Deck 11: The Dynamic Planet

Question 1

When geologists or archaeologists dig downward into a unit of rock or sediment,they are digging "back in time." This fact is based on the principle of

A)uniformitarianism.
B)superposition.
C)catastrophism.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following lists the correct sequence of divisions in the geologic time scale,from largest to smallest?

A)era,eon,epoch,period
B)eon,era,period,epoch
C)epoch,era,eon,period
D)period,eon,era,epoch
E)epoch,eon,era,period

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of an age-relationship based on relative dating?

A)Australopithecines were alive 3.2 million years ago.
B)the Neanderthals became extinct 35,000 years ago.
C)Australopithecines evolved before Homo erectus.
D)Clovis points have been dated at 11 000 years old in North America.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following lists is in the correct sequence from younger to older?

A)Holocene,Pleistocene,Pliocene,Miocene
B)Holocene,Precambrian,Cenozoic
C)Paleozoic,Cenozoic,Mesozoic
D)Tertiary,Quaternary,Cretaceous
E)Precambrian,Cambrian,Quaternary

Question 5

Tectonic forces

A)erode the surface of Earth.
B)warp,fold,and uplift rock.
C)control soil formation processes.
D)form sedimentary rock.
E)initiate wind.

Question 6

Who first proposed the theory of uniformitarianism?

A)Plato
B)James Hutton
C)Charles Darwin
D)Albert Wegner
E)Eratosthenes

Question 7

North magnetic pole

A)is the located where the meridians of longitude converge.
B)is the location of the point on the globe where the magnetic field is directed downward.
C)has been in one fixed location over the entire evolution of Earth.
D)moves in concert with the south magnetic pole.
E)is also known as true north.

Question 8

Which of the following is true regarding the geologic time scale?

A)the bulk of Earth's history has occurred during the Cenozoic era.
B)over 87 percent of Earth's history has elapsed during the more recent Cenozoic,Mesozoic,and Paleozoic eras.
C)both relative and absolute dating methods are used in determining the sequence of the time scale.
D)we live in the Tertiary period.
E)there have been only two periods of major extinctions in geologic time.

Question 9

Which of the following is correctly matched?

A)Precambrian - Epoch
B)Jurassic - Era
C)Holocene - Era
D)Mesozoic - Epoch
E)Quaternary - Period

Question 10

The fact that Earth's interior is sorted into layers indicates that

A)the process of formation from a nebula (by the slamming together of material and planetesimals that stuck together on impact)produces nice,neat layers.
B)Earth was once in a molten state,during which materials became sorted based on density.
C)the rotation of the early Earth acted like a centrifuge which separated materials based on weight.
D)Earth was once in a molten state,during which materials became sorted by electromagnetic fields.
E)nothing can be inferred about such a perplexing level of organization.

Question 11

The Precambrian Eon encompasses what percentage of Earth's total history?

A)0)04 percent
B)5)2 percent
C)12.4 percent
D)87.6 percent
E)94.3 percent

Question 12

Which of the following is an exogenic process?

A)earthquakes
B)volcanism
C)flows of heat and materials in the mantle
D)weathering
E)radioactive decay

Question 13

Uniformitarianism assumes that

A)Earth is quite young and is shaped by dramatic events.
B)catastrophic episodes have regularly occurred.
C)the same physical processes we see today are a key to understanding the processes that have been operating throughout geologic time.
D)mountains,plains,and canyons formed by catastrophic events.
E)the past is the key to the present.

Question 14

The idea that Earth formed only a few thousand years ago is

A)basically accepted today by science.
B)based on little physical evidence and is more appropriately considered a belief.
C)referred to as uniformitarianism.
D)the basis of the geologic time scale.
E)is calculated by measuring crustal thickness.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of a relative age-relationship?

A)the oldest known rocks on Earth are 3.96 billion years old.
B)the Vishnu schist at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is 2 billion years old.
C)the dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago.
D)the Coconino formation in the Grand Canyon is older than the Kaibab formation.
E)Earth's modern atmosphere developed about 542 million years ago.

Question 16

Which of the following is correctly matched?

A)endogenic - external processes
B)exogenic - internal processes
C)radioactive decay heat - exogenic energy source
D)weathering - exogenic breaking and dissolving the crust
E)hydrologic cycle - endogenic

Question 17

When geologists conclude that the Grand Canyon sequence of rocks was formed through hundreds of millions of years of deposition,mountain building,and erosion,they are basing this conclusion on the principle of ________ which states that ________.

