hydrolysis.

D. a hydrolysis.

This depositional feature is created in arid regions when a stream exits the mountains and enters a flat lowland. A. oxbow-shaped lake B. delta C. natural levee D. alluvial fan

D. alluvial fan

The sand grains that make up beaches originated mainly from A. windblown materials from desert environments. B. the great rivers of the world. C. melting icebergs. D. coastal erosion and streams.

D. coastal erosion and streams.

The Richter scale A. measures the wind speed and central pressure of a hurricane or typhoon. B. measures the damage potential of a tornado. C. measures the volume of material released by a volcanic eruption. D. measures the energy released by an earthquake.

D. measures the energy released by an earthquake

The breaking up of rock by freezing and thawing is the result of A. chemical weathering. B. mass wasting. C. erosion. D. mechanical weathering.

D. mechanical weathering.

A hilly depositional feature formed when a glacier melts is a A. cirque. B. tarn. C. col. D. moraine.

D. moraine.

The breakup of rock into smaller fragments of the same material is called A. decomposition. B. carbonation. C. chemical weathering. D. physical weathering.

D. physical weathering.

Coal and petroleum occur in the group of rocks classified as A. igneous. B. metamorphic. C. plutonic. D. sedimentary.

D. sedimentary.

Longshore currents are responsible fr the creation of A. moraines. B. lagoons or inlets. C. salt marshes. D. spits.

D. spits.

Earthquakes result from A. the reduction in surface tension following a buildup of tectonic forces. B. vibrations caused by seismic waves. C. seismic waves. D. the buildup of tension as tectonic forces are applied.

D. the buildup of tension as tectonic forces are applied.

The world's tallest mountains were formed by A. mechanical weathering. B. fluid basaltic lava flows. C. the collision of the Pacific and North American plates. D. the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates.

D. the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates.

Groundwater moves more quickly than surface running water.

False