Geology 101 - Introduction to Geology » Spring 2022 » Midterm 3
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Question #1
Which type of plate boundaries is most directly associated with Earth's major mountain belts?
A.
transform boundary
B.
convergent boundary
C.
convergent boundary and transform boundary
D.
divergent boundary and transform boundary
E.
divergent boundary
Question #2
In oceanic-continental convergence, a volcanic arc is created on the ________ and is the result of ________ rising up from a subducting plate.
A.
oceanic plate; magma
B.
continental plate; magma
C.
continental plate; sediment
D.
oceanic plate; sediment
Question #3
California's Great Central Valley is an example of ____.
A.
an accretionary wedge
B.
a continental volcanic arc
C.
a trench
D.
a forearc basin
E.
a batholith
Question #4
In what ways are the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Andes Mountains the same in terms of mountain formation?
A.
Emplacement of batholiths
B.
Crumpling of the continent through collision with another continent
C.
Extension of the continent through rifting
D.
Downwarping of the continent due to crustal subsidence
Question #5
How can the existence of fossil marine life in rocks atop collisional mountains be explained by plate tectonics?
A.
When two plates collide at their continental margins, their deformable seaward rock containing marine organisms crumples up to the top of the resulting mountains.
B.
The rocks at the top of these mountains that contain fossils are oceanic terranes, which are blocks of rock that used to be various parts of oceanic crust. Thicker oceanic blocks of rock were tectonically moved toward the oceanic trench, colliding with the crustal rocks because they were too large to subduct.
C.
The rocks at the top of these mountains that contain fossils are oceanic terranes, which are blocks of rock that used to be various parts of oceanic crust. Oceanic blocks of rock were tectonically moved toward the oceanic trench, colliding with the crustal rocks because they were too large to subduct due to the fact that they contained fossils.
D.
The rocks at the top of these mountains that contain fossils are oceanic terrains, which are blocks of rock that used to be various parts of oceanic crust. Thicker oceanic blocks of rock were tectonically moved toward the oceanic trench, colliding with the crustal rocks because they were too large to subduct.
E.
During orogenesis, less dense oceanic crust containing marine fossils crumples up with denser continental crust during convergence. The lower density of the oceanic crust places marine fossils near the tops of the resulting mountains
Question #6
At which of the following sites is the Earth's crust recycled back into the Mantle?
A.
Subduction Zone
B.
Mid-oceanic ridge
C.
Convergent continental-continental plate bouundary
D.
Hot Spot
Question #7
Which of the following mountain ranges are no longer actively forming?
A.
Appalachians
B.
Himalayas
C.
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
D.
Andes
Question #8
Which of the following types of mountains form when the lithosphere is stretched and thinned?
A.
Island arc-type mountains
B.
Andean-type mountains
C.
Fault-block mountains
D.
Alpine-type mountains
Question #9
A downward isostatic adjustment is called _________and an upward isostatic adjustment is called __________
A.
uplift; subsidence
B.
subsidence; uplift
C.
uplift; subduction
D.
subduction; uplift
Question #10
Which of the following is the underlying reason for mass wasting?
A.
glaciers
B.
water
C.
gravity
D.
plate tectonics
Question #11
Which of the following areas are more prone to mass wasting?
A.
old, broad mountain
B.
the great plains
C.
densely vegetated land
D.
steep slopes
Question #12
Which of the following can trigger a landslide?
A.
removal of water from sediments
B.
drought
C.
adding water to sediments
D.
planting vegetation
Question #13
While the Earth's internal processes such as _________ may elevate surfaces, external forces such as ___________work to break rocks apart and move debris to lower elevations
A.
volcanic activity; mass movement
B.
mass movement; erosion
C.
plate tectonics; plate tectonics
D.
mass movement; plate tectonics
Question #14
What is permafrost?
A.
soil that episodically moves downslope over time from repeated episodes of freezing and thawing
B.
permanently frozen ground of tundra and subarctic climates that has remained 0°C for two years or more
C.
the layer of soil that thaws to a depth of one meter during summer and refreezes during the winter
D.
saturated soil that moves downhill very slowly
Question #15
More of Earth’s freshwater is stored in this reservoir than anywhere else on the planet.
A.
rivers
B.
groundwater
C.
lakes
D.
glaciers
Question #16
Which of the following can occur from disturbing permafrost?
A.
it completely melts and creates a lake where the ice used to be
B.
it completely melts and undersaturates the soil beneath it.
C.
it can crack in several places, creating crevices and collapsing into sinkholes
D.
ice within the permafrost may melt, causing the ground to slide, slump, or subside.
Question #17
Gravity is responsible for moving water from the continents into the ocean basins. What mechanism involves water coming back onto the continents?
A.
clouds and precipitation
B.
transpiration
C.
groundwater
D.
runoff
Question #18
Which of the following is the primary step that allows water to enter the groundwater system?
A.
infiltration
B.
runoff
C.
precipitation
D.
evaporation
Question #19
About what percentage of Earth's water is in the form of seawater?
A.
10
B.
97
C.
1
D.
50
Question #20
What is the name of an area in which all water falling in it flows out through one location?
A.
Watershed
B.
Stream
C.
Divide
D.
Tributary
Question #21
The ________ is an imaginary line that divides an entire continent into large drainage basins.