A)catastrophism most rock formations were created as a result of supernatural processes
B)catastrophism a single,large flood was responsible for the creation of the rock sequence
C)uniformitarianism all geologic processes take immense amounts of time to occur and always occur at the same rate
D)uniformitarianism the geologic processes that operated in the past are the same as those that operate today,and they occurred in accordance with the same laws of nature that are operating today
E)chaos theory water cuts downward through sediments always.

Question 18

Which of the following is an endogenic process?

A)weathering
B)stream deposition
C)volcanism
D)glacial erosion
E)sediment deposition

Question 19

Knowledge of Earth's interior is derived from

A)direct sampling of the interior using deep-test wells.
B)work in Earth's deepest caverns and caves.
C)indirect evidence involving the analysis of seismic waves.
D)historic and prehistoric records.
E)mining records.

Question 20

Earth's interior is

A)equally dense throughout.
B)not subject to internal differentiation.
C)heated unevenly by the heat of radioactive decay.
D)arranged with lighter elements toward the center and heavier elements toward the crust.
E)filled with flowing water.

Question 21

The layer within Earth that lies directly below the lithosphere,but above the upper mantle,is best described as

A)a plastic-like layer that flows in response to heat and pressure.
B)a granitic material that weighs an average of 2.7 grams per cm³.
C)the core.
D)resistant to movement of any type.
E)brittle.

Question 22

Which of the following is true regarding Earth's magnetic field?

A)it causes magnetic particles in cooling magma to be ejected from the planet.
B)transition periods,during which reversals occur,last an average of about 400 to 800 years.
C)Earth's magnetic field will probably reverse in the next few thousand years.
D)a given field orientation can last billions of years.
E)a recent trend in geologic time is for less frequent reversals.

Question 23

Which of the following statements about Earth's core is true?

A)it is composed primarily of silica.
B)the inner core is believed to be liquid and the outer core solid.
C)temperatures in the core reach several hundred degrees.
D)temperatures and pressures are higher in the inner core than in the outer core.
E)it is made up of liquid water.

Question 24

The density of material below the Moho is ________ that above it.

A)greater than
B)less than
C)the same as

Question 25

The transition zone from the outer core to the mantle is ________ and is known as the ________ discontinuity.

A)uneven Gutenberg
B)uneven Moho
C)smooth Gutenberg
D)smooth Moho

Question 26

Which of the following iscorrectregarding Earth's inner core?

A)it has a density of 13.5 grams per cm³.
B)it is molten iron in composition.
C)it is the source of Earth's magnetic field.
D)it is about 2230 km thick.
E)it is made up of liquid water.

Question 27

Which of the following layers of Earth is liquid and is responsible for producing Earth's magnetic field?

A)inner core
B)outer core
C)lower mantle
D)aesthenosphere
E)upper mantle

Question 28

The average length of a period during which a given magnetic field polarity exists is about

A)1 000 years.
B)500 000 years.
C)400 million years.
D)1 billion years.
E)4)6 billion years.

Question 29

Which layer of Earth is composed primarily of peridotite,a rock which is high in olivine,iron,magnesium,and silicates?

A)inner core
B)outer core
C)crust
D)upper mantle
E)aesthenosphere

Question 30

Which of the following is true of the aesthenosphere?

A)it contains pockets of increased heat.
B)it cannot flow.
C)it superimposes the lithospheric plates.
D)it is brittle and broken into pieces.
E)it is very thick,extending several thousand kilometres in depth.

Question 31

Earth's magnetic field

A)is variable,and it has phased to zero some nine times during the past 4 million years.
B)is constant in its intensity.
C)remains a mystery as to its cause.
D)is principally generated in the inner core.
E)has repelled iron from the core to the surface.

Question 32

Which of the following gives the correct sequence of layers in the mantle,from bottom to top?

A)mantle upper mantle,aesthenosphere
B)aesthenosphere,mantle,upper mantle
C)upper mantle,aesthenosphere,mantle
D)mantle,aesthenosphere,upper mantle
E)aesthenosphere,upper mantle,mantle

Question 33

The boundary between the crust and the rest of the lithospheric upper mantle is a discontinuity known as the

A)Gutenberg.
B)mantle.
C)Moho.
D)lithospheric layer.
E)crystalline.

Question 34

Which of the following gives the correct sequence of layers in Earth,from the surface to the center?

A)crust,core,lower mantle,aesthenosphere
B)aesthenosphere,lower mantle,crust,core
C)crust,lower mantle,aesthenosphere,core
D)crust,aesthenosphere,lower mantle,core
E)aesthenosphere,crust,lower mantle,core

Question 35

With increasing depth,the mantle becomes ________ due to greater ________.

