Geology Quiz - Study For Final
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This is a personal quiz for study for a final.
- 1.The ___________ forms the relatively cool, brittle plates of plate tectonics.
- A.
Asthenosphere
- B.
Lithosphere
- C.
Astrosphere
- D.
Eosphere
- 2.A ______ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific observations.
- A.
Hypothesis
- B.
Generalization
- C.
Law
- D.
Theory
- 3.__________ rocks form by crystallization and consolidation of molten magma.
- A.
Sedimentary
- B.
Indigenous
- C.
Primary
- D.
Igneous
- 4._________ rocks always originate at the surface of the solid Earth.
- A.
Secondary
- B.
Igneous
- C.
Metamorphic
- D.
Sedimentary
- 5.In correct order from the center outward, Earth includes which units?
- A.
Core, inner mantle, outer mantle, crust
- B.
Inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
- C.
Inner core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere
- D.
Core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere
- 6.The ____ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth.
- A.
Hydrosphere
- B.
Atmosphere
- C.
Biosphere
- D.
Asthenosphere
- 7.______ is often paraphrased as "the present is the key to the past".
- A.
Biblical prophecy
- B.
Uniformitarianism
- C.
Aristotelian logic
- D.
Catastrophism
- 8.The composition of the core of the Earth is though to be ___
- A.
Basalt
- B.
Granite
- C.
Peridotite
- D.
Solid iron-nickel alloy
- 9.The _____ is the thinnest layer of the Earth.
- A.
Crust
- B.
Outer core
- C.
Mantle
- D.
Inner core
- 10.Which mineral is composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2)?
- A.
Calcite
- B.
Diamond
- C.
Olivine
- D.
Quartz
- 11.
- A.
They contain iron and magnetite, are black in color, and they have metallic lusters.
- B.
The are black to dark-green, silicate minerals containing iron and magnesium.
- C.
They contain magnetite and ferroite and they are clear to light green.
- D.
They are mostly clear, colorless, and rich in the elements magnesium and ferrium.
- 12.All silicate minerals contain which two elements?
- A.
Iron, silicon
- B.
Silicon, sodium
- C.
Oxygen, carbon
- D.
Silicon, oxygen
- 13.In which type of chemical bonding are electrons shared between adjacent atoms?
- A.
Ionic
- B.
Subatomic
- C.
Covalent
- D.
Isotopic
- 14.How do the electrons behave in a mineral with metallic bonding?
- A.
They are tightly bound to certain atoms and cannot readily move
- B.
They can move relatively easily from atom to atom inside the mineral
- C.
They react with protons to make neutrons in the outer valence shells
- D.
They move to adjacent negative ions, forming positive ions
- 15.Which group of minerals are the most abundant in the Earth's crust?
- A.
Sulfides
- B.
Carbonates
- C.
Silicates
- D.
Chlorides
- 16.Which of the following describes the light reflecting and transmission characteristics of a mineral?
- A.
Luster
- B.
Color streak
- C.
Virtual absorption
- D.
Fluorescence
- 17.The sizes, shapes, and arrangements of mineral grains in an igneous rock are known as _______.
- A.
Silica content
- B.
Texture
- C.
Mineral content
- D.
Bowen's reaction series
- 18.Visible quartz and potassium feldspar grains are the main constituents in a ______.
- A.
Granite
- B.
Gabbro
- C.
Basalt
- D.
Rhyolite
- 19.________ has the same mineral composition as andesite?
- A.
Basalt
- B.
Granite
- C.
Gabbro
- D.
Diorite
- 20.The last minerals to crystallize on Bowen's reaction series result in igenous rocks with a ______ composition.
- A.
Felsic
- B.
Intermediate
- C.
Mafic
- D.
Ultramafic
- 21.Which type of basaltic lava flow has a fairly smooth, unfragmented, ropy surface?
- A.
Aa
- B.
Pegmatitic
- C.
Paheohoe
- D.
Scoria
- 22.____________ magma is the most abundant type of erupted at oceanic spreading centers.
- A.
Basaltic
- B.
Granitic
- C.
Andesitic
- D.
Pegmatitic
- 23.
- A.
The rock heats up and expands at lower pressures, causing it to liquefy
- B.
