Multiple Choice Questions Introduction to Geology Chapter 1

Each chapter will include a few questions designed to test your knowledge of material covered in the chapter and in the Internet-based resources. Your answers are not being recorded. Try the following. Introduction to the Earth 1. Which of the following statements regarding the scientific methods is true? A hypothesis must be agreed upon by more than one scientist A theory is a hypothesis that has withstood many scientific tests A theory is proven to be true, and therefore may not be discarded A hypothesis cannot predict the outcome of scientific experiments 2. According to the principle of uniformatarianism, geologic processes we observe today have operated in the past geologic process in the past operated at the same rate as they do today all of the planets formed from a uniform solar nebula early Earth was covered by a uniform magma ocean 3. Approximately how long ago did the Big Bang take place? 10-15 thousand years ago 10-15 million years ago 100-150 million years ago 10-15 billion years ago 4. Under intense pressure and high temperature, hydrogen atoms combine to form helium. This process is called: nuclear fusion nuclear fission

metamorphism convection 5. What are the two most abundant elements in nebula (gas clouds) in the universe? nitrogen and oxygen oxygen and silicon hydrogen and helium iron and nickel 6. The process by which an originally homogeneous Earth developed a dense core and a light crust is called: metamorphism differentiation accretion compression 7. The heat that caused melting in the Earth's early history was supplied from which of the following events or causes? volcanic activity and radioactivity solar heating and volcanic activity a large impact event and radioactivity a large impact event and solar heating 8. How thick is the crust of the Earth? about 4 miles about 4 km about 40 km about 400 km 9. The layer that separates crust from core is the?

magma layer lithosphere mantle continent 10. What drives the Earth's internal heat engine? radioactivity solar energy volcanoes ocean tides 11. In general, igneous rocks: form at relatively high temperatures form by crystallization of solids from a liquid form at high and low pressures all of the above 12. Minerals: can form by life-processes -- organic are crystalline solids have a unique chemical composition can be any state (solid, liquid, or gas) as long as that state occurs naturally 13. Metamorphic rocks are changed rocks. Which of the following rock types could be the "parent" of a metamorphic rock? sedimentary igneous metamorphic all of the above 14. _______involves transfer of heat by the physical movement of the material:

conduction convection metamorphism radiation 15. __________is called the "father" of geology. John Butler Art Smith James Hutton Alfred Wegner 16. New seafloor is created at a ____________? deep-sea trench mid-ocean ridge subduction zone transform fault 17. The descent of oceanic lithosphere into the mantle is the process of _______? accretion subduction divergence zone contraction fault 18. Which of the following features is not associated with a convergent plate boundary? a mid-ocean ridge earthquakes a deep-sea trench zone volcanic activity 19. The greatest threat to our environment is ___________?

volcanoes earthquakes humans bacteria 20. Earth materials always trace the complete rock cycle from sediment through igneous rocks. True False 21. The terms crust and lithosphere are synonymous. True False 22. The terms mantle and asthenosphere are synonymous. True False 23. Because we rarely witness dramatic changes in the Earth, we can conclude that the Earth is not changing very much. True False 24. The motions of the three types of plate boundaries would be described as divergent, convergent, and static. True False 25. The crust of the Earth is static and stable. True False

26. Features useful in defining plate boundaries include all except: shorelines between continents and oceans distribution of volcanoes distribution of earthquakes distribution of mountain ranges all are correct 27. The age of the Earth is currently thought to be about 6,000 years old about 6 billion years old about 4,500,000 years old about 4,500,000,000 years old none of the above 28. The contribution made to geology by James Hutton was: the recognition that processes still active today could produce almost any known rock type. the description of plausible processes for converting one rock type to another. a change in outlook on Earth processes from a catastrophic to a uniformitarian one. all of the above none of the above 29. One of geology's greatest contributions to human thought is: the realization that the world is round the realization that the sun not the Earth is the center of the solar system the recognition of the long span of time involved in Earth history the recognition that the Earth is the center of the solar system 30. Evidence of uniformitarian change includes:

glacial deposits in areas where no glaciers are presently found. fossils of marine animals found at high elevation continents covered by sediments deposited in an ocean wide canyons cut by small streams all of the above none of the above 31. Living organisms have been on Earth for ______ of Earth's history? less than 1% about 20% about 50% about 80% 32. Humans have been on Earth for _________ of Earth;s history? less than 1% about 20% about 50% about 80% 33. What caused dust and condensing material to accrete into planetesimals? heating of gases gravitational attraction and collisions nuclear fusion rotation of the proto-sun 34. Which of the following is not one of the four inner planets? Mars Earth Neptune Mars

