Geology- Exam 1

Hawaii islands are dominated by: (A) Basaltic rocks. (B) Granitic rocks. (C) Rhyolitic rocks. (D) None of the above

(A) Basaltic rocks.

Which of the following types of magma is the most abundant at the oceanic spreading centers? (A) Basaltic. (B) Granitic. (C) Andesitic. (D) Pegmatitic.

(A) Basaltic.

The strong tendency of certain minerals to break along smooth and parallel planes is called? (A) Cleavage. (B) Streak. (C) Crystal form. (D) Luster.

(A) Cleavage.

Granitic composition is sometimes referred to as felsic due to: (A) Feldspars and silica composition (B) Magnesium and ferrum in composition. (C) Peridotites (D) Olivine and quartz

(A) Feldspars and silica composition

What caused our solar nebula to contract and spin, eventually creating the planets? (A) Gravitational interactions between particles (B) Gravitational attraction from black holes (C) Nuclear fusion joining atomic particles (D) Solar winds from nearby star

(A) Gravitational interactions between particles

The core is dominantly made-up of: (A) Iron and nickel. (B) Basalt (C) Granite (D) Peridotit

(A) Iron and nickel.

Mantle plumes can best be described as: (A) Mantle melts that rises from the core-mantle boundary to reach the Earth surface and erupt in the form of Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs). (B) The sinking of the subducted slabs in the asthenosphere. (C) The production of huge amount of mantle melts because of Earth's polarity reversal. (D) Mantle melts that are generated from the core, interact with the asthenosphere, and intrude the crust to form granitic batholiths

(A) Mantle melts that rises from the core-mantle boundary to reach the Earth surface and erupt in the form of Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs).

Why does a single volcano extrude lavas exhibiting very different compositions? (A) Minerals crystallize in a systematic fashion based on their melting points. (B) Because of crystal size of minerals (C) Because of the acid conditions of the magma (D) All of the above

(A) Minerals crystallize in a systematic fashion based on their melting points.

What are the eight elements that compose most rock-forming minerals? (A) Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium (B) Uranium, Gold, Platinum, Zinc, Copper, Lead and Calcium (C) Vanadium, Lanthanum, Plutonium, Eisntantanium, Lanthanum and Lutetium (D) All of the above

(A) Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium

If an igneous rock is heated, which mineral will be the very last mineral left to crystallize according to the Bowen's reaction series? (A) Quartz (B) Pyroxene (C) Potassium feldspar (D) Olivine

(A) Quartz

Which of the following rocks will be most buoyant on the Earth's mantle? Rock A: Density 1.4 g/cm3 Rock B: Density 5.6 g/cm3 Rock C: Density 5.1 g/cm3 Rock D: Density 2.7 g/cm3 (A) Rock A (B) Rock B (C) Rock C (D) Rock D

(A) Rock A

What is soil texture? (A) The relative proportions of sand, silt and clay in the soil (B) The distinct boundaries the makeup soil particles. (C) The level of acidity or alkalinity of soils. (D) All of the above

(A) The relative proportions of sand, silt and clay in the soil

Composite cone volcanoes (also known as stratovolcanoes) are noted for having explosive pyroclastic eruptions. This is due to _____. (A) Plate motion over hot spots (B) A magma that is very viscous and rich in silica (C) The presence of lava tubes and laccoliths (D) Lots of extensive basaltic lava flows

(B) A magma that is very viscous and rich in silica

Rocks that have a uniformly fine grained texture and do not contain mineral grains that are visible to the naked eye are referred to as: (A) Pegmatites (B) Aphanitic (C) Phaneritic (D) Porphyritic

(B) Aphanitic

How do you distinguish the two carbonate rocks dolostone and limestone? (A) By using HCL, limestone fizzes while dolostone does not fizz. (B) By using HCL, limestone does not fizz while dolostone fizzes. (C) Both limestone and dolostone fizz with HCL, so there is no way of differentiating them. (D) None of the above

(B) By using HCL, limestone does not fizz while dolostone fizzes.

Colder, older and denser oceanic lithosphere sinks into the mantle at: (A) Divergent plate boundaries. (B) Convergent plate boundaries. (C) Transform faults. (D) All of the above.

(B) Convergent plate boundaries.

Which of the following statements in not correct? (A) Convergent plate boundaries are characterized by reverse faults. (B) Deep (300-700 km) earthquakes occur at transform faults. (C) Normal faults are the most dominant structures within divergent plate boundaries. (D) Transform faults are special type of strike-slip faults.

(B) Deep (300-700 km) earthquakes occur at transform faults.

