Geology 1114 Final Exam Review
63) A mountain range with peaks as high as 14,000 feet above sea level has formed. As time passes, erosion wears down the mountains. How will isostasy affect the crust? A) The surrounding landscape will sink B) The mountain range will rise C) The mountain range will be depressed D) Nothing will change the elevation of the area
b
73) Why would geological mapping be difficult in an area dominated by accreted terranes? A) The geology is so similar that it would be difficult to determine terrane boundaries B) Each terrane is geologically distinct, but also highly deformed C) Isostatic rebound would result in gravitational collapse to make them indistinct D) Terranes are very old and terribly eroded
b
75)...........................is the maximum load of solid particles a stream can transport per unit time while ........................is a measure of a stream's ability to transport particles based on size rather than quantity. A) Corrosion B) Capacity and competency C) Competence D) Carbonate
b
76) Which of the following statements is not correct? (A) Metamorphic rocks may melt to magma. (B) Sedimentary rocks may weather to igneous rocks. (C) Magma crystallizes to form igneous rocks. (D) Igneous rocks can undergo metamorphism
b
79) 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
80) ...................are flat areas along streams that are created by the deposition of alluvium and is subject to periodic inundation. A) Terraces B) Floodplains C) Riffles D) Bars
b
5) The......................have crust about twice as thick as normal. A) Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada in California B) Blue Ridge Mountains in the southeastern United States C) Himalayan Range and Tibetan Plateau in northern India and southwestern China D) Basin and Range Province in Arizona and Nevada
c
10) In which location on a continent would one be likely to find young mountain belts (less than 100 million years old)? A) In the center of the continent B) On the continental shield C) On the stable platform D) Along the margins of the continent
d
14) Which factor(s) will most influence the depth of deep-ocean trenches? A) Compressive force B) Rate of convection C) Density and composition of the mantle beneath D) Temperature and density of the plate
d
20) Seismic gaps are............................ A) Unusually quiet zones along known active faults B) Slices of land bounded by active, strike-slip faults on all sides C) Inactive faults cutting across high ridges and water gaps D) Segments of active faults with creep rates of up to 2 cm/yr
a
23) A horst is............................ A) A faulted block bounded by two normal faults where the hanging walls moved down B) A down dropped block bounded by two reverse faults C) A down dropped block bounded by two normal faults D) All of the above
a
31) How can subduction result in the emplacement of batholiths? A) Partial melting of the mantle overlying the subducting plate creates magma. B) Decompression melting of the plate creates magma. C) Friction of descending plate creates magma. D) Pillow basalts get subducted with plate and forced into overriding plate.
a
37) The Edwards aquifer that supplies water to about 2m people in Texas is an example of a confined aquifer in a karst topography and is recharged by ............? A) Influent streams flowing over the recharge zone where water sinks into the limestone B) Underground saline water due to ocean/ fresh water interface C) Ocean water D) Canals and aqueducts that transfer water from Columbia and Colorado rivers.
a
43) All of the following are examples of nonpoint sources of pollution except: A) Wastewater discharge pipes from an industrial facility. B) Several agricultural farms where fertilizers are widely spread. C) A large city with dirty roads and parking lots. D) Petroleum products from gas stations spread throughout in a large neighborhood. E) Sediment from improperly managed construction sites and crop and forest lands
a
54) Much of the city of New Orleans is below sea level, yet it was not an ocean when the city was first settled. How did it get below sea level? A) Drainage canals and groundwater withdrawal produced subsidence that dropped the land below sea level. B) The area was dredged to build levees, and so it was left below sea level. C) Oil production withdrew oil and produced land subsidence. D) Sea level is just rising
a
7) Most mountain ranges are the result of..........................stress and are associated with which kind of plate boundary?. A) Compressional, convergent B) Tensional, Divergent C) Shear, transform D) All of the above
a
74) 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
84) Why are sea levels dropping in places closest to the melting glaciers? A) Because of isostatic rebound where the land masses rise and sea level goes down. B) Because waves and ocean currents take way the water C) Infiltration of water in the ground D) None of the above
a