Temperatures remain high as lowered pressures decrease melting temperatures.
- C.
The lowered pressures cause rapid heat loss accompanied by melting.
- D.
None of the above
- 24._______ are usually the most abundant gasses emitted during basaltic volcanism.
- A.
Chlorine and sodium
- B.
Neon and ammonia
- C.
Oxygen and nitrogen
- D.
Water and carbon dioxide
- 25.Which one of the following statements is not true?
- A.
Melting temperatures of silicate rocks increase with increased pressure
- B.
Melting temperatures of silicate rocks are lowered by small amounts of water
- C.
Basalt magmas in general have higher temperatures than rhyolite magmas
- D.
When magma reaches the surface, its dissolved gas content increases
- 26.Mount St. Helens is ____
- A.
A basaltic cinder cone
- B.
An explosive stratovolcano
- C.
A basaltic shield volcano
- D.
A small, welded tuff cone
- 27.The 1943 eruption of Paricutin in Mexico was characterized by ____
- A.
Mudflows and explosive ash eruptions
- B.
Welded-tuff deposition and caldera formation
- C.
Cinder cone building and basaltic lava
- D.
Pyroclastic eruptions and nuee ardente flows
- 28.The recent (geologically) volcanic activity in Yellowstone National Park is ______.
- A.
Related to plate subduction
- B.
Related to a divergent plate boundary
- C.
Related to a transform plate boundary
- D.
Related to intraplate, hot spot volcanism
- 29.What two factors speed up rates of chemical reaction and weathering in rocks and soils?
- A.
Low temperatures; very dry
- B.
Low temperatures; very moist
- C.
High temperatures; very dry
- D.
Warm temperatures; very moist
- 30.
- A.
North-facing slopes receive more sunlight in the summer; snow melts faster and more soil moistures is available for the trees
- B.
South-facing slopes receive more moisture and sunlight; rock weathering is slower
- C.
North-facing slopes receive about the same amount of preciptation as south-facing slopes; less moisture evaporates from north-facing slopes
- D.
South-facing slopes receive less moisture, yet rock weathering is faster.
- 31.
- A.
The long drought preceding the Irish potato famine of the 1840s
- B.
The area covered by volcanic ash around Mt Pinatubo, 1991
- C.
Areas of severe wind erosion on the Great Plains, 1930s
- D.
A New Year's Day invitational soccer match in Tripoli, Libya
- 32.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
- 33.Which of the following best describes sets of fractures in relatively fresh bedrock, such as granite, that are roughly parallel to the land surface?
- A.
Thermal expansion cracks
- B.
Sheeting fractures
- C.
Hydrolytic failures
- D.
Columnar joints
- 34.
- A.
Reduces grain sizes of rock particles
- B.
Allows for faster rates of chemical weathering
- C.
Is important in the formation of talus slopes
- D.
Involves a major change in the mineral composition of the weathered material
- 35.
- A.
Disintegration and decomposition of rocks and minerals at the surface
- B.
Movement of weathered rock and regolith toward the base of a slope
- C.
The process by which weathered rock and mineral particles are removed from one area and transported elsewhere.
- D.
The combined processes of leaching, eluviation, and mass wasting
- 36.In which area would weathering by frost wedging probably be most effective?
- A.
In a moist, tropical forest
- B.
In cool high desert areas
- C.
Where the subsoil is permanently frozen
- D.
In moist, temperate climates
- 37.Which one of the following statements concerning soil erosion is not true?
- A.
Sheet erosion, rills, and gullies develop mainly during prolonged droughts.
- B.
Soils form naturally by weathering; if protected form erosion, sound management can maintain or enhance their nutrient levels and textural characteristics
- C.
Rates of soil erosion exceed rates of soil formation in some parts of the world
- D.
Grasses and other vegetation, windbreaks, and contour cropping will help reduce losses of soil from cultivated lands
- 38.
- A.
O,A,E,B,C, bedrock
- B.
A,B,C,D,E,bedrock
- C.
E,A,B,C,O, bedrock
- D.
D,E,C,B,A, bedrock
- 39.___________, a common mineral found in igneous rocks, is the most abundant mineral in detrital sedimentary rocks.