How is magma generated along subduction zones? (A) Decompression melting of the mantle from weight reduction. (B) Fluids are dehydrated out of the descending plate, which lowers the melting point of the surrounding mantle. (C) Friction from colliding plates melts mantle material. (D) Radioactive decay melts mantle materia

(B) Fluids are dehydrated out of the descending plate, which lowers the melting point of the surrounding mantle.

Decompression melting occurs as a result of: (A) Decrease of the confining pressure as the Core rises to shallower depth. (B) Increase of the confining pressure as the asthenosphere rises to shallower depth. (C) Decrease of the confining pressure as the lithosphere rises to shallower depth. (D) Plunging of the continental crust into the mantle

(C) Decrease of the confining pressure as the lithosphere rises to shallower depth

When rocks experience high temperatures and differential stresses deep in the Earth, their grains tend to _______ (A) Break in small fragments like a piece of fine crystal (B) Fracture along planes of weakness (C) Flatten and elongate (D) Form new minerals

(C) Flatten and elongate

Mafic magmas that erupt and cover extensive areas with basalt associated with core-mantle boundary form which volcano? (A) Stratovolcano (B) Shield (C) Flood Basalts (D) Cinder cones

(C) Flood Basalts

Name the two igneous rocks in the figures below (A) Basalt and Gabbro (B) Andesite and diorite (C) Granite and Rhyolite (D) All of the above

(C) Granite and Rhyolite

Continental crust is mainly composed of ________, whereas oceanic crust is mainly composed of ________. (A) Olivine; Basalt (B) Limestone; Gabbro (C) Granite; Basalt (D) Gabbro; Granite

(C) Granite; Basalt

Continental crust is mainly composed of ________, whereas oceanic crust is mainly composed of ________. (A) Olivine; basalt (B) Limestone; gabbro (C) Granite; basalt (D) Gabbro; granite

(C) Granite; basalt

Limestone and marble weather faster than granite because _______ (A) Granite is more resistant to physical weathering because of its large crystals (B) Limestone has many cracks and holes that allow water to infiltrate and weather the rock (C) Limestone and marble can be dissolved by weak acids in rain especially carbonic acid (D) Granite does not react with rainwater and only weathers by physical erosion

(C) Limestone and marble can be dissolved by weak acids in rain especially carbonic acid

If Mineral A can scratch Mineral B, but Mineral B cannot scratch Mineral A, which of the following statements is true? (A) Mineral A and Mineral B have the same hardness (B) Mineral A and Mineral B are the exact same mineral (C) Mineral A is harder than Mineral B (D) Mineral B is harder than Mineral A

(C) Mineral A is harder than Mineral B

Which of the following minerals crystallizes early in the Bowen's reaction series? (A) Biotite. (B) Quartz. (C) Olivine. (D) Muscovite

(C) Olivine.

The Hawaii islands can best be described as: (A) Island arcs developed due to collision of two oceanic tectonic plates. (B) Oceanic volcanoes which were formed due to strike-slip faults. (C) Shield volcanoes formed because of the northwest and north-ward movement of the Pacific plate over a stationary mantle plume. (D) None of the above

(C) Shield volcanoes formed because of the northwest and north-ward movement of the Pacific plate over a stationary mantle plume.

Muscovite and other micas are characterized by cleavage in 1 direction. Which of the following reasons explains this cleavage pattern? (A) The presence of Al and Ca within the structure (B) Conchoidal fracture (C) Strong bonds within the sheet-like arrangement of silicate tetrahedral and weaker bonds between sheets (D) The presence of many polymorphs stacked together

(C) Strong bonds within the sheet-like arrangement of silicate tetrahedral and weaker bonds between sheets

Flux melting most likely occurs at: (A) Mid-ocean ridges. (B) Transform faults. (C) Subduction zones. (D) None of the above

(C) Subduction zones.

What line of evidence was Wegener missing from his continental drift hypothesis? (A) Similar coastlines that 'fit' together (B) Fossil evidence (C) The mechanism for plate movement (D) Rock types and structural similarities

(C) The mechanism for plate movement

Rock texture is defined as: (A) The relative abundance of silicate minerals to sulfide minerals in igneous rocks. (B) The tendency of extrusive igneous rocks to form layers. (C) The size, shape and arrangement of mineral crystals in igneous rocks. (D) The mode of occurrence of intrusive igneous rock

(C) The size, shape and arrangement of mineral crystals in igneous rocks.

How do freezing, thawing, wetting, and drying contribute to soil creep? (A) The soil becomes much weaker when dry and frozen. (B) Gravity exerts a much stronger force when the soil is wet and thawed. (C) The soil expands and contracts, lifting particles and dropping them a slight distance downslope. (D)Eventually, these cause the soil and regolith to suddenly slide down the slop

(C) The soil expands and contracts, lifting particles and dropping them a slight distance downslope.

