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GEOL-1403 > Exam 1; Practice > Flashcards

Exam 1; Practice Flashcards

1
Q

The age of the Universe is approximately _____.

A

13.8 billion years old

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2
Q

The age of the Earth, as measured by radiometric methods, is approximately _____.

A

4.6 billion years old

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3
Q

What are the layers of the Earth in terms of differing chemical composition?

A
  1. Crust
  2. Mantle
  3. Core
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4
Q

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

A

Outer core

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5
Q

The Solar Nebula Theory explains the formation of the Universe.

A

False

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6
Q

The continental crust is ______

A

Composed of granitic rocks

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7
Q

Define the asthenosphere

A

Upper mantle partially molten weak

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8
Q

Which is NOT LIKELY to have been part of Wegner’s continental drift hypothesis?

a. fossil evidence linking distant shores
b.Similar rock types found on separate continents
c. Discovery of volcanic eruptions
d. glacial evidence in relatively warm geographic locations

A

c. discovery of volcanic eruptions

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9
Q

____ was the name of Wegener’s supercontinent.

A

Pangea

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10
Q

The main reason Wegener’s theory was rejected was ___________.

A

Could not identify a credible mechanism driving continental drift

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11
Q

The plate tectonic theory (1960’s) resulted mainly from new data obtained from ____.

A

The ocean floor

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12
Q

The Theory of Plate Tectonics states that the Earth’s lithosphere is broken into plates. These plates move due to the convection currents in the ____.

A

Mantle

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13
Q

Which of the following statements about paleomagnetism, as determined from a study of spreading ridges, is FALSE?

a. there is a clear paleomagnetic signal in rocks to either side of a spreading ridge
b. Rocks along spreading ridges all show normal polarity, no matter what age.
c. The paleomagnetic pattern on one side of the ridge is a mirror image of that on the other side of the ridge.
d. There is evidence that the Earth’s magnetic poles reverse approximately every 1/2 million years.

A

b. Rocks along spreading ridges all show normal polarity, no matter what age.

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14
Q

What is NOT associated with a mid-ocean ridge?
a. shallow earthquakes
b. old ocean crust
c. volcanic eruptions
d. transform faults

A

b. Old ocean crust

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15
Q

At which type of plate boundary are large, high mountain ranges without volcanoes built?

A

Continent-Continent Convergent boundaries

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16
Q

Ocean crust is youngest at ____.

A

The mid-ocean ridge

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17
Q

The theory of seafloor spreading was proposed by ____.

A

Harry Hess

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18
Q
A
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19
Q
A
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20
Q

The age of the universe is approximately ______.

A

13.8 billion years old

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21
Q

The age of the Earth, as measured by radiometric methods is approximately _____.

A

4.6 billion years old

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22
Q

What are the layers of the Earth in terms of differing chemical composition?

A

Core
Crust
Mantle

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23
Q

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

A

Outer core

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24
Q

The Solar Nebula Theory explains the formation of the universe.

A

False

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25
Q

The continental crust is composed of

A

Thick, light, old, granitic rock

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26
Q

What is the definition of the asthenosphere?

A

The soft, weak, and partially molten part of the upper mantle

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27
Q

Which of the following is not likely to have been a part of Wegner’s continental drift hypothesis?
a. Fossil evidence linking distant shores
b. Similar rock types found on separate continents
c. Discovery of volcanic eruptions
d. Glacial evidence in relatively warm geographic locations

A

c. discovery of volcanic eruptions

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28
Q

The name of Wegener’s supercontinent

29
Q

The main reason Wegener’s theory was rejected:

A

His inability to cite a credible mechanism driving continental drift.

30
Q

The Plate Tectonic Theory (1960’s) resulted mainly from new data recently obtained from ____.

A

The ocean floor

31
Q

The plate tectonic theory states that the Earth’s lithosphere is broken into plates. These plates move due to convection currents in the ______.

32
Q

Which of these statements about paleomagnetism, as determined from a study of spreading ridges, is FALSE?

a. There are clear paleomagnetic signals in rocks to either side of a spreading ridge.
b. Rocks along spreading ridges all show normal polarity, no matter what their age
c. the paleomagnetic pattern on one side of the ridge is a mirror image of that on the other side of the ridge
d. there is evidence that Earth’s magnetic poles reverse approximately every half million years.

A

b. Rocks along spreading ridges all show normal polarity, no matter what their age

33
Q

What is not associated with a mid-ocean ridge?

a. shallow earthquakes
b. old ocean crust
c. volcanic eruptions
d. Transform faults

A

b. old ocean crust

34
Q

At which type of plate boundary are large, high mountain ranges without volcanoes built?