- A.
Calcite
- B.
Orthoclase
- C.
Quartz
- D.
Biotite
- 40.What is the main difference between a conglomerate and a sedimentary breccia?
- A.
Breccia clasts are angular; conglomerate clasts are rounded
- B.
A breccia is well stratified; a conglomerate is poorly stratified
- C.
Breccia clasts are the size of baseball; conglomerate clasts are larger
- D.
Breccia has a compacted, clay-rich matrix; conglomerate has no matrix
- 41.Which type of limestone consists mainly of tiny, marine fossils composed of calcite?
- A.
Dolostone
- B.
Chert
- C.
Coquina
- D.
Chalk
- 42.Coal beds originate in _______.
- A.
Shallow lakes in a dry, desert region.
- B.
Channels of fast-moving streams
- C.
Deep, marine basins below wave action
- D.
Freshwater coastal swamps and bogs
- 43.What major change occurs during metamorphism of limestone to marble?
- A.
Calcite grains grow larger and increase in size
- B.
Clays crystallize to micas, forming a highly foliated, mica-rich rock
- C.
Limestone grains react to form quartz and feldspars
- D.
Calcite grains are dissolved away leaving only marble crystals
- 44._______ forms from the metamorphism of limestone or dolostone.
- A.
Migmatite
- B.
Amphibolite
- C.
Marble
- D.
Quartzite
- 45.Which of the following metamorphic rocks could be used to meutralize acidic mine waters?
- A.
Granite Gniess
- B.
Quartzite
- C.
Slate
- D.
Marble
- 46.During metamorphism, what is the major effect of chemically active fluids?
- A.
Increase the pressures in deeply buried, regional-metamorphic zones
- B.
Aid in the movement of dissolved silicate constituents and facilitate growth of the mineral grains
- C.
Prevent partial melting so solid rocks can undergo very high temperature regional metamorphism
- D.
Facilitate the formation of schistosity and gnessic banding in hornfels and slates
- 47.Consider a weathered rock or soil particle lying on a slope. How will the gravitational force pulling the particle downward along the land surface vary with the inclination of the slope?
- A.
It will increase as the slope angle is lessened
- B.
It will decrease as the slope angle is lessened
- C.
It is not affected by the slope angle
- D.
It will possibly increase or decrease as slope angle is lessened, depending upon other factors
- 48.Why was the Alaskan pipeline built above ground and insulated?
- A.
To protect the pipeline against damage due to thawing ground and to keep the crude oil hot and fluid
- B.
To keep the crude oil hot and fluid
- C.
To protect against damage from herds of elk and deer
- D.
To protect against damage from roots of large trees uprooted in windstorms
- 49.Which statement best describes slumping, a mass wasting process?
- A.
A block or blocks of unconsolidated regolith slide downhill along a curved slip surface
- B.
Blocks of hard bedrock rapidly slide downhill along fracture surfaces
- C.
The soil and regolith move downhill very slowly
- D.
A mass of soil or regolith becomes saturated with water and suddenly flows downhill to the base of the slope
- 50.All of the following are factors affecting mass wasting except for ______
- A.
Gravity
- B.
Water
- C.
Slope angle
- D.
Geologic age
- 51.The most rapid type of mass movement is a _______?
- A.
Slump
- B.
Lahar
- C.
Rock avalanche
- D.
Debris flow
- 52.As an erosional process, how is mass wasting unique form wind, water, and ice?
- A.
Mass wasting affects particles of all sizes whereas the others affect only smaller particles
- B.
Mass wasting does not require a transporting medium
- C.
Mass wasting affects much larger geographic areas than does wind, water, and ice.
- D.
All of the above make mass wasting unique compared to wind, water, and ice
- 53.
- A.
Water evaporating from a lake
- B.
Water infiltrating into the soil and bedrock
- C.
Calcium carbonate dissolving in soil water and groundwater
- D.
Water moving into creeks and streams following a rainstorm
- 54.________ describes the total sediment load transported by a stream.
- A.
Capacity
- B.
Discharge
- C.
Competence
- D.
Hydro-load factor
- 55.What is the drop in water surface elevation divided by the distance the water flows?
- A.
Stream discharge
- B.