Igneous rocks that are formed through crystallization of lavas at the surface are called: (A) Sedimentary rocks. (B) Metamorphic rocks. (C) Volcanic rocks or extrusive. (D) Plutonic rocks or intrusive.

(C) Volcanic rocks or extrusive.

Igneous rocks that are formed through crystallization of lavas at the surface are called: (A) Sedimentary rocks. (B) Metamorphic rocks. (C) Volcanic rocks. (D) Plutonic rocks.

(C) Volcanic rocks.

Continental drift hypothesis is best supported by which mechanism? (A) Seafloor spreading (B) Ridges and trenches (C) Magnetic polarities and age of sea floor (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

Divergent plate boundaries are characterized by: (A) The development of normal faults (B) Tectonic plates are moving away from each other because of tensile stress. (C) Mid-ocean ridges (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

In order to be defined as a mineral, a substance must: (A) Have an orderly internal structure (B) Have a definite chemical composition (C) Be a naturally occurring, inorganic solid (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

What are the three main layers defined by the chemical composition that define the earth's internal structure? (A) Crust. (B) Mantle (C) Core (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

What processes are responsible for changing magma's composition? (A) Magma assimilation (B) Magma differentiation (C) Magma mixing (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

Which of the following is true of basaltic (mafic) igneous rocks? (A) They are rich in ferromagnesian minerals (B) They contain less silica than granitic (felsic) igneous rocks (C) They are a major constituent of ocean basins and volcanic islands (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

Which of the following is/are most used for testing the properties of minerals? (A) Luster (B) Hardness. (C) Streak (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

Which of the following occurs at a divergent boundary? (A) Plates move away from each other (B) New oceanic crust is created (C) The shape of the mid-ocean ridge reflects the rate of the plate motion (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

Which of the following statements concerning silicates is true? (A) They comprise most rock-forming minerals. (B) They are formed from the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron as the fundamental building block. (C) They are very abundant due to the large percentage of silicon and oxygen in earth's crust (D) All of the above

(D) All of the above

Ophiolite's are: (A) Pieces of the oceanic crust brought to the surface through tectonic plates collision. (B) Contain pillow basalt (forms under water) (C) They are 7-8 km in thickness if intact (true for oceanic crust) (D) All of the above.

(D) All of the above.

Which of the following is a ferromagnesian silicate mineral? (A) Olivine. (B) Pyroxene. (C) Hornblende. (D) All of the above.

(D) All of the above.

The relatively cool and brittle tectonic plate is called: (A) Asthenosphere. (B) Crust. (C) Atmosphere (D) Lithosphere

(D) Lithosphere

Which of the following cannot be taken as evidence to support plate theory? (A) The presence of oceanic volcanic island chains such as Hawaii. (D) The presence of magnetic stripes on the ocean floor. (C) The occurrence of seismic and volcanic activities at the Pacific Ocean rim. (D) The presence of water on Mars.

(D) The presence of water on Mars.

The principle of ________ states that the physical, chemical, and biological processes at work shaping the Earth today have also operated in the geologic past. (A) Catastrophism (B) Plate tectonics (C) Plutonism (D) Uniformitarianism

(D) Uniformitarianism

Peridotite is the main constituent of which part of the Earth? (A) Crust (B) Magma chambers (C) Rift zones (D) Upper mantle

(D) Upper mantle

What role does water play in generating magma? (A) Water lubricates the path for subduct ing plates, allowing them to subduct deeper. (B) Water lowers the density of the rock, allowing it to melt. (C) Water cools the rock, preventing melting. (D) Water lowers the melting temperature of the rock, allowing it to melt

(D) Water lowers the melting temperature of the rock, allowing it to melt

What are the six main components of the scientific method? (A) Make an Observation. (B) Form a question regarding the observations (C) Construct a hypothesis which is an educated guess that may answer the question (D) Conduct an expe riment and analyze the data (E) All of the above

(E) All of the above

The lithosphere is composed of the ________ and the rigid part of the ________. (A) Outer core; inner core (B) Mantle; outer core (C) Crust; lower mantle (d) Crust; Upper mantle

(d) Crust; Upper mantle

Considering the history of Mt. St. Helens and Kilauea volcanoes and your knowledge of volcano types in different tectonic settings, if you had to live on a volcano, which of the following would you choose if safety was your only concern? A) Mauna Loa in Hawaii, on the Big Island of Hawaii near Kilauea B) Mt. Spurr in the Aleutian volcanic arc C) Mt Fujiyama in the Japanese island arc D) Mt. Rainier in the Cascades just north of Mt. St. Helen

