Prof. Cranganu, Core 8.2 Geology
Fall 2004, Mid-term Exam
October 18, 2004
NAME_________________________________________________________
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes
the statement or answers the question.
1) The global ocean accounts for nearly
__________ percent of Earth's surface.
A) 45 B) 33 C) 66 D)
86 E) 71
2) The idea that continents had moved about the
face of Earth, proposed in the early 1900s, was referred to as continental
__________.
A) mechanics
B) locomotion
C) drift
D) conveyance
E) tension
3) The thinnest of the three principal units of
Earth's interior is the __________.
A) crust B) core C) mantle
4) Which one of the following is NOT one of the
solid Earth's principal units?
A) tropopause B) core C)
crust D) mantle
5) Which one of the following is NOT one of the
four "spheres" that constitute our environment?
A) biosphere
B) lithosphere
C) atmosphere
D) hydrosphere
E) exosphere
6) __________ are the remains or traces of
prehistoric life.
A) Inclusions
B) Faults
C) Rocks
D) Fossils
E) Minerals
7) A scientific __________ is a well tested and
widely accepted view that scientists agree best explains observable facts.
A) hypothesis
B) idea
C) supposition
D) theory
E) estimate
8) The __________ is a hot, weak zone that is
capable of gradual flow located within Earth between the depths of 100 and 350
kilometers.
A) mantle
B) lithosphere
C) crust
D) asthenosphere
E) core
9) Which one of the following is NOT a type of
plate boundary?
A) transform fault B) convergent
C) reverse D) divergent
10) A type of plate boundary where plates grind
past each other without either generating new crust or consuming old crust is
a(n) __________ fault boundary.
A) convergent
B) divergent
C) transform fault
D) reverse
E) parallel
11) The regions where oceanic crust is being
consumed into Earth's interior are called __________ zones.
A) ridge
B) subduction
C) end
D) consumption
E) none of the above
12) The accepted age of Earth is about __________
years.
A) 300 million
B) 4.5 billion
C) 6.4 million
D) 3.6 billion
E) 895 million
13) Earth's __________ includes the crust and
part of the upper mantle.
A) asthenosphere
B) mantle
C) core
D) lithosphere
E) none of the above
14) According to the plate tectonics model,
Earth's rigid outer shell is broken into large slabs called __________.
A) boundaries
B) ridges
C) divergent zones
D) plates
E) convergent zones
15) The constructive processes that alter Earth's
surface depend upon Earth's internal __________ as their source of energy.
A) heat
B) tectonics
C) pressure
D) minerals
E) magnetism
16) The science of geology is traditionally
divided into two broad areas: physical geology and __________ geology.
A) oceanography
B) mineralogy
C) historical
D) tectonic
E) none of the above
17) Which one of the following is NOT one of the
three classes of rocks?
A) amorphous B) igneous C)
metamorphic D) sedimentary
18) A scientific __________ is a preliminary,
untested explanation of a natural phenomenon.
A) theory
B) hypothesis
C) supposition
D) observation
E) guess
19) The most unreliable (variable) diagnostic
property of minerals such as quartz is __________.
A) crystal form
B) luster
C) hardness
D) color
E) specific gravity
20) On Mohs hardness scale, which is the softest
mineral?
A) calcite B) feldspar C)
quartz D) talc E) apatite
21) The mass of an atom is concentrated in its
__________.
A) nucleus B) electron C)
isotope D) angstrom E) neutron
22) Which of the following is NOT a
characteristic of minerals?
A) definite chemical
composition
B) either liquid or solid
C) formed by inorganic
processes
D) a unique set of physical
properties
E) possess a crystalline
structure
23) An atom that loses or gains electrons is
called a(n) __________.
A) ion B) proton C)
isotope D) neutrino E) neutron
24) A(n) __________ has a negative charge and a
very small mass.
A) nucleus B) neutron C)
proton D) electron E) isotope
25) The building block of the silicate minerals
is called the __________.
A) aluminum-silicon
tetrahedron
B) silicon-oxygen
tetrahedron
C) silicon-oxygen
octahedron
D) aluminum-silicon
octahedron
E) none of these
26) If the atomic number of an element is 6 and
its mass number is 14, how many neutrons are contained in the nucleus?
A) 0 B) 6 C)
84 D) 20 E) 8
27) All silicate minerals contain the elements
__________.
A) silicon and magnesium
B) silicon and calcium
C) silicon and oxygen
D) silicon and iron
E) silicon and sodium
28) Each element is defined by the number of
__________.
A) isotopes B) neutrons C)
protons D) atoms E) nuclei
29) The mass number of an atom is obtained by
totaling the number of __________.