Hydraulic capacity
- C.
Hydrologic resistance
- D.
Stream gradient
- 56._________ generally constitutes the highest percentage of the annual sediment load moved by a stream.
- A.
Bed load
- B.
Dissolved load
- C.
Suspended load
- D.
Saltation load
- 57.
- A.
A boundary between unsaturated bedrock and an underground river
- B.
A boundary between unsaturated bedrock below and saturated bedrock above
- C.
An underground mass of partly saturated rock
- D.
A boundary between saturated rock below and unsaturated rock above
- 58.________ are characteristics found in all good aquifers.
- A.
High porosity and high permeability
- B.
Low permeability and high potability
- C.
High potability and high portability
- D.
Low porosity and low permeability
- 59.Excessive groundwater withdrawals can cause ________
- A.
The water table drops or declines in elevation
- B.
An influent stream becomes an effluent stream
- C.
Expansion of the dewatered aquifer
- D.
Porosity in the aquifer increases as the water is removed
- 60.A _______ is the icicle-like speleothem that grows down from the roof of a cavern.
- A.
Stalandite
- B.
Stalactite
- C.
Stalagmite
- D.
Slagdite
- 61.__________ account for the largest usage of groundwater in the United States.
- A.
Water for livestock and poultry
- B.
Domestic and municipal supplies
- C.
Industrial uses
- D.
Agriculture and irrigation
- 62.The hot spring deposits at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, are travertine. What rock probably lies somewhere beneath the hot springs?
- A.
Shale
- B.
Rhyolite
- C.
Limestone
- D.
Quartzite
- 63.An aquifer is ________
- A.
The porous and permeable, saturated cone of depression in an aquitard
- B.
A layer or stratum in which groundwater flows downward to the water table
- C.
A saturated, porous, and permeable layer or stratum
- D.
An unsaturated, influent-flow bed or stratum below a spring
- 64.Which of the following best describes how geysers erupt?
- A.
Water suddenly boils in disconnected voids and cracks above the water table, causing the aquifer to explosively fragment
- B.
Water slowly boils in a network of vertical cracks above the water table, sending up a plume of steam and hot water
- C.
Water below the water table slowly boils in a vertical crack or natural conduit, causing a plume of condensed water vapor to rise above the vent
- D.
With a slight reduction in pressure, water in a saturated, natural conduit suddenly boils, sending a plume of steam and hot water into the air above the vent
- 65.Where is the world's largest ice sheet located today?
- A.
Greenland
- B.
Russia, Siberia
- C.
Iceland
- D.
Antarctica
- 66.Which of the following applies to a valley glacier that lengthens (extends its terminus downslope) over a period of many years?
- A.
Wastage exceeds accumulation
- B.
Accumulation exceeds wastage
- C.
Accumulation and wastage are about equal
- D.
None of the above
- 67.The great, Southern Hemisphere glaciation that affected parts of Africa, South America, India, Australia, and Antarctica occurred _______
- A.
In late Paleozic time
- B.
In late Proterozoic time
- C.
In early Cenozoic time
- D.
In middle Mesozoic time
- 68.A fjord is _____
- A.
A stream valley, deepened by glacial erosion, that floods as sea level rises
- B.
A glacier-cut valley that is dammed by an end moraine and alarge lake is formed
- C.
A glacier-cut valley which sinks below sea level due to glacial rebound after the ice melts
- D.
A large, kettle-pocked moraine left as an island when sea level rises following melting of the ice
- 69.The ______ of the geologic time scale represents the time of the most recent "Ice Age".
- A.
Pleistocene era
- B.
Pliocene epoch
- C.
Pleistocene epoch
- D.
Pliocene era
- 70.A(n) ______ is likely to host a waterfall or steep rapids today.
- A.
Outwash plain
- B.
Hanging valley
- C.
Striated drumlin
- D.
Horn peak
- 71.How do icebergs in the North Atlantic Ocean originate?
- A.
By calving of large piedmont glaciers in Greenland
- B.
As large masses of sea ice that float northward from Antarctica
- C.
As masses of sea ice that float southward from the Arctic Ocean
- D.
As calved blocks of glacial ice that float northward from Antarctica
- 72.Which one of the following statements concerning glacial deposits is not true?
