Landforms Quiz 3

Geologically speaking, the continents began forming relatively recently. a. True b. False

b. False

Terranes refer to a. the topography of a tract of land. b. the "lay of the land." c. displaced and migrating pieces of Earth's crust. d. the continental shields within each continent.

c. displaced and migrating pieces of Earth's crust.

A cinder cone is formed from relatively __________ viscosity magma with a __________ gas content. a. high; high b. high; low c. low; high d. low; low

c. low; high

Approximately what percentage of Earth's surface is exposed above sea level? a. 18 percent b. 29 percent c. 49 percent d. 62 percent

b. 29 percent

Volcanic activity generally does not occur a. along sea-floor spreading centers. bVolcanic activity generally does not occur a. along sea-floor spreading centers. *b. around the perimeter of the Atlantic Ocean basin. c. in association with hot spots over plumes in the mantle. d. in the circum-Pacific belt. c. in association with hot spots over plumes in the mantle. d. in the circum-Pacific belt.

b. around the perimeter of the Atlantic Ocean basin.

The nucleus of old crystalline rock in each of the principal continental masses is called a a. basalt mass. b. continental shield, or craton. c. mountain mass. d. composite zone.

b. continental shield, or craton.

Volcanic activity located away from plate boundaries is associated with a. subduction and melting of plates along collision zones. b. hot spots. c. rift zones. d. All of these.

b. hot spots.

The area at the surface directly above the subsurface location where seismic waves are initiated is termed the a. epicenter. b. fault area. c. Richter zone. d. focus, or hypocenter.

a. epicenter.

The Hawaiian Islands are near one end of a hot-spot track that stretches to Alaska. a. True b. False

a. True

Which of the following can lead to the formation of mountains? a. plate collisions and volcanic activity b. exposure of plutons by erosion of surrounding landscape c. faulting d. All of these e. plate collisions and volcanic activity and exposure of plutons by erosion of surrounding landscape only

d. All of these

An earthquake with a high rating on the moment magnitude scale can receive a low rating on the Mercalli scale. a. True b. False

a. True

Compressional forces associated with converging plates produce blocks that move upward relative to the footwall block; this is called a thrust or reverse fault. a. True b. False

a. True

Felsic magma produces more violent eruptions that mafic magma. a. True b. False

a. True

Divisions among topographic regions are based on a. arbitrary criteria regarding height or other descriptive criteria that are in common use. b. complex statistical analyses of surface relief variation across the surface of Earth. c. local criteria that have never been universally recognized. d. logarithmic relationships applied to elevation.

a. arbitrary criteria regarding height or other descriptive criteria that are in common use.

Small areas of high strain along a fault are termed a. asperities. b. focal points. c. elastic spots. d. fore points.

a. asperities.

Which of the following is true of the magma formed from subducted ocean floor material that is eventually incorporated into continental crust? a. The composition of the magma changes from a low silica content to a higher silica content by the incorporation of sediments and other materials when it melts. b. The magma that forms in this way tends to produce more violent volcanic eruptions than magma derived directly from the aesthenosphere. c. Batholiths may form from the rising magma. d. All of these may occur. e. The composition of the magma changes from a low silica content to a higher silica content by the incorporation of sediments and other materials when it melts and The magma that forms in this way tends to produce more violent volcanic eruptions than magma derived directly from the aesthenosphere only

d. All of these may occur.

Which of the following is a cause of warping? a. mantle convection b. hot spots c. isostatic adjustment d. All of these.

d. All of these.

Which of the following is incorrect? a. The highest mountain above sea level has an elevation of 8848 m (29,028 ft.). b. The greatest ocean depth is -11,030 m (-36,198 ft.). c. The ratio of land area to ocean area is approximately 140 to 360 million km (or, 1:2.5). d. Mean sea level is at 875 m (2870 ft.).

d. Mean sea level is at 875 m (2870 ft.).

Which of the following is an example of a first order of relief? a. the Alps and Rockies b. the Tibetan Plateau c. the Shenandoah Valley d. an ocean basin

d. an ocean basin

Domes can be formed by a. extinct volcanoes. b. upwarping associated with plate collisions. c. downwarping associated with plate collisions. d. upwarping associated with magma movement (i.e., plutonic activity).

d. upwarping associated with magma movement (i.e., plutonic activity).

People often say that California is going to "fall into the ocean,". This idea is totally wrong because the San Andreas fault would have to be a __________ fault associated with __________ forces for this to happen. a. normal; tension b. normal; compression c. reverse; tension d. reverse; compression e. strike-slip; compression

a. normal; tension

Vertical elevation differences in a local landscape are referred to as a. relief. b. an order of relief. c. topography. d. crust.

a. relief.

Fault types are defined by a. the relative motion of the hanging wall and footwall. b. the amount of movement along the hanging wall and footwall. c. the amount of energy liberated during movement. d. All of these,

a. the relative motion of the hanging wall and footwall.

High mountains consisting of tightly folded and overthrust sedimentary rock layers, as well as metamorphic rocks, are formed a. along midocean ridges during seafloor spreading activity and are subsequently uplifted above sea level in response to isostatic processes. b. during plate collisions. c. during volcanic eruptions. d. in continental rift zones. e. exclusively by magma intrusions.

b. during plate collisions.

Which of the following represents a surface feature whose relief is opposite that expected based on the fold pattern in the rocks of which it is composed? a. synclinal valley b. synclinal ridge c. inverted anticline d. synclinal basin

b. synclinal ridge

The average elevation of exposed land is a. -2070 m (-6790 ft.). b. 100 m (325 ft.). c. 875 m (2870 ft.). d. 8848 m (29,028 ft.).

c. 875 m (2870 ft.).

Which of the following statements about shield volcanoes is true? a. They occur in shield areas of Earth. b. They are subject to violently explosive eruptions. c. They form from mafic magma. d. They consist of tremendous quantities of pyroclastics.

c. They form from mafic magma.

Many of the islands of Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Borneo), which are located adjacent to a subduction zone next to the edge of the continental shelf of SE Asia, consist of felsic lava. This means that the lava which produces these islands is derived from a. a midocean ridge. b. a volcanic hot spot under the ocean floor. c. the melting of continental shelf material along with ocean floor material. d. the melting of subducted plate material and nothing else. e. a rift zone.

c. the melting of continental shelf material along with ocean floor material.

The concept of "orders of relief" refers to a. the ordering of surface features based on height. b. the ordering of surface features based on their time of origin. c. the scale of features. d. the rate at which stress is relieved in the crust.

c. the scale of features.

The undulating form that gives Earth's surface its character and general configuration is called a. relief. b. an order of relief. c. topography. d. crust.

c. topography.