Question 1

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

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Question 2

Compared to the Rocky Mountains,the Appalachian Mountains are a series of lower-elevation hills with more gentle slopes.Have they always had these differences in topography? Explain.

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Question 3

Compare and contrast a cratonic shield and platform.

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Question 4

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

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Question 5

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?
A) continental rifting
B) continental collision
C) fold and thrust faulting
D) subduction zone volcanism

Accepted Answer

The Basin and Range Province is a result of extensional forces caused by continental rifting, which led to the stretching and breaking of the Earth's crust, creating the fault-blocked mountain ranges characteristic of the region.

Question 6

What is the primary reason why mountains substantially taller than Mt.Everest are unlikely to arise on the Earth?
A) The high geothermal gradient in the crust causes mountains to collapse under their own weight.
B) Exhumation proceeds faster than uplift.
C) Extreme elevations cause chemical weathering to outpace uplift.
D) Uplift is limited by the rate of subduction.

Accepted Answer

The high geothermal gradient in the crust causes mountains to collapse under their own weight. This is because the Earth's crust becomes warmer and more pliable at greater depths, which means that extremely tall mountains can't support their own weight and begin to spread out and collapse under the force of gravity.

Question 7

Regions of continents that have NOT been subjected to orogeny during the past 1 billion years are termed ________.
A) exotic terranes
B) accreted terranes
C) cratons
D) cratonic platforms

Accepted Answer

Cratons are large, stable regions of continents that have not been subjected to major mountain building or deformation since the Precambrian era, about 1 billion years ago. They are characterized by thick, ancient crust that has undergone little tectonic activity since its formation. Exotic and accreted terranes, on the other hand, are areas of continental crust that have been added to existing continental margins through tectonic processes such as subduction and collision. Cratonic platforms are similar to cratons but may have undergone some deformation and uplift since their formation. Therefore, the best choice for regions that have not been subjected to orogeny during the past 1 billion years is Cratons.

Question 8

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).

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Question 9

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.

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Question 10

Which of these properly illustrates the principle of isostasy?
A) High-density crust floats on top of low-density mantle.
B) Mountains stand high because they are gravitationally balanced by their deep crustal roots.
C) When weight is added to the crust,the crust responds by rebounding upward.
D) When material is removed from the crust,the crust maintains the new,lower elevation.

Accepted Answer

The principle of isostasy states that mountains stand high because they are gravitationally balanced by their deep crustal roots. This means that the weight of the mountains is supported by the denser crustal material below them. As a result, the higher the mountain, the deeper its roots must extend into the earth's crust.

Question 11

The accreted terranes that are added to a continent during orogeny are _______ than the cratons of the continent's interior.
A) less deformed
B) of higher metamorphic grade
C) older
D) younger

Accepted Answer

Accreted terranes added to a continent during orogeny are typically younger than the cratons of the continent's interior. Cratons are the ancient, stable parts of the continental lithosphere that have survived the cycle of orogeny and erosion, often for billions of years.

Question 12

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?

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Question 13

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?

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Question 14

__________ is the balance between the weight of a mountain range and the buoyancy provided by the underlying mantle.
A) Delamination
B) Suture
C) Isostasy
D) Orogen

Accepted Answer

Isostasy refers to the balance between the weight of a mountain range and the buoyancy provided by the underlying mantle. Delamination refers to the process by which a portion of the lower crust or upper mantle breaks off and sinks into the underlying mantle. Suture refers to the boundary between two colliding tectonic plates where they have fused into a single plate. Orogen refers to a mountain range formed by the collision of two tectonic plates.

Question 15

On a geologic map,cratonic basins,where thick sequences of sedimentary rocks overly the Precambrian basement,show the _________ rocks toward the center of the basin.
A) oldest
B) youngest
C) thinnest
D) most deformed

Accepted Answer

In cratonic basins, the youngest rocks are typically found toward the center of the basin, as these areas have been the site of more recent sediment deposition compared to the edges.

Question 16

What can be said about a mountain range that is being uplifted at 2 cm/year but is not growing any taller?
A) The crustal root is thinning at the same rate as the uplift.
B) The crustal root is thickening faster than the uplift.
C) The rate of erosion is the same as the rate of uplift.
D) The rate of erosion is higher than the rate of uplift.

Accepted Answer

The fact that the mountain range is not growing any taller despite the uplift indicated that there is an equilibrium between uplift and erosion. Therefore, the rate of erosion must be the same as the rate of uplift.

Question 17

There are many ways in which uplift can occur,but all of them reflect ________.
A) compressional forces
B) the effects of weathering and erosion
C) subduction zone processes
D) the lithosphere's tendency to achieve isostasy

Accepted Answer

Uplift occurs when the lithosphere is pushed up due to its tendency to achieve isostasy, which means maintaining equilibrium between the weight of the crust and the underlying mantle. This can happen due to various processes such as mantle convection, erosion of overlying rocks, or removal of the weight of ice sheets during glacial periods. Compressional forces, subduction zone processes, and the effects of weathering and erosion can also contribute to uplift, but they are not the main driving force.

Question 18

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

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Question 19

Regions where Precambrian metamorphic rocks are exposed at the surface are termed ________.
A) shields
B) cratonic platforms
C) convergent margins
D) domes

Accepted Answer

Precambrian metamorphic rocks are typically found in large, stable regions known as shields. These areas have been relatively unaffected by tectonic activity since their formation over a billion years ago. Shields are typically characterized by exposed bedrock and a lack of significant topographic relief.

Question 20

What is the plate tectonic setting that formed the mountains of the Basin and Range Province,and what type of faulting has this resulted in?

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Quiz 9: Crags,cracks,and Crumples: Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

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

Compared to the Rocky Mountains,the Appalachian Mountains are a series of lower-elevation hills with more gentle slopes.Have they always had these differences in topography? Explain.

Compare and contrast a cratonic shield and platform.

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

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?

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

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

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).

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.

Which of these properly illustrates the principle of isostasy?

The accreted terranes that are added to a continent during orogeny are _______ than the cratons of the continent's interior.

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?

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?

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

On a geologic map,cratonic basins,where thick sequences of sedimentary rocks overly the Precambrian basement,show the _________ rocks toward the center of the basin.

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

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

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

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

What is the plate tectonic setting that formed the mountains of the Basin and Range Province,and what type of faulting has this resulted in?