A

Continental-continental convergent boundaries

35
Q

Ocean crust is youngest at

A

Mid-ocean ridge

36
Q

The theory of seafloor spreading was proposed by

A

Harry Hess

37
Q

Which best describes the movement at the mid-ocean ridge?

a. The plates are moving past each other
b. Plates are moving away from each other
c. the plates are moving toward each other
d. One plate is being subducted beneath another

A

b. Plates are moving away from each other

38
Q

The East Africa Rift Valley (Afar Triangle) is an example of _______.

A

a continental rift

39
Q

The San Andreas Fault that runs through California
a. is the site of numerous earthquakes
b. is a convergent plate boundary
c. is a transform fault
d. a and c

A

a. the site of numerous earthquakes
c. a transform fault

40
Q

In general, most geologic activity, like volcanoes and earthquakes, takes place at ______.

A

plate boundaries

41
Q

Which type of plate boundary forms a volcanic island arc?

A

Oceanic-Oceanic convergent plate boundary

42
Q

Island chains like the Hawaiian Islands that form within plates are believed to be the result of ____.

A

Hotspot volcanism

43
Q

“Mid-ocean ridge” is a feature that is associated with

A

Divergent boundaries

44
Q

Deep-ocean trenches form in which type of plate boundary?

A

Continent-oceanic convergent plate boundary

45
Q

Which of the following is false about continent-continent convergent boundary:
a. Neither plate subduct
b. The crust is thickened to form high-rise mountain belts
c. High volcanic activity
D. Earthquakes

A

c. Volcanic activity

46
Q

If rock A cross-cuts rock B, then rock A is _______.

A

Younger than Rock B

47
Q

Methods used by geologists to determine the general sequence of geologic events from oldest to youngest are known as:

A

relative dating

48
Q

Which would generally not be involved in determining the relative age of rock strata?

a. Unconformities
b. Radioactive decay
c. Rule of superposition
d. Cross-cutting relationships

A

b. Radioactive decay

49
Q

Undisturbed sedimentary rock layers occur in horizontal layers.

A

Principle of Original Horizontality

50
Q

A valuable principle for relative dating that is based on the process of organic evolution is the principle of _____.

A

Fossil succession

51
Q

In the 1600’s, Archbishop James Ussher declared that:

A

The earth was created in 4004 BCE

52
Q

Radiometric dating is based upon ____.

A

the spontaneous decay of radioactive isotopes

53
Q

The ears of the standard geologic time scale are subdivided into:

54
Q

Which subdivision of geologic time is the longest?

55
Q

Which sequence shows the names of Eras from oldest to youngest?

a. Mesozoic - Cenozoic - Paleozoic
b. Mesozoic -Precambrian - Cenozoic
c. Cenozoic - Mesozoic - Paleozoic
d. Plaeozoic - Mesozoic - Cenozoic

A

d. Paleozoic - Mesozoic - Cenozoic

56
Q

Radiocarbon dating, which utilizes carbon-14, is a useful technique for all the samples below, except:

a. wood
b. bone
c. shells
d. granite

A

d. granite

57
Q

Isotopes of the same element have ____.

A

different numbers of neutrons, but the same number of protons.

58
Q

Which of the following is NOT true of minerals?
a. crystalline structure
b. organic
c. naturally occurring
d. definite chemical composition

A

b. organic

59
Q

The difference between 2 carbon atoms, one has an atomic mass of 12, and the other has an atomic mass of 14 is:
a. the number of isotopes in the atom
b. the number of electrons in the outer shell
c. the number of neutrons in the nucleus
d. the number of protons in the nucleus

A

c. the number of neutrons in the nucleus

60
Q

The _____ bonds form when a cation and an anion get close together and attract each other.

61
Q

Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a compound that we usually refer to as (1) _____ and which forms with (2) ____ bonds.

A

(1) table salt (2) ionic

62
Q

Which of the following is NOT one of the primary ways minerals can form:

a. Biomeneralization
b. Mechanical Weathering
c. Solidification
d. Precipitation from aqueous solution

A

b. Mechanical Weathering

63
Q

Two of the most abundant elements, comprising about 75% of all the atoms in the Earth’s crust are:

A

Silicon and oxygen

64
Q

The _____ are the mineral class that accounts for more than 90% of the Earth’s crust.

65
Q

A(n) ____ is a silicate structure where silica tetrahedra do not share oxygen ions with any other silica tetrahedra.

A

Independent

66
Q

___________ are composed of a carbonate ion (COv3) and a positive ion. Examples include calcite (CaCOv3) and dolomite CaMg(COv3)v2

A

carbonates

67
Q

The mineral _____ is an example of a 2D sheet silicate structure.

68
Q

The mineral _____ is a common member of the halide group, readily dissolves in water, and is commonly referred to as table salt.

69
Q

The mineral pyrite (feSv2), commonly referred to as “fool’s gold,” is a member of the _____ mineral group.

GEOL-1403 (26 decks)

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