- A.
Till is deposited directly from the ice; outwash is deposited by meltwater streams
- B.
Glacial erratics are blocks of rock that are too large for the glacier to move
- C.
Tills are poorly sorted and the fragments are mostly angular
- D.
Outwash is mainly stratified sand and gravel
- 73.What type of moraine is formed by the merging of two lateral moraines at a junction of two valley glaciers?
- A.
Medial
- B.
Recessional
- C.
Ground
- D.
Kettle
- 74.______ have rainfall amounts and soil moisture contents between those of true deserts and humid lands.
- A.
Tundras
- B.
Steppes
- C.
Sundras
- D.
Sabkhas
- 75.Which one of the following statements concerning rock weathering is true?
- A.
Warm temperatures and high soil moisture contents accelerate chemical weathering
- B.
Low temperatures and high soil moisture contents accelerate chemical weathering but inhibit mechanical weathering
- C.
Warm temperatures and low soil moisture contents both promote rapid rates of mechanical weathering
- D.
Temperature has no effect on rock weathering
- 76.________ refers to the "bouncing" mode of sand transport in a windstorm or stream.
- A.
Saltation
- B.
Ventifaction
- C.
Siltation
- D.
Deflation
- 77.Which one of the following is the one best measure of the wetness or dryness of a region
- A.
Total annual precipitation
- B.
Mean annual temperature
- C.
Difference between annual precipitation ad evaporation potential
- D.
Percentage of precipitation that falls during the summer months
- 78.Which of the following best describes the climatic factors that cause low latitude deserts like the Sahara in Africa?
- A.
Cool, dry air aloft is descending, surface winds are blowing toward the equator
- B.
Warm, humid air aloft is descending; surface winds blow away from the equator
- C.
Warm, humid air is rising; surface winds are calm
- D.
Cool, dry air at the surface is rising causing winds to blow away from the equator
- 79.A ______ is a crescent-shaped dune whose tips point downward.
- A.
Parabarcal
- B.
Transverse
- C.
Barchan
- D.
Star
- 80.Which of the following would exhibit sheared and mechanically fragmented rocks?
- A.
Fault movement at shallow depths
- B.
Intense compression in a deep-seated, regional metamorphic zone
- C.
Heating of shales and mudstones near a pluton
- D.
Regional metamorphism of pyroclastic volcanic rocks
- 81.Which of the following lists the rocks in the order of increasing grain size and increasing grade of metamorphism?
- A.
Phyllite, slate, schist
- B.
Schist, slate, phyllite
- C.
Slate, phyllite, schist
- D.
Slate, schist, phyllite
- 82.How do the strength and cohesion of clay-rich regolith or soil change with the addition of water?
- A.
Water does not affect the cohesion but lowers the strength
- B.
Water reduces the strength of clays but raises the cohesion of the soil
- C.
Water increases the strength and cohesion
- D.
Water lowers the strength and cohesion
- 83.Which mass wasting process has the slowest rate of movement?
- A.
Slump
- B.
Rock avalanche
- C.
Solifluction
- D.
Creep
- 84.Which of the following statements concerning mudflows is not true?
- A.
Mudflows may be caused by heavy rains or melting snow
- B.
In hilly areas, mudflows move down the canyons and stream valleys
- C.
Mudflows deposit talus slopes
- D.
Mudflows can move and carry very large boulders and other coarse debris
- 85.At the head of a delta, the major channel splits into smaller channels that follow different paths to the sea. These smaller channels are known as ______.
- A.
Endotributaries
- B.
Exotributaries
- C.
Distributaries
- D.
Contributaries
- 86.__________ are components of the hydrologic cycle that release water vapor directly to the atmosphere.
- A.
Runoff and infiltration
- B.
Evaporation and transpiration
- C.
Precipitation and runoff
- D.
Discharge and transportation
- 87.Volcanic bombs originate _________
- A.
As laser-guided, granite blocks launched from a supersonic jet
- B.
As blocks of volcanic rock ejected from an erupting volcanic crater
- C.
As erupted magma blobs that partly congeal before falling to the ground
- D.