A) electrons and neutrons
B) protons and neutrons
C) positrons and neutrinos
D) neutrons and positrons
E) electrons and protons
30) The central region of an atom is called the
__________.
A) shell B) neutron C)
nucleus D) electron E) proton
31) The tendency of minerals to break along
smooth flat surfaces is called __________.
A) streak
B) conchoidal
C) fracture
D) polyhedral
E) cleavage
32) Isotopes of the same element differ in the
number of __________.
A) ions B) protons C)
electrons D) neutrons E) nuclei
33) The appearance or quality of light reflected
from the surface of a mineral is called __________.
A) color
B) streak
C) fluorescence
D) luster
E) sheen
34) The most abundant mineral group in Earth's
crust is __________.
A) sulfides
B) carbonates
C) silicates
D) halides
E) oxides
35) The positively charged particles that compose
atoms are called __________.
A) shells B) protons C)
nuclei D) electrons E) neutrons
36) The definition of a mineral includes words
such as __________.
A) naturally occurring and
crystalline
B) clastic and mafic
C) organic and solution
D) foliated and amorphous
E) none of the above
37) Orbiting the central region of an atom are
negatively charged __________.
A) electrons B) neutrons C)
protons D) nuclei
38) The resistance of a mineral to abrasion is
known as __________.
A) cleavage
B) resistance
C) hardness
D) fracture
E) conchoidal
39) The best-known and most important ore
deposits are those that are produced from __________ solutions.
A) secondary
B) brine
C) potassium
D) carbonate
E) hydrothermal
40) The most important factor affecting the
texture of an igneous rock is the __________ of the magma.
A) location
B) starting temperature
C) composition
D) final temperature
E) rate of cooling
41) The process whereby ions begin to arrange
themselves into orderly patterns is called __________.
A) crystallization
B) solidification
C) packing
D) ionization
E) none of the above
42) Which one of the following terms is used by
geologists to denote any rock with a high percentage of ferromagnesian
minerals?
A) felsic B) masic C)
mafic D) ferric E) calcic
43) The volcanic (fine-grained) equivalent of
granite is __________.
A) diorite B) basalt C)
tuff D) obsidian E) rhyolite
44) The slow cooling of magma results in the
formation of rather __________ mineral crystals.
A) odd-shaped
B) large
C) irregular
D) small
E) colorless
45) A rock which has large crystals embedded in a
matrix of smaller crystals is said to have a(n) __________ texture.
A) fragmental
B) glassy
C) aphanitic
D) phaneritic
E) none of the above
46) Which one of the following does NOT refer to
the texture of an igneous rock?
A) aphanitic
B) glassy
C) phaneritic
D) porphyritic
E) clastic
47) Which one of the following is a
coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock similar to gray granite, but lacking
visible quartz crystals?
A) andesite B) obsidian C)
basalt D) peridotite E) diorite
48) According to Bowen's reaction series, the
first ferromagnesian mineral to crystallize from a typical magma is __________.
A) biotite mica
B) olivine
C) quartz
D) orthoclase
E) pyroxene
49) Igneous rocks are most often classified by
their __________ and mineral composition.
A) formation B) texture C)
size D) color E) shape
50) Rocks composed almost entirely of
ferromagnesian minerals are often referred to as __________.
A) glassy
B) clastic
C) felsic
D) ultramafic
E) granitic
51) Which one of the following does NOT take
place during the rapid cooling of magma?
A) Ions readily combine.
B) Small crystals form.
C) Ions quickly lose their
motion.
D) Ions migrate long
distances.
E) Large numbers of crystal
nuclei form.
52) As magma migrates upward it may incorporate
some of the surrounding country rock in a process called __________.
A) mixing
B) differentiation
C) acquiring
D) assimilation
E) none of the above
53) __________ are the spherical or elongated
openings seen in many aphanitic rocks left by escaping gas bubbles as magma
solidifies.
A) Vesicles
B) Phenocrysts
C) Inclusions
D) Clasts
E) none of the above
54) Rocks that consist of unordered atoms are
referred to as __________.
A) glass
B) fragmental
C) coarse-grained
D) volatile
E) none of the above
55) The process of developing more than one rock
type from a common magma is called magmatic __________.
A) streak
B) segregation
C) compounding
D) isolation
E) differentiation
56) Igneous rocks which have potassium feldspar
and quartz as their primary components are said to have a(n) __________
composition.
A) clastic
B) granitic
C) basaltic
D) porphyritic
E) mafic
57) Bulbous masses associated with volcanoes that
extrude highly viscous material are called __________.
A) shield volcanoes
B) cinder cones
C) composite cones
D) lava domes
E) volcanic necks
58) Magma tends to rise toward Earth's surface
principally because __________.
A) water is an abundant
constituent of magma
B) magma is a fluid
C) rocks become less dense
when they melt
D) silica is abundant in
magma
E) none of these
59) Which one of the following intrusive
structures is tabular and concordant?