A)more plastic pressures
B)more plastic temperatures
C)stiffer pressures
D)stiffer temperatures

Question 36

The aesthenosphere can best be described as

A)a rigid solid.
B)a liquid.
C)plastic-like.
D)plasma-like.

Question 37

The heat that drives the tectonic cycle is derived from

A)nuclear fusion.
B)radioactive decay.
C)chemical reactions.
D)sunlight.
E)nuclear fission.

Question 38

Earth's interior is layered because

A)centrifugal force separated out the materials based on weight while Earth was still molten.
B)materials became sorted based on density while Earth was still molten.
C)materials became sorted based on electromagnetic fields while Earth was still molten.
D)materials became sorted based on temperature as Earth cooled.
E)centripetal force separated out the materials based on weight while Earth was still molten.

Question 39

How have we gained knowledge of Earth's internal structure?

A)analysis of seismic waves passing through Earth's layers
B)direct observation of Earth's inner layers
C)studying rock samples after underground nuclear tests
D)core samples
E)x-rays

Question 40

Approximately 90 percent of Earth's magnetic field is generated in the

A)inner core.
B)outer core.
C)lower mantle.
D)upper mantle.
E)aesthenosphere

Question 41

Three types of rock-forming processes comprise the

A)tectonic cycle.
B)rock cycle.
C)hydrologic cycle.
D)mineral cycle.
E)biogeochemical cycle.

Question 42

Which of the following has a high silica content,a high resistance to weathering,a low melting temperature,and a light colouration?

A)quartz
B)olivine
C)basalt
D)gabbro
E)scoria

Question 43

Earth's crust is roughly made up of

A)mantle and core material.
B)at least 14 plates capable of movement.
C)strong,unbroken material.
D)a brittle material that does not move.
E)melted asthenosphere

Question 44

Which of the following is a felsic mineral?

A)amphibole
B)feldspar
C)peridotite
D)mica
E)olivine

Question 45

Which layer of the planet forms 80 percent of Earth's total volume,and has an average density of 4.5 grams per ?

A)continental crust
B)oceanic crust
C)mantle
D)core
E)lithosphere

Question 46

Which of the following is true regarding the Moho?

A)It is a type of boundary representing an almost imperceptible transition from one type of rock to another that is virtually identical in composition.
B)It is smooth,like the surface of a sphere.
C)It mirrors the surface topography i.e. ,high places on the surface of Earth overlie areas in which the Moho descends to greater depths,and vice versa.
D)It parallels the surface topography,which means that the Moho always lies at the same depth below the surface.
E)The Moho lies at the boundary between the upper mantle and the aesthenosphere.

Question 47

Which of the following is matched correctly?

A)3)0 grams per cubic centimetre - granitic crust
B)4)7 grams per cubic centimetre - upper mantle
C)3)3 grams per cubic centimetre - asthenosphere
D)3)0 grams per cubic centimetre - oceanic crust
E)5)0 grams per cubic centimetre - continental crust

Question 48

The principles of buoyancy and balance,when applied to Earth's crust,helps us to explain fluctuations in Earth's outer crust,a property known as

A)magnetism.
B)Moho effect.
C)isostasy.
D)orogenesis.
E)magnetic reversal

Question 49

Mafic minerals are ________ minerals.

A)dark coloured,high density
B)dark coloured,low density
C)light coloured,high density
D)light coloured,low density

Question 50

Which of the following is matched correctly?

A)inner core - liquid iron
B)uppermost mantle - plastic
C)asthenosphere - plastic
D)lower mantle - liquid
E)lithosphere - plastic

Question 51

Glaciers that once covered the Hudson Bay area melted 8,000 years ago.As a result of this,the bay is gradually rising.In another 10 000 years or so,it will have risen above sea level and become dry.This process can best be considered an example of

A)catastrophism.
B)isostasy.
C)accretion.
D)orogenesis.
E)subduction.

Question 52

The process of isostatic adjustment is most closely associated with which of the following?

A)lithospheric plate collisions
B)volcanic activity
C)sea-floor spreading
D)buoyancy
E)subduction

Question 53

What percent of Earth's crust is composed of only eight natural elements?

A)25
B)43
C)50
D)75
E)99

Question 54

Heat energy and new materials are brought to the surface from the interior by the

A)tectonic cycle.
B)rock cycle.
C)hydrologic cycle.
D)mineral cycle.
E)biogeochemical cycle.

Question 55

The three most abundant elements in Earth's crust are

A)rock,water,and tectonics.
B)magnesium,potassium,and oxygen.
C)iron,aluminum,and granite.
D)oxygen,silicon,and aluminum.
E)iron,oxygen,and sodium

Question 56

Continental crust is basically ________,whereas oceanic crust is basically ________.