As ash particles that join together in the eruptive plume and fall as cobble-sized objects
- 88.__________ tend to increase the explosive potential of a magma body beneath a volcano.
- A.
High viscosity and dissolved gas
- B.
High viscosity; low dissolved gas content
- C.
Low silica content, low viscosity
- D.
Low viscosity; low dissolved gas content
- 89.Which one of the following statements concerning volcanic blocks and bombs is true?
- A.
Blocks are broken fragments of solid rocks; bombs have smaller sizes than lapilli
- B.
Bombs are guided to Earth by laser beams; blocks fall anywhere
- C.
Bombs are ejected as magma lumps; blocks are ejected as solid fragments
- D.
Bombs and blocks are both smaller than lapilli and cinders
- 90.Which type of volcanism is typical of mid-oceanic ridge systems?
- A.
Explosive; composite cones
- B.
Submarine, basaltic lava flows
- C.
Fissure eruptions; flood basalts fields
- D.
Explosive; rhyolitic, pyroclastic flows
- 91.A ____________ volcano is a very large, gently sloping mound composed mainly of basaltic lava flows.
- A.
Composite
- B.
Stratosphere
- C.
Cinder cone
- D.
Shield
- 92.Which of the following statements best describes the big Hawaiian volcanoes?
- A.
Lie directly above a transform plate boundary that cuts deeply into the mantle
- B.
Lie directly above an active subduction zone where the Pacific plate is sinking into the mantle
- C.
Lie along the crest of the East Pacific Rise, a mid-oceanic ridge or spreading center
- D.
Are situated in the interior of a large, Pacific plate above a hot spot deep in the mantle
- 93.What portion of an angular, fracture-bounded granitic block shows the highest rate of weathering?
- A.
The unfractured interior
- B.
The edges and corners
- C.
The crack surfaces not including edges and corners
- D.
All of the above show equal rates
- 94.Studies of deep-sediment cores have contributed greatly to scientific knowledge of __________.
- A.
Climactic changes during the last four million years
- B.
How soft-bodied organisms are carbonized
- C.
The origin of oscillation ripple marks in deep-sea muds
- D.
The biological impacts of pollution on parts of the continental shelves
- 95.Which statement concerning sedimentary rocks is not true?
- A.
They may contain fossils that provide clues about ancient life forms
- B.
They probably show some evidence of stratification
- C.
They were originally deposited at depth below the bottom of the sea
- D.
They are composed of particles and constituents derived from weathering and erosion of other rocks
- 96._________ is not a common cementing agent for sandstones.
- A.
Quartz
- B.
Calcite
- C.
Fluorite
- D.
Iron Oxides
- 97.Sedimentary rocks account for about what percentage of the Earth's outermost 10 kilometers of rock. Also, what percentage of the Earth's continental area is covered by sedimentary rocks?
- A.
5% and 75%
- B.
3.5% and 100%
- C.
65% and 10%
- D.
85% and 100%
- 98.Which of the following is correct for isotopes of the same element?
- A.
The atoms have different numbers of protons and the same number of neutrons
- B.
The atoms have the same number of electrons and different numbers of protons
- C.
The atoms have different numbers of neutrons and the same number of protons
- D.
The atoms have different numbers of electrons but the same number of neutrons
- 99.Which one of the following describes a mineral's response to mechanical impact?
- A.
Luster
- B.
Cleavage
- C.
Streak
- D.
Crystal form
- 100.What element is the most abundant in the Earth's crust by weight?
- A.
Carbon
- B.
Chlorine
- C.
Oxygen
- D.
Sodium
- 101._______ is a volcanic rock that is extremely vesicular and glassy.
- A.
Obsidian
- B.
Pegmatite
- C.
Tuff
- D.
Pumice
- 102._____________ is composed mainly of ferromagnesian minerals.
- A.
Peridotite
- B.
Rhyolite
- C.
Andesite
- D.
Granite
- 103.Which of the following best describes an aphanitic texture?
- A.
The rock is crystalline; mineral grains are too small to be visible without a magnifying lens or microscope
- B.
The mineral grains have glassy textures
- C.
The rock consists of broken, volcanic-rock and mineral fragments
- D.
The rock is crystalline; mineral grains are of distinctly different sizes
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