A.
Continental Divide
B.
Appalachian Mountains
C.
Sediment production zone
D.
Mississippi River
Question #22
Which of the following occurs to a river when it reaches the ocean?
A.
The river speeds up and less sediments deposit from it
B.
The river slows down and less sediments deposit from it
C.
The river slows down and more sediments deposit from it
D.
The river speeds up and more sediments deposit from it
Question #23
The bottom limit to stream erosion (the ultimate base level) is_______
A.
sea level
B.
lake level
C.
dam level
D.
a canyon
Question #24
Ground that is impermeable to water (i.e., asphalt, concrete, and nonporous rock) favors ______________ floods because it allows surface water to rise rapidly, and ground that is made of porous, unconsolidated sediments (i.e., some soils) favors ___________ floods.
A.
regional; ice-jam
B.
flash; ice-jam
C.
flash; regional
D.
regional; flash
Question #25
In the zone of saturation, groundwater __________________
A.
does not exist
B.
evaporates
C.
has chemically reacted with the surrounding rock
D.
has completely filled the pore spaces
Question #26
The water table is located_________________
A.
above the Earth's surface
B.
below the saturated zone
C.
below the unsaturated zone
D.
above the zone of soil moisture
Question #27
The flow pattern of groundwater is determined by____________
A.
plate tectonics
B.
erosion
C.
gravity
D.
salinity
Question #28
More than half of the U.S. freshwater is provided by groundwater.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #29
Which of the following answers explains the difference between porosity and permeability?
A.
Permeability is the percentage of the total volume of rock or sediment that consists of pore spaces, whereas porosity is the ability of a rock or sediment to transmit fluid.
B.
Porosity is highly concerned with the connectedness of pore spaces, whereas permeability is not.
C.
Porosity is the percentage of the total volume of rock or sediment that consists of pore spaces, whereas permeability is the ability of a rock or sediment to transmit fluid.
D.
Permeability is highly concerned with the volume of open space within a rock, whereas porosity is not.
E.
Permeability is expressed as a percentage, whereas porosity is not.
Question #30
Which of the following is a requirement for a successful well?
A.
be drilled through an aquitard
B.
be drilled into the unsaturated zone
C.
penetrate well below the regional water table surface
D.
be drilled into a perched aquifer
Question #31
What is the source of heat for most hot springs and geysers?
A.
friction
B.
the climate
C.
magma and igneous rocks
D.
the sun
Question #32
During the formation of sinkholes, limestone _____________ due to the______________ of rainwater.
A.
dissolves; acidity
B.
precipitates; alkalinity
C.
dissolves; alkalinity
D.
precipitates; acidity
Question #33
During the last glacial maximum, the position of sea level occurred at what elevation relative to its position today?
A.
At the last glacial maximum, sea level was about 25 meters (~75 feet) lower than it is today.
B.
At the last glacial maximum, sea level was about 1000 meters (~3000 feet) lower than it is today.
C.
At the last glacial maximum, sea level was about 100 meters (~300 feet) lower than it is today.
D.
At the last glacial maximum, sea level was about 50 meters (~150 feet) lower than it is today.
E.
At the last glacial maximum, sea level was about 10 meters (~30 feet) lower than it is today.
Question #34
Which of the following is true about glaciers?
A.
They can form from frozen seawater
B.
They are required for crystallization of magma to occur
C.
They contribute to erosion
D.
Upon melting, they create oceans
Question #35
Which of the following contains continental ice sheets?
A.
Iceland
B.
Canada
C.
Greenland
D.
The Arctic Ocean
Question #36
Which way does ice flow in a glacier retreating uphill?
A.
Ice does not flow in a glacier.
B.
upslope
C.
both upslope and downslope
D.
downslope
Question #37
Currently, most glaciers worldwide are_____________
A.
stagnant
B.
retreating
C.
advancing
Question #38
What shape of valleys do glaciers typically carve out?
A.
U
B.
W
C.
Y
D.
V
Question #39
For how long has Antarctica been covered by glaciers?
A.
since the origin of the Earth 4.5 billion years ago
B.
since the last glacial maximum
C.
30 million years
D.
600 million years
Question #40
Which of the following can influence whether the Earth is in a glacial or interglacial era?
A.
All answer choices
B.
Plate tectonics and the movement of continents on the Earth
C.
Changes in the atmopsheric carbon dioxide levels
D.
Variations in the Earth's orbit around the sun
Question #41
Which of the following statements about deserts is true?
A.
Although rainfalls are infrequent, erosion and deposition related to water are more important than wind in deserts.
B.
Deserts are defined by their sand content.
C.
Deserts are always located in hot, humid coastal areas.
D.
Deserts are located where there are ascending air masses and low atmospheric pressure.
Question #42
________ weathering is most common in a desert environment.
A.
Mechanical
B.
Dissolution
C.
Erosional
D.
Chemical
Question #43
Why is wind erosion relatively more important in dry regions than in humid areas?
A.
Humid areas experience significantly less wind than dry regions.
B.
Humid areas are only underlain by lithified bedrock and never have any loose sediment that wind can transport.
C.
Vegetation in humid areas anchors the soil, which inhibits wind erosion.
D.
The sediment in humid regions is consistently gravel-sized or larger, which is difficult or impossible for wind to move.
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