95) When a meandering stream erodes, it also deposits sediment on the inside of the meander loop. This deposit is called a/an.................................. A) Point bar B) Oxbow lake C) Delta D) Cutbank
a
100) 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
101) 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
103) 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
11) Which of the following regions of a subduction zone are characterized by thick sequences of relatively undeformed sedimentary rocks? A) Volcanic island arc B) Forearc region C) Suture D) Transform fault
b
13) Which of the following statements best describe the difference between ductile and brittle deformation? A) Ductile deformation produces faults whereas brittle deformation produces folds B) Ductile deformation produces folds whereas brittle deformation produces faults. C) Brittle deformation occurs at the core-mantle boundary whereas ductile deformation occurs within the Earth surface D) Brittle deformation affects metamorphic rocks only whereas ductile deformation affects all rock types
b
18) How does the angle of subduction affect the dimensions of the forearc basin? A) Shallow angle of subduction leads to a wide forearc basin B) Steep angle of subduction leads to a narrow forearc basin C) Steep angle of subduction leads to a wide forearc basin D) Shallow angle of subduction closes the forearc basin
b
19) .......................refers to the tendency for a foundation material to lose its internal cohesion and fail mechanically during earthquake shaking. A) Slurrying B) Liquefaction C) Motion slip D) Seismoflowage
b
30) The role of burial and heat in the generation of oil and gas is to.................................... A) Turn pit into coal B) Convert organic matter into oil and gas C) Turn Chlorophyll into carbon dioxide D) None of the above
b
32) Most organic matter that becomes oil and gas is: A) Dead dinosaurs B) Phytoplankton and algae C) Plant stems and leaves D) All of the Above
b
33) In what ways are the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Andes Mountains similar in terms of mountain formation? A) Crumpling of the continent through collision with another continent B) Emplacement of batholiths C) Extension of the continent through rifting D) Downwarping of the continent due to crustal subsidence
b
34) Visualize five, horizontal, sedimentary strata exposed in a cliff or canyon wall identified by consecutive numbers, 1 being the lowest bed and 5 being the highest. Which of the following statements concerning the strata are true? A) Bed 5 is the oldest. B) Beds l and 3 are older than bed 4 C) Bed 4 is older than bed 2. D) Bed 3 is older than beds 2 and 4
b
38) Which type of volcanic material will dominate the eruptions along a continental volcanic arc? A) Mafic lavas B) Lavas of intermediate or felsic composition C) A mix of felsic and ultramafic lavas D) Felsic lavas
b
42) What is a suture? A) A landmass accreted to a continent through subduction B) The zone where two continents are welded together C) The region of a mid-ocean ridge where it is bisected by a transform boundary D) A fold-and-thrust belt created through convergence
b
47) Which of the following statements best characterizes the geology and structure of the Appalachian Mountains? A) Deeply eroded, late Mesozoic upwarping mountains B) Sedimentary strata folded in the late Paleozoic Era C) Continental volcanic chain along a subduction zone D) Fault-block mountains developed from rifting of North America from Africa
b
57) Which U.S. region is made up of a series of high-angle normal faults producing nearly parallel mountain ranges? A) Appalachian Mountains B) Basin and Range Province C) Colorado Plateau D) Valley and Ridge Province
b
88) Which of the following best describes ferromagnesian minerals? A) They are dark in color because they contain quartz and feldspar elements. B) They are dark in color because they contain iron and magnesium C) They are light in color because they contain iron and magnesium. D) They are dark in color because they are the last minerals to crystallize from the magma
b
89) What is the difference between an effluent stream and influent stream? A) An effluent stream loses water to the underground water table while influent stream gains water from the ground water table. B) An effluent stream gains water from the underground water table while influent stream loses water to the ground water table. C) No difference D) None of the above
b
91) The bouncing of particles along the stream bottom after colliding with other particles is....... A) Suspended load B) Saltation C) Bed load D) Competence.
b
92) Magma fractionation results in......................... and changing the composition of the magma by incorporating surrounding host rocks is known as.................................. (A) The production of more mafic magma, Magma mixing (B) The evolution of more felsic magma, Assimilation (C) The formation of magma that has a composition similar to that of the outer core, Magma differentiation. (D) The generation of ultra-mafic magma, Magma melting.
