Plate Tectonics Final Exam Questions

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1. Which of the folowing is an example of a sulfide? 
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Plate Tectonics Final Exam Questions - Quiz

Geology

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2. Graded Beds are characterized by 
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3. Ozone which occurs in the upper atmosphere, i.e. the stratosphere, is good for us because it helps to protect us from.
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4. Which is not of the four most abundant element in the human body?
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5. A few years ago, more snow fell during the winter in Upstate New York than ever before in recorded history (past 400 years). At 18 ka, Upstate New York was buried under glacial ice which probably exceeded 2 km in thickness. Do you think that 18,000 years ago this area had more snow in mid-winter (February) than during the record-setting February a couple of years ago?  At 18 ka, this area had..
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6. The second-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
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7. A wave crest and adjacent troughs are illustrated in Fig. 19. This wave would be part of a series of crests and troughs, i.e., a wave train. Consider a wave train with wave height, H, and wavelength, λ (lambda), which has travelled a distance, D, across the ocean since being generated by a hurricane. Wave base for this wave train would occur at a depth of.
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8.  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 
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9. Within metamorphic rocks, crystals of micaceous minerals (mostly muscovite and biotite) typically exhibit a metamorphic fabric known as 
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10. 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 
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11.  If magma cools too quickly for crystallization of any minerals, the resultant rock is called
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12. Grain sizes of clastic sediment range from coarse gravel down to 
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13. Which occured first? 
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14. Gelifluction is a type of 
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15. Once pores lose their groundwater and collapse, pumping water back into the subsurface will not reverse the resulting subsidence of buildings. However, it should slow it. The world's most voluminous urban example of pumping-induced subsidence has occurred in Mexico City.  Among the following cities or regions in the USA, which one has experienced the most-substantial pumping-induced subsidence?  Choose among
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16. The impending glacier-related disaster in Fig. 14 affected one of the following localities in the eighteenth century. The locality which lost one-quarter of its population from 1783 to 1785 was
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17. The lake in Fig. 16 affects the flow of the river both upstream and downstream from the lake. The lake is said to impose upon the river ... Fig. 16.  Long Profile of River Showing a Lake along its Course  
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18. Within the USA, deserts are restricted to the Southwest where the continental crust happens to be deformed due to ubiquitous faults. Many of these faults are exposed as sloping cliffs. With time, the slopes on the fault scarps typically either have become eroded down to bedrock along a smooth surface or else have become covered by coalescing alluvial fans. . The surface of coalescing fans is called 
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19. Which is the most abundant element in the human body?
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20.  If the seafloor slopes steeply offshore, a reef may occur close to land. Such a reef is called a fringing reef. The most likely place to find a fringing reef, among the following choices, is.
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21.  Wind lifts sand grains primarily by
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22. Which of the folowing is not a type of sulfide?
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23. The global wind pattern includes regions of high pressure and low pressure. The prime factor which maintains a high pressure in the 20-to-30-degree latitudinal belt is the Fig. 18.  Global Wind Patterns on Planet Earth  
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24. 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   
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25. Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on the continental edge?
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26. Pyroclastic rocks typically are named for their dominant grain size. For example, a pyroclastic rock which is composed of large and rounded pyroclasts (bombs) is called
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27. Human survival depends upon the maintenance of agriculturally useful soil. Unfortunately, the amount of useful soil is decreasing every year just as the world's population is increasing. Our global population has recently surpassed 6 billion. Large areas of formerly arable land are being lost to agriculture every year for all of the following reasons except
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28. Kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral in the uppermost portion of North Carolina soils.  In North Carolina, kaolinite appears to be  ______ because of iron oxide
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29. Which would not be a candidate for carbon-14 dating?
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30. Which of the following is not an example of a base-level?
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31. The maximum amount of oxygen gas (O2) that can be dissolved in water at room temperature and pressure is about 10 parts per million (10 ppm). One may express the proportion of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere using the same type of units (ppm). The proportion of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere is roughly 
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32. Written climatic records go back over 1000 years in Japan. It is well documented globally that glaciers expanded from the mid-thirteenth century until the middle of the nineteenth century. This cold period, known as the Little Ice Age, interrupted Scandinavian exploration of North America. Decreasing temperatures killed crops and caused starvation of a substantial Scandinavian settlement in
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33. Air which immediately overlies the Earth's surface becomes heated and rises to form large convection cells. Comparable convection cells also characterize the atmosphere at other latitudinal belts. The upper limit reached by convection cells is about 12 km. The intervening portion of the atmosphere generates all of Earth's weather and is called the troposphere. Immediately above that lies the.
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34.  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 
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35. 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 
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36. 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
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37. 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  
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38. Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on the seafloor?
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39.  If iron-rich magma erupts into a deep water body, the most common product is 
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40. Consider an outcrop of cross-bedded sedimentary rock.  Cross-beds characterize sandstone that has accumulated when one sand dune overrode another.  This occurs least often 
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41. The lowest level that a stream can erode the land surface is called the stream's
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42. Phosphate mines are most common in which area of North Carolina?