35. The outer planets are composed mostly of ? rocks and ice oxygen and nitrogen hydrogen and helium helium and krypton 36. The moon is ? older than the sun older than most meteorites older than the Earth none of these 37. The name of the layer of the Earth that separates the crust from the core is the ___? magma lithosphere asthenosphere mantle 38. What powers the Earth's internal heat engine? radioactivity solar energy volcanoes ocean tides 39. The Earth's external heat engine is not responsible for which of the following: climate erosion tides winds

40. Oxygen built up in the Earth's atmosphere because: the oceans separated from the crust rocks weathered and released their oxygen algae and other organisms employed photosynthesis oxygen settled on Earth from planets further from the sun 41. Which of the planets is not geologically active? Mars Mercury Venus Earth 42. When did geologists develop the theory of plate tectonics in the mid 1800s in the early 1900s in the 1950s in the 1960s 43. The lithosphere is approximately ______ kilometers thick. 1-2 5-10 50-100 100-200 44. The asthenosphere is _________. cool and strong cool and weak hot and strong hot and weak

45. The Earth's lithosphere is broken into approximately ______ large, rigid plates. 2 12 50 100

46. A __________ plate boundary is illustrated in the figure show above. transform fault divergent convergent - subduction convergent - continent/continent collision 47. Which of the following statements about convection is true? heat is transferred from hot material to cool material without inducing a flow. cool material flows upward and displaces hot material hot material flows upward and displaces cool material random circulation occurs 48. Approximately how fast does an Earth lithospheric plate move? several centimeters per year several centimeters per day several centimeters per hour several centimeters per second

49. Which of the following is not a type of plate boundary? convergent divergent transform fault all of these are plate boundaries 50. New seafloor is created at a ________. deep sea trench mid-ocean ridge subduction zone transform fault 51. The descent of oceanic lithosphere into the mantle is the process of ______. subduction accretion divergence contraction 52. Approximately how deep (below sea level) are deep-sea trenches? 1 km 10 km 100 km 1000 km 53. Which of the following features is not associated with a transform plate boundary? a mid-ocean ridge earthquakes a deep sea-trench volcanic activity

54. Volcanism is associated with which of the following types of plate boundaries? convergent plate boundaries divergent plate boundaries transform fault plate boundaries divergent and convergent plate boundaries 55. The Andes Mountains of South America are a result of which type of plate boundary? convergent divergent transform they are not related to a plate boundary 56. Mount St. Helen's. a part of the Cascade Range of volcanoes, result from the subduction of which plate? Pacific Cocos Juan de Fuca North American 57. What is the name of the large supercontinent that existed 200 million years ago when all of the continents were together? San Andreas Andian Indian Pangaea 58. Why is our vulnerability to natural disasters growing? because the frequency of volcanic eruptions is increasing because the human population is increasing

because the number of earthquakes each year is increasing because the number of floods each year is increasing 59. The theory of plate tectonics was not initially widely accepted because ______.. land bridges would have blocked plate movement rocks of the Earth's crust were considered too stiff for continents to move through them fossils on South America and Africa did not match ocean floor mapping showed that older rocks occur away from mid-ocean ridges

60. Referring to the diagram above, path A is _______ cooling and crystallization burial and lithification weathering and deposition cooling and uplift 61. Referring to the diagram above, path B is _______ uplift, weathering and erosion, deposition deposition, heat and pressure, weathering melting, crystallization, heat and pressure deposition, lithification and crystallization 62. Referring to the diagram what factor(s) are responsible for path C?

melting crystallization heat and pressure burial and lithification Try these fill-in-the blanks