b
96) 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
97) When a meander loop is cut off during a flood, the abandoned meander often becomes a/an................... A) Alluvial fan B) Oxbow lake C) Point bar D) Levee E) Divide
b
104) Why is the use of proxy data necessary when studying past climate change? A) Modern recording instruments are skewed by pollutants in the atmosphere B) Modern data has been biased by religious influence or political ideologies C) Instrumental records only go back a couple of centuries and are more incomplete the older they are D) Geological and atmospheric changes occurring at the time work differently than today
c
12) Put the four regions of a subduction zone in order from the convergent boundary landward toward the continental interior. A) Volcanic arc, deep-ocean trench, forearc region, back-arc region B) Back-arc region, volcanic arc, forearc, deep-ocean trench C) Deep-ocean trench, forearc region, volcanic arc, back-arc region D) Forearc, back-arc, deep-ocean trench, volcanic arc
c
15) The P-wave shadow zone is largely the result of.............................. A) Reflection of P waves from the inner core-outer core boundary B) Lower P-wave velocities in the mantle than in the crust C) Refraction of P waves crossing the mantle-outer core boundary D) All of the above
c
36) What is an accretionary wedge? A) Deformed and thrust-faulted continental lithosphere B) A fan of sediments at the bottom of a deep-ocean trench C) Sediments and ocean crust fragments being scraped off of a subducting plate D) Fault blocks that are slipping down due to extension in a back-arc basin
c
41) Spodosols are a classification of soils that develop in cool, sandy moist coniferous forest regions (Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes region, Northeast states) of USA. How would you describe their PH to be? A) Acidic with a PH between 10-12 B) Alkaline with a PH 10-12. C) Acidic with PH 4.5-6. D) Neutral with a PH 7
c
45) An important geochronometer is the decay of 147Sm to 143Nd. What type of radioactive decay is involved in this parent-daughter pair? A) Beta decay B) Electron capture C) Alpha decay D) A positron capture.
c
46) What fundamental concept states that in a horizontal sequence of conformable sedimentary strata, each higher bed is younger than the bed below it? A) Law of original correlation B) Theory of correlative deposition C) Law of superposition D) Theory of superstition
c
48) Put the three orogenic events of the Appalachian in order from oldest to youngest. A) Taconic Orogeny, Laramide Orogeny, Acadian Orogeny B) Alleghanian Orogeny, Taconic Orogeny, Acadian Orogeny C) Taconic Orogeny, Acadian Orogeny, Alleghanian Orogeny D) Laramide Orogeny, Taconic, Alleghanian Orogeny
c
49) The principle of superposition which states that in un-deformed rocks, the younger rocks will be on top of older rocks, is particularly important because.............................................. A) It supports the laws of gravity which indicate that rocks must be deposited on something that already exists B) It showed that the interior of the earth is not growing outward C) It provided an order for assembling the relative ages of various rock layers D) It proved that life evolved by putting fossils in a logical order
c
1) 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
53) A major difference between coal and oil/gas is.......................................... A) Coal forms in deep marine environments and oil/gas form in shallow marine environments B) Coal forms in shallow marine environments and oil/gas form in swamps C) Coal forms in swamps and oil/gas form in marine environments D) Coal forms on land from dinosaurs and oil/gas form from ancient fish
c
55) 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
56) An artesian well is one in which............................................................. A) The water is warm, fairly saline, and recharged by an affluent stream B) Pressurized groundwater rises from a deep, unsaturated aquifer C) Water rises above the top of the aquifer without any pumping D) The well is horizontal and the water table is perched
c
58) Which term best describes those processes that move weathered rock materials and soils down-slope? A) Podzolization. B) Slope stabilization. C) Mass wasting. D) Fragmentation.
c
59) Which orogeny is largely responsible for creating the modern Rocky Mountains? A) Nevadan Orogeny B) Taconic Orogeny C) Laramide Orogeny D) Alleghanian Orogeny
c
69) Which of the following best describes the effect of convective flow on the elevation of Earth's major landforms? A) Convective flow adds more material to the base of the lithosphere, making it down warp. B) Rotation of convecting mantle material smoothens out wrinkles in the surface. C) Hot rising material up warps the landscape whereas downward flow causes down warping. D) Subduction of oceanic plates disrupting the convective flow on the mantle, resulting in hot spots burning through the crust.
c
70) Flux melting most likely occurs at: (A) Mid-ocean ridges. (B) Transform faults. (C) Subduction zones. (D) None of the above.