A) Mauna Loa in Hawaii, on the Big Island of Hawaii near Kilauea

3) Oceanic lithosphere subducts (sinks into the asthenosphere) because ________. A) Old oceanic lithosphere is more dense that the asthenosphere B) The upwelling magma at divergent boundaries pushes the lithospheric plate into the asthenosphere C) The pressure from two plates colliding forces one plate into the asthenosphere D) The convection of the mantle pulls the lithosphere into the asthenosphere

A) Old oceanic lithosphere is more dense that the asthenosphere

How do we know the Outer core is liquid? A) P waves are transmitted but S waves are not. B) Both P waves and S waves are transmitted. C) S waves are transmitted but P waves are not. D) We don't know

A) P waves are transmitted but S waves are not.

Which one of the following shows the correct order (left to right) of decreasing magma viscosity? A) Rhyolite, andesite, basalt B) Andesite, rhyolite, basalt C) Basalt, rhyolite, andesite D) Basalt, andesite, rhyolite

A) Rhyolite, andesite, basalt

_________ is a mineral's streak while ________ refers to a mineral's intensity and quality of reflected light. A) The color of the mineral in powdered form, Luster B) The appearance of light reflected from the mineral's surface, Cleavage C) The tendency to break along weak bonds, Tenacity D) The mineral's resistance to breaking, Streak

A) The color of the mineral in powdered form, Luster

Although the jigsaw-puzzle fit of the southern continents was noted, opponents of continental drift argued that, even if continental displacement had occurred, a good fit between the continents today would be unlikely. What geologic evidence did they cite to support this claim? A) Deposition in river deltas had changed the longshore current, resulting in erosion. B) The tensional stress of splitting sheared the continents beyond all repair. C) Wave erosion and coastal deposition have changed the shape of the continents. D) Fissure eruptions along continental margins has created new land.

C) Wave erosion and coastal deposition have changed the shape of the continents.

Continental rifting is occurring today in ________. A) Western California (San Andreas Fault) B) Between Minnesota and Wisconsin (mid-continent rift) C) The Pacific Northwest (Cascadia subduction zone) D) Ethiopia and Kenya (East African Rift valley)

D) Ethiopia and Kenya (East African Rift valley)

Which of the following is an important, mechanical weathering process for enlarging fractures and extending them deeper into large boulders and bedrock? A) Oxidation. B) Eluviation C) Hydrologic cycling D) Frost wedging

D) Frost wedging

A ________ is a mushroom-shaped pluton that forms by injecting magma between sedimentary strata, forcing the upper layers to arch upward. A) Dike B) Sill C) Batholith D) Laccolith

D) Laccolith

Which horizons make up the solum? A) C horizon B) O and A horizons C) E, B, and C horizons D) O, A, E, and B horizons

D) O, A, E, and B horizons

If an igneous rock is heated, which mineral melts first according to Bowen's reaction series? A) Quartz B) Pyroxene C) Potassium feldspar D) Olivine

D) Olivine

Crystalline igneous rocks that have crystals large enough to be seen without the aid of magnification are said to be: A) Aphanitic B) Volcanic C) Glassy D) Phaneritic or coarse grained

D) Phaneritic or coarse grained

Light colored silicates with a specific gravity of about 2.7 grams/cm 3 are composed primarily of the silica tetrahedra and ________. A) Iron, magnesium, calcium, and sodium B) Aluminum, magnesium, calcium, and iron C) Magnesium, Iron, sodium, and olivine D) Potassium, aluminum, magnesium, and sodium

D) Potassium, aluminum, magnesium, and sodium

________ is a felsic igneous rock with a meringue-like vesicular texture, consisting of very small holes, created by small shards of volcanic glass. A) Scoria B) Obsidian C) Granite D) Pumice

D) Pumice

Define the tenacity of a mineral. A) Resistance to scratching B) Parting along a plane of weakness C) A specific pattern of fracturing D) Resistance to breaking or deforming

D) Resistance to breaking or deforming

_____ and ________ are chemical weathering products created in many metal and coal mining regions and pose serious environmental hazards. A) Carbonic acid; slag B) Nitric acid; coal dust C) Hydrochloric acid; bicarbonate D) Sulfuric acid; iron oxide

D) Sulfuric Acid; iron oxide

What does the tendency of micas to produce thin cleavage flakes suggest about its crystal structure? A) The crystal structure is characterized by complex polymerized mats that form a sheetlike structure. B) The structure is characterized by rings that form an interlocking network, forming planar sheets. C) The structure is produced by flow in the igneous rock, aligning glass layers within the crystal structure. D) The atoms are arranged in orderly arrangements that form strongly bonded sheets separated by weak bonds between the sheet