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43. In the northern hemisphere of Fig. 16, there is a wavy line which stretches all the way from the left side toward the right side of the figure, separating the low-pressure from high-pressure regions. This wavy line most closely corresponds to the 
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44. Sand inherently forms dunes, whether deposited from water or wind.  Dunes generally consist of two surfaces, one inclined upwind and the other (the slip face) downwind.  Deposition on these surfaces produces the sedimentary structure called
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45. Carbon-fourteen is continuously created in the 
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46. 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 
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47. Baslatic crust is created when basaltic magama rises from the mantle along 
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48. Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on the continental interior?
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49. The third-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
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50. Planets which lie near the Sun are called ________planets whereas the others are called _________planets. 
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51. The fourth-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
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52. Where would a slump occur?
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53. Within the equation for the velocity of a falling rock, i.e., v = (2 g H) 0.5, we find g (which stands for gravity). In this case, gravity is a measure of 
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54. Within the equation for the velocity of a falling rock, i.e., v = (2 g H) 0.5, we find g which stands for gravity, i.e., the rate of change in the velocity of the falling rock.  H is the vertical distance of fall.  This equation includes an important assumption, i.e., that 
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55. A small amount of water typically adds cohesion to sediment whereas the filling of all sediment pores by water generally induces mass-wasting of the sediment. The property of water which makes it a cement in small quantities is its 
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56. Northward-flowing currents lie along the western boundaries of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, respectively called the Kuroshio Current and the Gulf Stream. The prime pair of reasons for this similarity is that convection induces heat transfer poleward and 
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57. Geology favored the French in World War I because Paris lies 
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58. Most of the carbon which has been fixed by plants does not remain that way for very long, or else the forest would soon be so deep in leaves and branches as to be impenetrable. The average amount of time spent by carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere is only 4.5 years. This is largely because of ..
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59.  Fig. 20 illustrates spring and neap tides.  The prime reason that the spring tides occur as illustrated is that this arrangement Fig. 20.  Spring and Neap Tides
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60. 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 
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61. 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
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62. 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 
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63. 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  
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64. What probably caused a slump?  Any of the possibilities listed here is viable but one is much more likely than any of the others.  Choose among 
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65. Consider the equation listed here for the impact velocity of debris falling from a cliff.  We let H stand for the distance which the debris falls before impact; t stands for the time elapsed during the fall; v stands for the impact velocity, and g stands for the acceleration due to gravity.   From this comes the equation:  v = (2g H)0.5.    Here are some squares of numbers that may be relevant to this question:  … (44.3)2 = 1962.5 ...(62.6)2 =3960... (1960)2 = 3,841,600 ...  (4.43)2 = 19.625.  Using the gravitational constant (9.8 m s-2) and the foregoing equation, one may calculate that the velocity of impact at the base of a cliff which is 100 m high would be 
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66. Fig. 22 shows the difference between a right-lateral and left-lateral strike-slip (transform) fault.  Suppose that you had just moved to California and wanted to determine whether the San Andreas were right-lateral or left-lateral.  Among the following options your best bet would be to look across the fault plane and see if ruptured objects appeared on the other side ...  Fig. 22. Left-lateral and Right-lateral Strike-slip Faults  
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67.  Fig. 13 illustrates a nonconformity. To produce a nonconformity, all of the following processes may occur but only one must occur. The one which must occur is
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68. The most-highly-siliceous type of magma is called.
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69. The buried boulders which exemplify spheroidal weathering in Fig. 13 are all about the same size.  The most likely reason for this is that 
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70. Despite having a large range in grain size, the average size of grains within a layer of glacial sediment typically remains roughly the same throughout the layer. In contrast, sediment deposited from landslide events (both on land and from submarine turbidity currents) typically becomes progressively finer-grained upward through the bed. This tendency for fining upward is caused by a progressive decrease in flow rate as the mass-wasting event comes to an end. The resulting fining upward in grain size is called
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71. Gelifluction is a type of 
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72. Which of the following is a side-effect of the voluminous pumping of groundwater is required to keep pits like this workable?
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73. Within the USA, deserts are restricted to the Southwest where the continental crust happens to be deformed due to ubiquitous faults. Many of these faults are exposed as sloping cliffs. With time, the slopes on the fault scarps typically either have become eroded down to bedrock along a smooth surface or else have become covered by coalescing alluvial fans. . The eroded surface is called 
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74. Fig. 22 illustrates a set of strike-and-dip measurements along the surface of a folded sedimentary bed.  The number which is associated with each strike-and-dip symbol in this figure is ... 
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75. When surficial sediment becomes extremely dry, it loses cohesion and may readily become eroded by wind. A small amount of water adds cohesion because water tends to
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76.  A glacier which sits on the side of a mountain produces an amphitheater-shaped depression which is called ......(A) an ampulet 
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77. Baslatic crust is created when basaltic magama rises from the partially melted 
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78. Which spot would be best for fly fishing?
