Question 1

If the age of a mountain range is inversely proportional to its height, in what two regions are the youngest mountain ranges found today?
A)The circum-Atlantic belt and southern Europe/Asia
B)Western South America and the Appalachians of North America
C)The circum-Pacific belt and southern Europe/Asia
D)Scandinavia and Eastern Africa

Accepted Answer

The circum-Pacific belt and southern Europe/Asia are where the youngest mountain ranges are found according to the given inverse proportionality relationship.

Question 2

Which layer of the Earth is the thickest?
A)Crust
B)Mantle
C)Outer core
D)Inner core

Accepted Answer

The mantle is the layer of the Earth between the crust and the core, and it is the thickest layer, measuring over 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) thick.

Question 3

The rock that makes up ocean basins has a density of ________ and is made of ________. A)1.9 g/cm³; sandstone B)4.5 g/cm³; gneiss C)3.0 g/cm³; basalt D)2.7 g/cm³; granite

Accepted Answer

The density of oceanic crust is around 3.0 g/cm³, which matches the density given in option C. Additionally, oceanic crust is predominantly made up of basalt.

Question 4

The geologic rock cycle presents an orderly transition from igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic rocks.However, there are also some alternative transitions that bypass part of the rock cycle.Which of the following is the best example of one of those bypasses?
A)Igneous rocks are weathered and eroded to become sediments.
B)Metamorphic rocks are melted to become magma.
C)Magma cools and crystallizes to form igneous rocks.
D)Sedimentary rocks are weathered into sediments, which become lithified into sedimentary rocks.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The geologic rock cycle presents an orderly...

Question 5

The ________ is a flooded margin of the continent.
A)continental shelf
B)deep-ocean floor
C)continental slope
D)continental rise

Accepted Answer

The continental shelf is the flooded margin of the continent, extending from the shoreline to the shelf break. It is relatively flat and shallow, and is home to a variety of marine life.

Question 6

A ________ is a part of the craton that is covered by a thin covering of sedimentary rocks.
A)shield
B)continental shelf
C)platform
D)plateau

Accepted Answer

A platform is a portion of the craton that is covered by a thin layer of sedimentary rocks, typically less than 3,000 feet thick. These sedimentary rocks were deposited on top of an ancient igneous or metamorphic basement rock, and have been relatively undisturbed since their deposition. Shields, continental shelves, and plateaus are not characterized by a thin layer of sedimentary rocks covering an underlying basement rock.

Question 7

The ________ is a layer of liquid nickel and iron believed to be responsible for generating the Earth's magnetic field.
A)Crust
B)Mantle
C)Outer Core
D)Inner Core

Accepted Answer

The Outer Core is the layer of liquid nickel and iron that is believed to be responsible for generating the Earth's magnetic field. The Crust is the outermost layer of the Earth, the Mantle is the layer beneath the crust, and the Inner Core is the solid, innermost layer of the Earth.

Question 8

A research team is studying the velocity of seismic waves in various types of rock.Using explosives, they create small explosions to study how fast the energy waves will travel.Using the velocity data below, infer which rocks are higher in density and which are lower in density.Which rock or rocks have the highest density?
 Rock A: 7 km/s
Rock B: 5.9 km/s
Rock C: 7.2 km/s
Rock D: 6.1 km/s
Rock E: 6.25 km/s
A)Rock C
B)Rocks B & D
C)Rocks B, D, & E
D)Rocks A & C

Accepted Answer

Seismic waves travel faster in denser rocks. Rocks A and C have the highest velocities, so they have the highest densities.

Question 9

What is the texture of a rock?
A)How the rock feels to the touch
B)The composition of minerals that make up the rock
C)The shape of the rock
D)The size, shape, and/or arrangement of minerals in a rock

Accepted Answer

Texture in geology refers to the size, shape, and/or arrangement of minerals in a rock. A rock's texture can be described as fine-grained, coarse-grained, crystalline, or glassy, among other terms.

Question 10

If the temperature in the Earth generally increases with depth, how is it possible that the inner core is a solid?
A)Temperatures increase to a certain point before leveling off below the melting point of the core.
B)The pressures in the core are immense and keep it in a solid state in spite of the temperature.
C)Earth's interior does not reach temperatures high enough to melt the material of the inner core.
D)The inner core is shedding the heat so quickly that melting does not have time to occur.

Accepted Answer

The pressures in the core are immense, and they keep it in a solid state even though temperatures exceed the melting point of the material.

Question 11

Along which features might one expect to see a deep-ocean trench?
A)Abyssal plains
B)Mountain ranges
C)Oceanic ridges
D)Seamounts

Accepted Answer

Deep-ocean trenches are usually found near mountain ranges. This is because trench formation is often associated with the subduction of oceanic plates beneath continental plates, which commonly occurs near mountain ranges formed by tectonic activity.

Question 12

Which of the following rocks will be most buoyant on the Earth's mantle? Rock A: Density 1.4 g/cm³ Rock B: Density 5.6 g/cm³ Rock C: Density 5.1 g/cm³ Rock D: Density 2.7 g/cm³ A)Rock A B)Rock B C)Rock C D)Rock D

Accepted Answer

Rock A has the lowest density and will therefore be the most buoyant on the Earth's mantle.

Question 13

What is the definition of lithification?
A)The breakdown of materials due to exposure to the elements
B)The process by which sediments are made into rock
C)The transportation of sediments from their place of origin
D)The crystallization of minerals through cooling

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the definition of lithification?
A)The breakdown...