D) The atoms are arranged in orderly arrangements that form strongly bonded sheets separated by weak bonds between the sheet

The most obvious evidence of a Plate boundary where two plates move apart is (are) ________. A) Earthquakes B) Strike-slip faults on the sea floor C) Mountain building along the plate boundary D) Upwelling of hot material from the mantle

D) Upwelling of hot material from the mantle

5. Volcanoes form above subduction zones because ________. A) The subducting lithosphere melts as it descends and the magma rises to form volcanoes B) The lithosphere thickens above the subducting lithosphere and causes volcanoes to form C) The asthenosphere is displaced by the subducting lithosphere and rises to the surface to form volcanoes D) Water is squeezed out of the subducting slab and the water triggers melting of the overlying asthenosphere.

D) Water is squeezed out of the subducting slab and the water triggers melting of the overlying asthenosphere.

Which of the following factors help determine whether a volcanic eruption will be violent or relatively quiescent? A) Amount of dissolved gas in the magma B) Temperature of the magma C) Composition of the magma especially silica D) all of these

D) all of these

Crystalline igneous rocks that have crystals large enough to be seen without the aid of magnification are said to be _________ while a crystalline texture consisting of larger crystals in a finely crystalline matrix of groundmass is called ______________ A). Aphanitic, Volcanic B). Volcanic, Glassy C). Glassy, Porphyritic D). Phaneritic or coarse grained, Porphyritic

D). Phaneritic or coarse grained, Porphyritic

Andesite was named after the Andes Mtns. in S. America. Andesite is ________ composition. A)Amorphous B)Mafic C)Rhyolitic D)Intermediate

D)Intermediate

What are the different forms of soil speds/structure? A) Granular soils B) Blocky soils C) Platy soils. D) Prismatic soils E) All of the above

E) All of the above

Which of the following best describe the E soil horizon? a) Regolith zone b) Erosion zone c) Residual zone d) Leaching zone

d) Leaching zone

What is the difference between island arcs and volcanic arcs? (A) Island arcs are associated with transform faults whereas volcanic arcs are associated with hot spots. (B) Island arcs are associated with ocean-ocean convergent plate boundaries whereas volcanic arcs are associated with ocean-continent convergent plate boundaries. (C) Island arcs are the product of mantle plume whereas volcanic arcs are generated by hot spots. (D) Island arcs are associated with ocean-continent convergent plate boundaries whereas volcanic arcs are associated with ocean-ocean convergent plate boundaries.

(B) Island arcs are associated with ocean-ocean convergent plate boundaries whereas volcanic arcs are associated with ocean-continent convergent plate boundaries.

Continental crust is unlikely to be subducted at subduction zones because: (A) Continental crust is denser than the Oceanic crust. (B) It is less dense than the Oceanic crust (C) It is supported by the core. (D) It is overlain by the mantle

(B) It is less dense than the Oceanic crust

When magma forms, it rises up through the crust. Why does magma rise? (A) It is uplifted by tectonism. (B) It is less dense/bouyant (C) It is forced out by volcanism. (D) It is forced upward by pressure from the Earth's interior

(B) It is less dense/bouyant

Mafic minerals are those that contain a great deal of ________. (A) Potassium and aluminum (B) Magnesium and iron (C) Calcium and silicon (D) Magnesium and fluorine

(B) Magnesium and iron

Why is color not always a good way to identify minerals? (A) All minerals have the same color. (B) Many types of minerals are found in more than one color. (C) Color is directly related to crystal form. (D) Only rocks, not minerals, are colored

(B) Many types of minerals are found in more than one color.

Which of the following is a silicate mineral? (A) Hematite. (B) Muscovite. (C) Calcite. (D) Halite.

(B) Muscovite.

What is the order of mineral crystallization followed in discontinues branch of Bowen reaction series. (A) Biotite, sodium plagioclase, magnetite, gold (B) Olivine, Pyroxene, amphiboles and Biotite C) Amphiboles, biotite and feldspars D) all of the above

(B) Olivine, Pyroxene, amphiboles and Biotite

What is the order of mineral crystallization followed in the discontinuous branch of Bowen reaction series. (A) Biotite, sodium plagioclase, magnetite, gold (B) Olivine, Pyroxene, amphiboles and Biotite C) Amphiboles, biotite and feldspars D) all of the above

(B) Olivine, Pyroxene, amphiboles and Biotite

What is the process of assimilation? (A) Process where magma crystallizes to form silica (B) Process where host rock is dislodged, melts and is incorporated into the magma body as a contaminant (C) Process where earlier formed crystals that are dense settles at the bottom of the melt. (D) all of the above

(B) Process where host rock is dislodged, melts and is incorporated into the magma body as a contaminant

Which of the following statements is not correct? (A) Metamorphic rocks may melt to form magma. (B) Sedimentary rocks may weather to igneous rocks. (C) Magma crystallizes to form igneous rocks. (D) Igneous rocks can undergo metamorphism

(B) Sedimentary rocks may weather to igneous rocks.

