Exam 1: Introducing Geology,the Essentials of Plate Tectonics,and Other Important Concepts

The _______ is the most voluminous of the Earth's three major concentric zones.

Where a subducting plate slides beneath the lithosphere,melting takes place and a(n)____ is created.

While the reserves of petroleum hydrocarbons within the United States are limited,other geologic resources (iron,aluminum,copper,and tin)are available in great abundance.

A hypothesis that passes repeated tests ultimately becomes __.

___ refer(s)to the scientific study of Earth.

The North American Plate is all on one plate.

The two major types of crust are oceanic crust and __.

After data have been analyzed,tentative explanations or solutions called _____ may be proposed.

To understand geology one must understand how the solid Earth interacts with water,air,and living organisms.For this reason,it is useful to think of Earth as being part of a ____.

Rocks brought to the earth's surface by internal processes are worn down,and eroded by surficial processes.

Listed from Earth's center outward,the three concentric zones of Earth are the __.

The ____ is soft and therefore flows more readily than the underlying mantle.

The Earth can be considered as interrelated systems or spheres.

What is Earth's external heat engine?

Plates are known to be moving away from each other __.

Disintegration of rock at Earth's surface may be facilitated by water __.

The mantle is the most voluminous of Earth's three major concentric zones.

Plate tectonics regards the lithosphere as divided into segments (plates)that are in horizontal motion.

Understanding geology can help us lessen or prevent damage to the environment.

The Earth's interior heat engine works because hot buoyant material deep within the Earth _______ while cold denser material _______.