c
72) What is one possible explanation for the crustal subsidence that created extensive areas of down warping such as in Michigan and Illinois? A) Cessation of compression along a convergent plate boundary B) Cessation of upwelling from a mantle plume C) Cessation of subduction, with detachment of the descending slab, created a downward pull in the mantle D) The crust is extended to maintain a convergent plate boundary where the descending plate is sinking
c
77) A.........................stream consists of a complex network of converging and diverging channels that weave around channel bars. A) Straight channel B) Meandering stream C) Braided stream D) Bedrock channel
c
78) Igneous rocks that are formed through crystallization of lavas at the surface are called..........................and the ones that crystallized at some depth are called.............? A) Sedimentary rocks, sedimentary. B) Metamorphic rocks, volcanic. C) Volcanic rocks, plutonic D) Plutonic rocks and granitic.
c
82) Why are urban areas susceptible to flash floods? A) Oil, gasoline, and other auto fluids repel more water into the stream system B) City sewers promote flooding of city streets and parking areas C) A high percentage of the surface area is covered with cement, asphalt, and other impervious materials D) Construction materials promote rapid absorption of precipitation, which puts excess water into the stream system
c
83) 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
9) What is a Yazoo tributary? A) A Mountain river with sandbags B) V shaped river C) Secondary or tributary stream that runs parallel to larger stream with a high natural levee. D) Natural Levee
c
90) Which of the following minerals crystallizes early in the Bowen's reaction series? A) Biotite. B) Quartz. C) Olivine. D) Muscovite
c
94) Which of the following is not a factor in controlling the magma generation? A) Temperature B) Pressure. C) Crystal size. D) Volatiles.
c
16) The Cascadia subduction zone off the coast of Washington and Oregon famously lacks a well-defined deep-ocean trench. Why might this be the case? A) Compression from the convergent boundary has squeezed any potential trench closed. B) There is a massive amount of sediment fill from the Columbia River basin. C) The descending plate is warm and buoyant, so it subducts shallowly. D) There is a shallow angle of plate subduction, as well as large quantities of sediment infill.
d
17) A shallow-focus earthquake occurs directly under the South Pole. A seismic station at the North Pole would receive........................ A) S waves from this quake but not P waves B) Both P and S waves from this quake separated in arrival times by two minutes C) Neither P waves nor S waves from the quake D) P waves from this quake, but no S waves would be detected
d
22) What are the main factors that influence the strength of a rock and how it will deform? A) Temperature conditions of the subsurface B) Confining pressure of the overlying rocks C) Rock type and length of time the rock is exposed to stress D) All of the above
d
24) Which one of the following statements is true about hydrothermal solutions in metamorphism? A) Important ore deposits producing gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper metals B) Aqueous fluids are either magmatic fluids and/or meteoric rain water. C) Results in physical and/or chemical changes; these in turn lead to mineral precipitation D) All of the above
d
25) .....................will form as sediment collects between the accretionary wedge and the volcanic arc. A) Deep-ocean trench B) Continental shelf C) Back-arc basin D) Forearc basin
d
26) What are the most common hazards associated with mineral extraction? A) Water and Air Pollution B) Flooding of abandoned mines C) Acid mine drainage from tailings D) All the above
d
27) Which one of the following causes environmental pollution in the processing of mineral ores? A) Milling and floatation produce tailings which contain large amounts of pyrite that are responsible for drainage contamination. B) Heap leaching uses large amounts of cyanide chemical that may spill in the environment. C) Large amounts of slag are produced in smelters that may contain lead, this and other particulates may be released in the atmosphere. D) All of the above.
d
28) What are some of the sedimentary depositional environments? A) Continental (fluvial, glacial and eolian) B) Marine (shallow and deep) C) Transitional shoreline (lagoon, bays and deltas) D) All of the above
d
29) Which of the following locations is a remnant of a forearc basin? A) Death Valley, CA B) Lake Baikal, Siberia C) Snake River Plain, ID D) Great Valley, CA
d
35) Metamorphic rocks can sometimes contain unusually large grains surrounded by a fine-grained matrix of other minerals. These large crystals are called................................... A) Vesicles B) Phenocrysts C) Inclusions D) Porphyroblasts
d
39) What are the best practices of minimizing contamination due to mine waste? A) Phytoremediation where plants take up elements of concern out of water and soils B) Capping pyrite-bearing rock in mines with impermeable coatings (eg clay). C) Filling un-used mine openings with material that neutralizes acid (e.g., limestone). D) All of the above.