Which types of minerals crystallize first from a cooling magma? (A) Silica-rich (felsic) minerals like quartz (B) Silica-poor (mafic) minerals like olivine (C) All minerals crystallize at the same temperature (D) All of the above

(B) Silica-poor (mafic) minerals like olivine

A ______ is an intrusive, igneous rock body that is tabular and concordant. (A) Dike (B) Sill (C) Atoll (D)Linear sea

(B) Sill

Magma fractionation results in: (A) The production of more diamonds (B) The evolution of more felsic magma. (C) The formation of magma that has a composition similar to that of the outer core. (D) The generation of ultra-mafic magma

(B) The evolution of more felsic magma.

Extrusive (volcanic) igneous rocks have finer texture compared to intrusive (plutonic) igneous rocks because: (A) The volcanic rocks crystallize at about 10 km depth. (B) The extrusive rocks cools faster compared to intrusive rocks. (C) Intrusive rocks cools faster, hence larger crystals are formed. (D) The cooling rate of the extrusive rocks is much slower than that of the intrusive rock

(B) The extrusive rocks cools faster compared to intrusive rocks.

Continent-continent collision can be exemplified by: (A) The Arabian plate subducted under the African plate under the Red Sea. (B) The northward movement of India plate into Eurasia plate. (C) The formation of the Hawaiian volcanic chain. (D) The development of the San Andreas Fault in the western United States

(B) The northward movement of India plate into Eurasia plate.

If the temperature in the Earth increases with depth, how is it possible that the inner core is a solid? (A) Temperatures increase to a certain point before leveling off below the melting point of the core. (B) The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state in spite of the temperature. (C) Earth's interior does not reach temperatures high enough to melt the material of the inner core. (D) The inner core is shedding the heat so quickly that melting does not have time to occ

(B) The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state in spite of the temperature.

Inclusions in crystallized igneous rocks resulting from un-melted remnants of the host rocks are called____________? (A) Monocytes (B) Xenoliths (C) Live in rocks (D) Cinder cones

(B) Xenoliths

What is the scientifically accepted age of the formation of the universe? (A) 4.6 billion years (B) 10 billion years (C) 13.7 billion years (D) 8.7 billion years

(C) 13.7 billion years

Changing the composition of the magma by incorporating surrounding host rocks is known as: (A) Magma mixing. (B) Magma melting. (C) Assimilation (D) Magma differentiation.

(C) Assimilation

The three main different types of plate boundaries are: (A) Lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere (B). Small, medium, large (C) Convergent, divergent, transform (D) Angular unconformity, disconformity, nonconformity.

(C) Convergent, divergent, transform

What caused our solar nebula to contract and spin, eventually creating the planets? A) Gravitational interactions between particles B) Gravitational attraction from black holes C) Nuclear fusion joining atomic particles D) Solar winds from nearby stars

A) Gravitational interactions between particles

Which of the following is not one of the major tectonic plates on the Earth's surface? A) Juan de Fuca Plate B) North American Plate C) African Plate D) Pacific Plate

A) Juan de Fuca Plate

An isotope of oxygen has 8 protons, 10 neutrons, and 8 electrons. What is the atomic mass of this isotope? A) 16 B) 18 C) 21 D) 26

B) 18

When the continents were assembled and mountain ranges were matched up, mountains in Scandinavia and the British Isles matched up perfectly with which North American mountain range? A) Rocky Mountains B) Appalachian Mountains C) Sierra Nevada Mountains D) Olympic Mountains

B) Appalachian Mountains

The asthenosphere is actually part of the ________ of the earth. A) Outer core B) Crust C) Inner core D) Upper Mantle

B) Crust

What two pieces of information would researchers need to have in order to calculate the rate of plate motion for seafloor spreading? A) Age of the continent and depth of the water B) Distance from the rift and age of seafloor sample C) Age of the seafloor sample and age of the continent D) Type of rock and distance from the rift

B) Distance from the rift and age of seafloor sample

Obsidian exhibits a ________ texture and conchoidal fracture. A) Fine-grained B) Glassy C) Coarse-grained (D) Porphyritic.

B) Glassy

What is the difference between "magma" and "lava"? A) Magma is formed deep in the Earth and lava forms near the surface of the Earth. B) It is just a name change, and lava is what magma is called if it reaches the surface of the Earth. C) Magma makes igneous rocks and lava forms volcanoes. D) Magma is less dense than lava.

