Question 1

Regions where Precambrian metamorphic rocks are exposed at the surface are termed ________.

Accepted Answer

Shields are regions where Precambrian metamorphic rocks have been exposed at the surface. These areas have been eroded over time and have been uplifted due to tectonic forces. The Canadian Shield and the Baltic Shield are examples of shields. Cratonic platforms are stable regions of the Earth's crust that have not been affected by tectonic forces for a long time. Convergent margins are areas where two tectonic plates collide, which can result in volcanic activity, earthquakes, and the formation of mountains. Domes are elevated circular structures that are formed by the uplift of rock layers.

Question 2

What can be said about the rates of uplift and erosion in a mountain that is gaining elevation? In a mountain decreasing in elevation? What is the ultimate fate of all mountains on the Earth?

Accepted Answer

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Question 3

Compare and contrast domes and basins.If both are composed solely of sedimentary beds that have been eroded such that the ground surface is level,how would you identify each?

Accepted Answer

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Question 4

What are the three components of deformation? Briefly explain each.

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

Compared to the Rocky Mountains,the Appalachian Mountains are a series of gently sloping hills.Have they always looked this way? Explain.

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

The formation of the Basin and Range Province,a fault-blocked mountain range in Utah,Nevada,and Arizona,is associated with which of the following processes?

Accepted Answer

The Basin and Range Province is a result of continental rifting, which caused blocks of land to drop down and create the unique topography of the region.

Question 7

There are many ways in which uplift can occur,but all of them reflect ________.

Accepted Answer

Uplift occurs due to the lithosphere's tendency to achieve isostasy, which is a state of equilibrium in which the buoyancy forces on a block of the earth's crust equal the gravitational forces upon it. This can be achieved through various processes, such as erosion or tectonic activity, but ultimately the cause is the lithosphere's desire for balance.

Question 8

Contrast brittle and plastic deformation.Cite an example of a structure associated with each.

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

What can be said about a mountain range that is being uplifted at 2 cm/year but is not growing any taller?

Accepted Answer

If the mountain range is being uplifted at a constant rate but is not growing any taller, it means that the rate of erosion is balancing out the rate of uplift. This suggests that the mountain range is undergoing a state of equilibrium, where the uplift and erosion rates are equal. Therefore, choice C is the correct answer. Options A and B are not possible because they suggest a change in the thickness of the crustal root, which is not mentioned in the question. Option D is also not possible because it suggests a decrease in height over time, which contradicts the fact that the mountain range is not growing any taller.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is true of the Appalachian Mountains?

Accepted Answer

The Appalachian Mountains include remnants of structures and rocks that formed during three distinct collisional orogenies. These orogenies occurred during the Paleozoic era as different continents collided to form the supercontinent of Pangaea.

Question 11

What types of geologic structures would you expect to find in an area that had undergone compression?

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

What is the difference between a dip-slip fault and a strike-slip fault? Describe each and give specific examples (use sketches if that helps).

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

What is the primary reason why mountains substantially taller than Mt.Everest are unlikely to arise on Earth?

Accepted Answer

The high geothermal gradient in the crust weakens the rocks at depth, making it difficult for very tall mountains to support their own weight. This leads to a natural limit on how tall mountains can get before they begin to collapse under their own weight.

Question 14

Draw a cross section of a normal and reverse fault.For each,list the stress involved and change in the length of the crust,if any.

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

__________ is the balance between the weight of a mountain range and the buoyancy provided by the underlying mantle.

Accepted Answer

Isostasy refers to the equilibrium between the weight of a mountain range and the buoyancy provided by the underlying mantle. Delamination refers to the process where a portion of the lower crust and upper mantle break away and sink into the asthenosphere. Suture refers to the boundary between two colliding tectonic plates. Orogen refers to the process of mountain building.

Question 16

The __________ is the succession of the opening of an ocean basin to form a passive margin,later followed by the closing of that ocean basin to form a collisional orogeny.

Accepted Answer

The Wilson cycle is a model of the life cycle of an ocean basin, in which an ocean basin opens and spreads as a passive margin, followed by the closing of the ocean basin through the subduction of oceanic lithosphere to form a collisional orogeny. The other choices (A, C, and D) refer to different geological concepts and processes that are not directly related to the Wilson cycle.

Question 17

Compare and contrast a cratonic shield and platform.

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

Regions of continents that have NOT been subjected to orogeny during the past 1 billion years are termed ________.

Accepted Answer

Cratons are the ancient, stable interior regions of continents that have not been subject to major tectonic activity in the past billion years.

Question 19

Which of these properly illustrates the principle of isostasy?

Accepted Answer

The principle of isostasy states that the Earth's crust is in a state of balance or equilibrium, meaning that the force of gravity pulling the crust downwards is balanced by the buoyant force of the mantle pushing the crust upwards. Mountains are able to stand high because their deep crustal roots exert a gravitational pull that is balanced by their buoyancy within the mantle. This is illustrated in choice B.

Question 20

How were the mountains in the Basin and Range Province formed?

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 11: Crags,cracks,and Crumples: Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building