Plate Tectonics Final Exam Questions
Geology
- 1.In order for Jupiter to have enough mass that it would have sufficient gravitational attraction to sustain nuclear fusion, as does our Sun, it would need to be
- A.
10 times bigger than the sun
- B.
10 times bigger than itself
- C.
5 times bigger than the sun
- D.
5 times bigger than itself
- 2.Earth is differentiated into a core, mantle, and crust. Chemical elements have preferentially migrated into each of these concentric shells during the early "cooking" of Earth. Platinum, gold, and iron are found in the
- A.
Core
- B.
Crust
- C.
Mantle
- 3.Earth is differentiated into a core, mantle, and crust. Chemical elements have preferentially migrated into each of these concentric shells during the early "cooking" of Earth. Platinum, gold, and iron are found in the
- A.
Iron
- B.
Gold
- C.
Platinum
- 4.Planets which lie near the Sun are called terrestrial planets whereas the others are called jovian planets. These two types differ in both density and diameter. The planet with the lowest density in the entire Solar System is
- A.
Mercury
- B.
Saturn
- C.
Earth
- D.
Jupiter
- E.
Mars
- 5.Planets which lie near the Sun are called terrestrial planets whereas the others are called jovian planets. These two types differ in both density and diameter. The planet with the greatest density in the entire Solar System is
- A.
Mercury
- B.
Saturn
- C.
Earth
- D.
Jupiter
- E.
Mars
- 6.Planets which lie near the Sun are called ________planets whereas the others are called _________planets.
- A.
Jovian, terrestrial
- B.
Terrestrial, jovian
- 7.According to Plate Tectonics, most of the Earth's surface consists of rigid pieces (lithospheric plates) which are moving laterally (sliding) with respect to the asthenosphere. These lithospheric plates consist of the
- A.
Entire crust and uppermost mantle
- B.
Upper crust and the top half of the lower crust.
- C.
Oceans and upper crust
- 8.Baslatic crust is created when basaltic magama rises from the mantle along
- A.
Divergent plates
- B.
Convergent plates
- C.
The axial valley
- D.
The subduction line
- 9.Baslatic crust is created when basaltic magama rises from the partially melted
- A.
Mantle
- B.
Core
- C.
Continental crust
- D.
Oceanic crust
- 10.According to Plate Tectonic Theory, subduction of oceanic lithosphere through the asthenosphere occurs more readily after the lithosphere has migrated 1000 km from a spreading center. This is because the oceanic lithosphere has
- A.
Cooled and become denser than the asthenosphere
- B.
Thinned and become able to cut through the asthenosphere.
- C.
Cracked into small pieces, each of which can penetrate the asthenosphere more readily than can a continuous slab.
- 11.Continental crust averages about four times thicker than oceanic crust. Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust 4.2/2.7 = 1.55 and this makes it sink relative to continental crust. Given that it sinks, seawater pours onto the low-lying oceanic crust. The average depth of seawater on top of oceanic crust is 3.7 km, so the average seafloor lies 3.7 km beneath sea-level. Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust by a factor of about
- A.
3.2/2.7 = 1.2
- B.
3.5/2.7 = 1.3
- C.
3.8/2.7 = 1.4
- D.
4.2/2.7 = 1.55
- E.
4.5/2.7 = 1.66
- 12.Many "rock hounds" prefer to collect nonsilicate minerals because some types of nonsilicates tend to be more brightly colored and lustrous (shiny) than typical silicate minerals. The nonsilicate group which most consistently combines the attributes of intense color, high luster, and economic value is the
- A.
Sulfate
- B.
Sulfide
- C.
Oxide
- D.
Phosphate
- 13.Which of the folowing is an example of a sulfide?
- A.
Quartz (SiO2)
- B.
Felsdspar (KAlSi3O8 – NaAlSi3O8 – CaAl2Si2O8)
- C.
Galena (PbS)
- D.
Olivine (2 SiO 4)
- E.
Pyroxine (XY(Si,Al)2O6)
- F.
Amphibole (RSi4O11)
- 14.Which of the folowing is not a type of sulfide?
- A.
Quartz (SiO2)
- B.
Galena (PbS)
- C.
Sphalerite (ZnS)
- 15.If magma cools too quickly for crystallization of any minerals, the resultant rock is called
- A.
Magnoid
- B.
Ovoid
- C.
Obsidian
- D.
Phosphate
- 16.The legend for Fig. 8 shows that the darkest pattern corresponds to "all other components". The three pie charts illustrate relative masses of the components rather than relative volumes or relative numbers of atoms. Within the "other components", the most abundant chemical element (of the following chemical elements) is Fig. 8. Chemical Components in Magma, from Basaltic to Rhyolitic Magma
- A.
Titanium
- B.
Nickel
- C.
Copper
- D.
Lead
- E.
Hydrogen
- 17.The most-highly-siliceous type of magma is called.
- A.
Rhyolitic magma
- B.
Silicocalcic magma
- C.
Peridotitic magma
- D.
Andesitic magma
- E.
Intermezzo magma
- 18.Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on the continental interior?
- A.
Basalt is 50% SiO2
- B.
Andesite is 60% SiO2
- C.
Rhyolite is 70% SiO2
- 19.Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on the seafloor?
- A.
Basalt is 50% SiO2
- B.
Andesite is 60% SiO2
- C.
Rhyolite is 70% SiO2
- 20.Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on the continental edge?
- A.
Basalt is 50% SiO2
- B.
Andesite is 60% SiO2
- C.
Rhyolite is 70% SiO2
- 21.Carbon dioxide and other volatiles are continually being pumped into and out of rocks. CO2 is released whenever limestone weathers (or somebody drops some acid onto a piece of chalk). CO2 is trapped whenever a clam precipitates its shell from seawater. The gain or loss of this CO2 (coming from the atmosphere) affects the global climate because CO2 is a greenhouse gas. CO2 is involved in the weathering of typical silicate minerals. In this type of weathering reaction
- A.
CO2 acts as a base and the mineral acts as an acid
- B.
CO2 acts as an acid and the mineral acts as a base
- C.
CO2 acts as a reductant and the mineral acts as an oxidant
- D.
CO2 acts as an oxidant and the mineral acts as a reductant
- 22.The fourth-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
- A.
Carbon
- B.
Silicon
- C.
Oxygen
- D.
Iron
- E.
Aluminum
- 23.The second-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
- A.
Carbon
- B.
Silicon
- C.
Oxygen
- D.
Iron
- E.
Aluminum
- 24.The third-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
- A.
Carbon
- B.
Silicon
- C.
Oxygen
- D.
Iron
- E.
Aluminum
- 25.On the seafloor, basalt typically extrudes in a sequence of blobs (Fig. 7), as does squeezed toothpaste. Individual basaltic blobs have dimensions on the order of a meter or two and are called pillows. The downward-pointing lower surface of each pillow usually is produced by Fig. 7. Blobs of Basalt Extruded onto the Seafloor ……. Scale 1 : 50
- A.
A downward pull by lower pillows, pulling on the upper pillows
- B.
Rapid escape of marine animals which have become encased by each extruded pillow
- C.
A sagging of magma within the pillow, after the pillow reaches its final resting place
- D.
Magnetic alignment of magnetite within each pillow.
Questions: 20 | Attempts: 26576 | Last updated: Nov 6, 2019
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