Question 14

Which characteristics are used to determine the processes that created a rock?
A)Heat and pressure
B)Texture and composition
C)Size and shape
D)Color and texture

Accepted Answer

Texture and composition are the two main characteristics used to determine the processes that created a rock. Texture refers to the size and arrangement of mineral grains or crystals within the rock, while composition refers to the types of minerals present in the rock. Both of these characteristics can provide clues about the conditions under which the rock formed, such as whether it was formed from molten material (igneous), deposited from water or air (sedimentary), or transformed by heat and pressure (metamorphic). Heat and pressure may be involved in the formation of some rocks, but they are not the only factors and are not as reliable in determining a rock's origin as texture and composition. Size and shape and color and texture may be useful in identifying specific types of rocks or minerals, but they are not as fundamental to the process of determining how a rock was formed.

Question 15

What is the asthenosphere?
A)A portion of the atmosphere that blocks UV radiation
B)A soft, low-velocity layer in the upper mantle
C)The transition zone between the mantle and the outer core
D)The portion of the hydrologic cycle that describes how plants contribute their respiration

Accepted Answer

The asthenosphere is a soft, low-velocity layer in the upper mantle that lies beneath the lithosphere. It is characterized by partially melted rock that is plastic and can flow slowly over geological time scales.

Question 16

Continents have a density of ________ and are made of ________ rock. A)1.9 g/cm³; sandstone B)4.5 g/cm³; gneiss C)3.0 g/cm³; basalt D)2.7 g/cm³; granite

Accepted Answer

The average density of continents is around 2.7 g/cm³, which matches option D. Additionally, granite is a common rock type found in continental crust.

Question 17

Which layer of the Earth is the thinnest?
A)Crust
B)Mantle
C)Outer Core
D)Inner Core

Accepted Answer

The crust is the outermost layer of the Earth and is divided into two types: continental and oceanic. The oceanic crust is generally thinner than the continental crust, with an average thickness of around 5-10 kilometers. In contrast, the continental crust can vary in thickness from around 30-50 kilometers. Overall, the crust is the thinnest layer of the Earth's structure.

Question 18

Archbishop James Ussher used the Bible to construct a chronology to date the creation of the Earth to ________.
A)1776 A.D
B)46,000 B.C.E
C)79 A.D
D)4004 B.C.E

Accepted Answer

Archbishop James Ussher used the Bible to calculate the date of creation to be 4004 B.C.E.

Question 19

Which physical feature represents the true transition from the continent to the ocean basin?
A)The shoreline
B)The continental shelf
C)The continental slope
D)The continental rise
E)The deep-ocean floor

Accepted Answer

The continental slope is the true transition from the continent to the ocean basin. It is the steep slope that marks the beginning of the deep ocean floor and is caused by the abrupt change in the elevation of the Earth's crust. The shoreline (A) marks the boundary between land and sea, but not necessarily the transition from the continent to the ocean basin. The continental shelf (B) is the shallow part of the ocean floor that extends from the shoreline to the continental slope, but it is not the true transition as it gradually slopes down rather than abruptly. The continental rise (D) is the gently sloping area at the base of the continental slope, but it is not the transition as it is still part of the continent-ocean boundary. The deep-ocean floor (E) is the area beyond the continental slope that makes up the majority of the ocean basin.

Question 20

________ describes Earth's origins and its development through time.
A)Natural hazards
B)Physical geology
C)Historical geology
D)Uniformitarianism

Accepted Answer

Historical geology deals with the study of Earth's history, including its origins and development over time. It focuses on the processes that have shaped the planet, such as tectonic activity, erosion, and climate change, and seeks to understand how these processes have influenced the evolution of life on Earth. Natural hazards (A) and physical geology (B) are related fields, but they do not specifically address the history of the planet in the same way that historical geology does. Uniformitarianism (D) is a principle that underlies much of geology and states that the same natural laws and processes that operate today have also operated in the past. While it is relevant to the study of Earth's history, it is not synonymous with historical geology.

Quiz 1: An Introduction to Geology

If the age of a mountain range is inversely proportional to its height, in what two regions are the youngest mountain ranges found today?

Which layer of the Earth is the thickest?

The rock that makes up ocean basins has a density of and is made of .

The geologic rock cycle presents an orderly transition from igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic rocks.However, there are also some alternative transitions that bypass part of the rock cycle.Which of the following is the best example of one of those bypasses?

The ________ is a flooded margin of the continent.

A ________ is a part of the craton that is covered by a thin covering of sedimentary rocks.

The ________ is a layer of liquid nickel and iron believed to be responsible for generating the Earth's magnetic field.

What is the texture of a rock?

If the temperature in the Earth generally increases with depth, how is it possible that the inner core is a solid?

Along which features might one expect to see a deep-ocean trench?

Which of the following rocks will be most buoyant on the Earth's mantle? Rock A: Density 1.4 g/cm³ Rock B: Density 5.6 g/cm³ Rock C: Density 5.1 g/cm³ Rock D: Density 2.7 g/cm³

What is the definition of lithification?

Which characteristics are used to determine the processes that created a rock?

What is the asthenosphere?

Continents have a density of and are made of rock.

Which layer of the Earth is the thinnest?

Archbishop James Ussher used the Bible to construct a chronology to date the creation of the Earth to ________.

Which physical feature represents the true transition from the continent to the ocean basin?

________ describes Earth's origins and its development through time.