B) It is just a name change, and lava is what magma is called if it reaches the surface of the Earth.

Why do scientists think that lithosphere has to be destroyed somewhere on or in the earth? A) There is not enough lithosphere on the earth to account for what has been produced in the last 200 million years. B) Lithosphere is created at divergent boundaries and the earth is not getting any larger. C) The moon is moving away from the earth and this would not happen if the earth had more lithosphere to increase its mass. D) The earth is getting smaller as the new oceanic crust cools and contract

B) Lithosphere is created at divergent boundaries and the earth is not getting any larger.

Using the knowledge of the soil profile, name the zones labelled 1, 2, 3, 4? A) A horizon, C, horizon, O horizon, B horizon B) O horizon, A horizon, B, horizon, C horizon C) A horizon, B horizon, C, horizon, D horizon D) A horizon, B horizon, C, horizon, O, horizon

B) O horizon, A horizon, B, horizon, C horizon

________ occurs when magnetic minerals in lavas align their magnetic fields with magnetic north, preserving a record of that pole's location at that moment in time. A) A mantle plume B) Paleomagnetism C) Magnetic reversal D) Seafloor spreading

B) Paleomagnetism

What are the two groups of feldspar minerals called? A) Microcline and orthoclase B) Potassium feldspar and plagioclase C) Sodium and calcium D) Albite and Anorthite

B) Potassium feldspar and plagioclase

The rock pumice often floats yet the density of the rock is greater than water. Why does it float? A) Pumice is a pyroclastic rock derived from rhyolite glass, and rhyolite glass has a lower density than water. B) Pumice is a pyroclastic rock comprised largely of open voids formed by gases released when the magma solidified as froth-like material. C) Pumice is a rock made of rhyolite glass that erupts into water, which traps water in voids and makes the material less dense than water. D) Pumice is another name for dacite, a low-density rock that floats in water.

B) Pumice is a pyroclastic rock comprised largely of open voids formed by gases released when the magma solidified as froth-like material.

What effect will roots have on a sedimentary rock? A) Root tips will promote cementation, making the rock stronger. B) Roots will weaken the cement, splitting the rock apart. C) Roots will wrap around the sediments, holding them tight as the rock cements. D) Roots will add cement to unconsolidated sediments to create a roc

B) Roots will weaken the cement, splitting the rock apart.

Which characteristics are used to determine the processes that created an igneous rock? A) Heat and pressure B) Texture and composition C) Size and shape D) Color and texture

B) Texture and composition

Why do volcanoes like Mount St. Helens erupt explosively, whereas others like Kilauea are relatively quiescent? A) Continental volcanoes, like Mount St. Helens, tend to be more explosive than oceanic volcanoes, like Kilauea, because they have less water around them. B) The magmas associated with Mount St. Helens are more viscous than those associated with Kilauea because they have more silica. C) Kilauea has more volatiles than Mount St. Helens and volatiles reduce the strength of the eruption. D) Mount St. Helens is above a subduction zone and Kilauea is not

B) The magmas associated with Mount St. Helens are more viscous than those associated with Kilauea because they have more silica.

If the temperature in the Earth generally increases with depth, how is it possible that the inner core is a solid? A) Temperatures increase to a certain point before leveling off below the melting point of the core. B) The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state in spite of the temperature. C) Earth's interior does not reach temperatures high enough to melt the material of the inner core. D) The inner core is shedding the heat so quickly that melting does not have time to occur

B) The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state in spite of the temperature.

Intrusive igneous rocks are often characterized as coarse-grained because ________. A) The pressures at depth cause them to have a rough texture B) The slow cooling at depth allows large crystals to grow C) The uplift process that exposes the rock fractures them and makes them rough D) Small holes from escaping gases leave them rough and course

B) The slow cooling at depth allows large crystals to grow

Which of the following is the definition of a scientific theory? A) The gathering of data through observations B) A tentative explanation used to explain observed activities C) A well-tested and widely accepted view that explains observable facts D) An educated guess

C) A well-tested and widely accepted view that explains observable facts

Igneous rocks with an andesitic composition ________. A) Are denser than basaltic compositional rocks B) Make up most of the sea floor C) Are denser than granitic compositional rocks D) Are found primarily in continental interiors

C) Are denser than granitic compositional rocks

The tendency of a mineral to break along planes of weaker chemical bonds and form smooth surfaces is known as_________ and________ minerals have a good cleavage in two directions, which creates a rectangular-shaped crystal? A) Streak, Halite B) Luster, Quartz C) Cleavage, Plagioclase D) Hardness, Biotit