d
4) 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
40) A........................is a crustal fragment that has been transported by plate tectonics and has adhered to an overriding plate. A) Terrain B) Guyot C) Xenolith D) Terrane
d
44) India has been colliding with Asia for roughly 50 million years, a process that has uplifted the Tibetan Plateau. However, although the margin of Asia has been intensely deformed, India has remained largely intact. Why is this the case? A) Asia's margin is composed of soft materials such as shale and sandstone B) There is a mantle plume beneath the Asian continent that softens the plate, permitting deformation C) Asia's rocks are over 2 billion years old and are so dense they are sinking back into the mantle D) Most of India is tough, durable, ancient shield material and is harder than the newer Asian material
d
50) 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 slope
d
51) A mass wasting process that involves slip of solid rock above a distinct sliding surface is called.....................and the mass wasting in mountain areas that causes talus accumulations of rock debris is called............................................................................. A) A slump, erosion B) A rock avalanche, skeep C) A rock fall, rock avalanche D) A rock slide, rock fall
d
52) What are fault-block Mountains? A) Mountains formed through folding and thrusting of the crust B) Mountains consisting of exposed batholiths C) Mountains that form by erosion of streams D) Mountains formed through crustal extension and normal faulting
d
6) What is the definition of Orogenesis? A) Subduction of an oceanic plate beneath a continental plate B) Ionic exchange between calcium and oxygen C) Emplacement of metallic ores via hydrothermal metamorphism D) Processes that collectively form a mountain belt
d
60) The oxidation of sulfides (e.g., pyrite) causes.......................................................... A) Acidic rain B) Acid mine drainage C) Water pollution D) All of the Above
d
61) .............is the process by which thickened crust adjusts over time to a "normal" thickness. A) Subduction B) Convection C) Accretion D) Isostasy
d
62) 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
65) Which of the following is a real-world example of isostatic adjustment? A) Continental margin of North America extending to create a forearc basin in California B) African continent bulging upward when moving over a mantle plume C) Down warping of the continent in Illinois due to subduction of slabs of oceanic lithosphere D) Rebound of the landmass around Hudson Bay after glacial ice sheets have retreated
d
66) Oklahoma soil 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
67) Which of the following terms describes the increasing downward force on basal rocks as a mountain continues to grow? A) Isostasy B) Delamination C) Accretion D) Gravitational collapse
d
68) What are some of the gases responsible for global warming? A) Carbon dioxide and Methane B) Water vapor C) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) from refrigerators D) All of the above
d
71) Which of the following is believed to be responsible for uplifting southern Africa 1,500 meters higher than what would be expected for a stable continental platform? A) Microcontinents B) Isostasy C) Orogenesis D) Superplume
d
8) The term "Wilson Cycle" describes. A) The cyclical nature of occurrence of fossils in sedimentary strata B) The upward repetition of rhyolite and basalt in a magma chamber C) The interchange between folding and faulting in the crust D) The cyclical nature of the formation of divergent and convergent plate boundaries
d
81) 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
85) Sediment transport and deposition by a stream or river is influenced by? A) Decrease of stream gradient B) Decrease of velocity of a river C) Decrease in discharge D) All of the above
d
86) Which of the following is a ferromagnesian silicate mineral? A) Olivine. B) Pyroxene. C) Hornblende. D) All of the above.
d
87) The area of land that contributes water to a stream system is the...............and the volume of water in a stream flowing past a point over a set period of time is........................................ A. Delta, Base level B. Floodplain, Saltation C. Alluvial divide, Gradient D. Drainage basin, Discharge
d
93) The gradient of a stream is how much elevation it drops over a given distance. High gradient streams have high competence and low capacity. Low gradient streams have low competence because current velocity is lower. Low gradient streams form meanders that erode the..................... A) Point bar B) Oxbow lake C) Delta D) Cutbank
d
98) 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
102) What are the mitigation measures in place to avoid the damages from floods? A) Construct levees B) Move out of the flood plains C) Return flood plains to a natural state D) Construction of the diversion channels E) All of the above
e
64) What are the different forms of soils peds/structure? A) Granular soils B) Blocky soils C) Platy soils. D) Prismatic soils E) All of the above
e