A)thin thick
B)basalt granite
C)granite basalt
D)sima sial
E)silica sodium

Question 57

The majority of Earth's crust is composed of ________ rock.

A)igneous
B)metamorphic
C)sedimentary
D)carbonate
E)clastic

Question 58

The thickness of Earth's crust ranges from

A)5 km to 60 km.
B)70 km to 250 km.
C)the surface to an unknown depth.
D)the surface down to 2900 km.
E)20 metres to 750 km.

Question 59

During the past ice age,landmasses were generally

A)pressed down into the asthenosphere by the load of ice.
B)elevated,because ice is lighter than rock.
C)unaffected by the climatic conditions of the time.
D)more exposed to the atmosphere.
E)frozen in time.

Question 60

An element or combination of elements that forms an inorganic,natural compound is called a

A)tectonic rock.
B)granitic compound.
C)mineral.
D)molecule.
E)base ingredient.

Question 61

An assemblage of minerals bound together is called a

A)granitic compound.
B)mineral.
C)molecule.
D)rock.
E)ultramafic element.

Question 62

Unlike batholiths,laccoliths have a ________ contact with overlying rock layers and they are ________ than batholiths.

A)smooth large
B)smooth smaller
C)irregular larger
D)irregular smaller
E)rough denser

Question 63

The history of life on Earth is chronicled in which type of rock?

A)igneous
B)metamorphic
C)sedimentary

Question 64

A batholith forms from

A)intrusive igneous rock.
B)extrusive igneous rock.
C)metamorphic rock.
D)sediment accumulation in a depression.
E)metamorphosed quartz

Question 65

Which of the following is an example of an intrusive,igneous rock formation?

A)volcano
B)pluton
C)dome
D)lava flow
E)pyroclastic bomb

Question 66

A rock transformed from any other rock through extreme heat and or pressure is referred to as

A)sedimentary.
B)metamorphic.
C)igneous.
D)ancient.
E)hydrothermal

Question 67

Which of the following is matched correctly?

A)granite - gabbro
B)rhyolite - basalt
C) - quartz
D)extrusive - batholith
E)andesite - pumice

Question 68

The major rocks of Earth's crust are classified into principal types based on

A)element composition.
B)mineral composition.
C)three specific rock-forming processes.
D)relative and absolute locations.
E)density.

Question 69

An intrusion of magma that forms a wall-like structure when exposed by erosion is known as a

A)dike.
B)sill.
C)batholith.
D)laccolith.
E)volcanic neck.

Question 70

Which type of rock is formed from cemented fragments of former rocks

A)clastic sedimentary
B)extrusive igneous
C)metamorphic
D)hydrothermal sedimentary
E)carbonate

Question 71

What type of rock is derived from the bits and pieces of former rocks?

A)sedimentary
B)metamorphic
C)igneous
D)hydrothermal
E)batholith

Question 72

The mineral crystals in a sill would be ________ those in a lava flow.

A)larger
B)smaller
C)the same size as

Question 73

A conically-shaped laccolithic mountain can readily be distinguished from a similarly shaped volcano based on

A)the different heights of the features.
B)the chemical composition of the minerals they are made of.
C)the size of the crystals they are composed of.
D)the ease at which they are eroded.
E)the density of the rock.

Question 74

What type of rock forms from the solidification of molten material?

A)sedimentary
B)metamorphic
C)igneous
D)hydrothermal

Question 75

A laccolith is actually a large version of a

A)dike.
B)discontinuity.
C)sill.
D)batholith.
E)lake bed.

Question 76

The largest type of pluton is a

A)laccolith.
B)sill.
C)dike.
D)phenocryst.
E)batholith.

Question 77

Sedimentary rocks are more a product of the ________ system whereas metamorphic and igneous rocks are more a product of the ________ system.

A)tectonic rock
B)endogenic exogenic
C)exogenic endogenic
D)intrusive extrusive
E)atmospheric hydrospheric

Question 78

When the Apollo astronauts went to the moon,they landed in the lunar maria-the dark-coloured features that collectively form the "man-in-the-moon" pattern when viewed from Earth.These areas consist of rock made of dark-coloured,high density ________ minerals that are similar to Earth's ________.

A)felsic continents
B)felsic ocean floors
C)mafic continents
D)mafic ocean floors

Question 79

The Sierra Nevada mountain range in California is an example of

A)an extrusive igneous formation.
B)a lava flow.
C)an exposed batholith.
D)a volcano.
E)a laccolith

Question 80

Which of the following is matched correctly?

A)granite - metamorphic
B)basalt - sedimentary
C)marble - metamorphic
D)sandstone - igneous
E)pumice - sedimentary