C) Cleavage, Plagioclase

Clay minerals are light silicates that form ________. A) From molten rock B) From mechanical weathering of any rock C) From chemical weathering of igneous rocks D) All of the above

C) From chemical weathering of igneous rocks

Soil belongs to the ________while______________ water dominated parts of the earth. A) Hydrosphere; Atmosphere B) Atmosphere; Geosphere C) Geosphere; Hydrosphere D) Biosphere; Atmosphere

C) Geosphere; Hydrosphere

Wegener's work is a good demonstration of the scientific method because ________. A) He was right, but no one believed him B) His hypothesis passed all of the scientific testing to become a theory C) His hypothesis did not pass all of the scientific tests to become a theory D) He was wrong, and as a result, no one believed him

C) His hypothesis did not pass all of the scientific tests to become a theory

Shield volcanos form from what type of magma? A) High viscosity aa basalt magmas B) Low viscosity rhyolite magmas C) Low viscosity basalt magmas D) High viscosity rhyolite magma

C) Low viscosity basalt magmas

Match the lettered blanks in respective order starting with A-D to their location in the Geologic Time Scale in this image A) Neogene, Precambrian Ordovician Silurian B) Cambrian, Mesozoic, Neogene, Holocene C) Mesozoic, Cenozoic, cretaceous, Pleistocene D) Holocene, Neogene, Silurian, Cambria

C) Mesozoic, Cenozoic, cretaceous, Pleistocene

Which ferromagnesian mineral is believed to constitute up to 50 percent of the mantle? A) Biotite B) Amphibole C) Olivine D) Garnet

C) Olivine

How can the orientation of transform faults provide information about the direction of plate motion? A) Transform faults are oriented perpendicular to the direction of plate motion. B) Transform faults radiate out from the rift zone located in the center. C) Transform faults are parallel to the direction of plate motion. D) Transform faults are parallel to convergent boundaries

C) Transform faults are parallel to the direction of plate motion.

Mt. Rainier in Washington State is often thought to be the most hazardous volcano in the lower 48 states of the United States because ________. A) it is close enough to Seattle and Tacoma, Washington that these cities could be destroyed in a pyroclastic flow B) the volcano is close enough to Seattle and Tacoma, Washington that a large explosive eruption could bury the cities in a large rock avalanche similar to the Mt. St. Helens eruption C) large amounts of glacial ice on the mountain could be melted by even a small eruption, potentially generating dangerous lahars that would travel rapidly down river valleys to heavily populated areas D) The statement is false; the volcano poses little hazard to humans except for the few who live close to the volcano.

C) large amounts of glacial ice on the mountain could be melted by even a small eruption, potentially generating dangerous lahars that would travel rapidly down river valleys to heavily populated areas

The famous destruction of the Roman city of Pompeii was produced by ________. A) A large cinder cone burying the city in tephra B) A composite volcano erupted lava that buried the city, fossilizing people who were overridden by the fast moving flows C) A volcanic mudflow from Mt. Vesuvius that buried the people and the city D) A pyroclastic eruption from a composite volcano that buried the city in ash and smothered the people living there.

D) A pyroclastic eruption from a composite volcano that buried the city in ash and smothered the people living there.

Pyroclastic flows move ________. A) Very rapidly, too fast to outrun on foot B) As gravity flows similar to snow avalanches C) As a dense cloud that contains hot magma particles suspended in hot gases and moves rapidly downhill D) All of the above

D) All of the above

The Wichita falls soil profile is classified as Prairie-grassland type and is characterized by _______? A) Thick, dark A horizon due to accumulation of organic material. B) Very fertile and excellent for agricultural purposes. C) Produce most of the wheat, corn, soybeans, and other crops. D) All of the above

D) All of the above

The soil texture is defined by the relative proportions of sand, clay and silt. What are the different properties that are influenced by the soil texture? A) Porosity and permeability B) Infiltration and shrink-swell rate, C) Water-holding capacity D) All of the above

D) All of the above

Which of the following is an example of a divergent plate boundary? Choose all that apply? A) East African Rift B) Mid-Atlantic ridge C) Midcontinent rift D) All of the above

D) All of the above

Which of the following is evidence of continental drift? A) Glossopteris fossils found on Antarctica and Australia B) Coal deposits in North America C) Matching rock units found in Brazil and Africa D) All of the above

D) All of the above

The lithosphere is composed of the ________ and the rigid part of the ________. A) Outer core; inner core B) Mantle; outer core C) Crust; lower mantle D) Crust; upper mantle

D) Crust; upper mantle

Which of the following mineral identification techniques would most easily identify calcite? A) Taste B) Streak C) Magnetism D) Effervescence

D) Effervescence