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79. Most of the metamorphic rocks on planet Earth are produced by the interaction of hot seafloor basalt with cold seawater and by the
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80. Which of the following is false about the cirque of mountain glaciers?
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81. The chemical formula for this sheet-silicate mineral mostly consists of which three most abundant elements found in the earth's crust
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82.  Consider the general principle that the surface of a water table is a subdued reflection of overlying landscape topography. This general principle is less evident due to variation between
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Which of the folowing is an example of a sulfide? 
Graded Beds are characterized by 
Ozone which occurs in the upper atmosphere, i.e. the stratosphere, is...
Which is not of the four most abundant element in the human body?
A few years ago, more snow fell during the winter in Upstate New York...
The second-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
A wave crest and adjacent troughs are illustrated in Fig. 19. This...
 Earth is differentiated into a core, mantle, and crust. Chemical...
Within metamorphic rocks, crystals of micaceous minerals (mostly...
According to Plate Tectonics, most of the Earth's surface consists...
 If magma cools too quickly for crystallization of any minerals,...
Grain sizes of clastic sediment range from coarse gravel down to 
Which occured first? 
Gelifluction is a type of 
Once pores lose their groundwater and collapse, pumping water back...
The impending glacier-related disaster in Fig. 14 affected one of the...
The lake in Fig. 16 affects the flow of the river both upstream and...
Within the USA, deserts are restricted to the Southwest where the...
Which is the most abundant element in the human body?
 If the seafloor slopes steeply offshore, a reef may occur close...
 Wind lifts sand grains primarily by
Which of the folowing is not a type of sulfide?
The global wind pattern includes regions of high pressure and low...
In order for Jupiter to have enough mass that it would have sufficient...
Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on...
Pyroclastic rocks typically are named for their dominant grain size....
Human survival depends upon the maintenance of agriculturally useful...
Kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral in the uppermost portion of...
Which would not be a candidate for carbon-14 dating?
Which of the following is not an example of a base-level?
The maximum amount of oxygen gas (O2) that can be dissolved in water...
Written climatic records go back over 1000 years in Japan. It is well...
Air which immediately overlies the Earth's surface becomes heated...
 Earth is differentiated into a core, mantle, and crust. Chemical...
According to Plate Tectonic Theory, subduction of oceanic lithosphere...
Continental crust averages about four times thicker than oceanic...
The legend for Fig. 8 shows that the darkest pattern corresponds to...
Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on...
 If iron-rich magma erupts into a deep water body, the most...
Consider an outcrop of cross-bedded sedimentary rock.  Cross-beds...
The lowest level that a stream can erode the land surface is called...
Phosphate mines are most common in which area of North Carolina?
In the northern hemisphere of Fig. 16, there is a wavy line which...
Sand inherently forms dunes, whether deposited from water or...
Carbon-fourteen is continuously created in the 
Planets which lie near the Sun are called terrestrial planets whereas...
Baslatic crust is created when basaltic magama rises from the mantle...
Which of the following magama types would most likely accumulate on...
The third-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
Planets which lie near the Sun are called ________planets whereas the...
The fourth-most-abundant element in Earth's crust is
Where would a slump occur?
Within the equation for the velocity of a falling rock, i.e., v =...
Within the equation for the velocity of a falling rock,...
A small amount of water typically adds cohesion to sediment whereas...
Northward-flowing currents lie along the western boundaries of the...
Geology favored the French in World War I because Paris lies 
Most of the carbon which has been fixed by plants does not remain that...
 Fig. 20 illustrates spring and neap tides.  The prime reason...
Planets which lie near the Sun are called terrestrial planets whereas...
Many "rock hounds" prefer to collect nonsilicate minerals...
Carbon dioxide and other volatiles are continually being pumped into...
On the seafloor, basalt typically extrudes in a sequence of blobs...
What probably caused a slump?  Any of the possibilities listed...
Consider the equation listed here for the impact velocity of debris...
Fig. 22 shows the difference between a right-lateral and left-lateral...
 Fig. 13 illustrates a nonconformity. To produce a nonconformity,...
The most-highly-siliceous type of magma is called.
The buried boulders which exemplify spheroidal weathering in Fig. 13...
Despite having a large range in grain size, the average size of grains...
Gelifluction is a type of 
Which of the following is a side-effect of the voluminous pumping of...
Within the USA, deserts are restricted to the Southwest where the...
Fig. 22 illustrates a set of strike-and-dip measurements along the...
When surficial sediment becomes extremely dry, it loses cohesion and...
 A glacier which sits on the side of a mountain produces an...
Baslatic crust is created when basaltic magama rises from the...
Which spot would be best for fly fishing?
Most of the metamorphic rocks on planet Earth are produced by the...
Which of the following is false about the cirque of mountain glaciers?
The chemical formula for this sheet-silicate mineral mostly consists...
 Consider the general principle that the surface of a water table...
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