A) batholith B) dike C)
sill D) laccolith E) stock
60) Rocks with a granitic composition begin to
melt near a temperature of __________.
A) 75°C B) 750°C C)
1500°C D) 6000°C E) 3000°C
61) Which one of the following statements is true
regarding volcanic bombs and blocks?
A) Bombs are found closer
to the volcano than blocks.
B) Bombs often have a
streamlined shape.
C) Bombs are larger than
blocks.
D) Blocks are semi-molten
when ejected.
62) The oceanic ridge system is the major site of
__________.
A) spreading center
volcanism
B) formation of magma by
partial melting of mantle rocks
C) formation of basaltic
magma
D) all of these
E) only spreading center
volcanism and formation of magma by partial melting of mantle rocks
63) Cinder cones __________.
A) have very steep slopes
B) frequently occur in
groups
C) consist largely of
pyroclastics
D) are usually less than
300 meters (1000 feet) high
E) all of these
64) In the upper crust, the average temperature
change with depth is thought to __________ per kilometer.
A) increase 3°C B) increase 30°C C) decrease 3°C D) decrease 30°C
65) Temperatures generally encountered during
volcanic eruptions are approximately __________.
A) 100°C
B) 100,000°C
C) 10,000°C
D) 1000°C
E) 1,000,000°C
66) An undisturbed horizontal layer of basalt is
situated between two sedimentary layers. The basalt exhibits a vesicular
texture in its upper portion, while the sedimentary layer immediately below
shows some metamorphic alteration. The sedimentary layer above shows no
metamorphic alteration. Which one of the following statements is most likely to
be true about the basalt?
A) It is a sill.
B) It is a buried lava
flow.
C) It is a horizontally
intruded dike.
D) It may be either a sill
or a buried lava flow.
67) Vesuvius and Fujiyama are examples of a
__________.
A) shield volcano
B) cinder cone
C) composite cone
D) lava dome
E) volcanic neck
68) A __________ is built almost exclusively from
ejected lava fragments.
A) shield volcano
B) cinder cone
C) composite cone
D) lava dome
E) volcanic neck
69) Hawaiian rocks would be expected to have
__________.
A) a granitic composition
B) dark color
C) high silica content
D) textures such as aa and pahoehoe
70) Which one of the following is NOT true about
mechanical weathering?
A) does not change the
rock's mineral composition
B) does not affect
metamorphic rocks
C) produces smaller pieces
D) adds to the
effectiveness of chemical weathering
E) may lead to the
formation of talus slopes
71) The transfer of rock material downslope under
the influence of gravity is termed __________.
A) erosion
B) hydrolysis
C) weathering
D) exfoliation
E) mass wasting
72) Chemical weathering would be most effective
__________.
A) in a warm, humid climate
B) in a warm, dry climate
C) in a cold, dry climate
D) equally in any kind of climate
73) The incorporation and transportation of
material by water, wind, or ice describes the process of __________.
A) weathering
B) sheeting
C) mass wasting
D) erosion
E) none of the above
74) Which of these factors influence the type and
rate of weathering?
A) presence of joints
B) mineral content
C) topography
D) climate
E) all of the above
75) The left branch of Bowen's reaction series is
called a(n) __________ reaction series because each mineral has a different
crystalline structure.
A) continuous
B) changing
C) alternate
D) intermediate
E) discontinuous
76) Igneous rocks that form at the surface or as
small masses within the upper crust possess a very fine-grained texture called
__________.
A) phaneritic
B) conchoidal
C) fragmental
D) aphanitic
E) porphyritic
77) The intrusive equivalent of basalt is
__________.
A) diorite B) obsidian C)
granite D) gabbro E) andesite
78) The largest igneous intrusive body is called
a __________.
A) batholith B) sill C)
dike D) stock E) laccolith
79) When peridotite first begins to melt, the
liquid that is produced has a composition __________.
A) similar to that of
basalt
B) identical with that of
peridotite
C) similar to that of
andesite
D) richer in iron and
magnesium than peridotite
E) similar to that of
granite
80) Which of the following factors help determine
whether a volcanic eruption will be violent or relatively quiescent?
A) composition of the magma
B) amount of dissolved gas
in the magma
C) temperature of the magma
D) all of these
E) only the amount of
dissolved gas in the magma and the temperature of the magma
81) This type of volcano is usually created when
andesitic lavas are extruded.
A) shield volcano
B) cinder cone
C) composite cone
D) lava dome
E) volcanic neck
82) The gradual rounding of the corners and edges
of angular blocks of rock is called __________.
A) frost wedging
B) sheeting
C) unloading
D) exfoliation
E) none of these
83) If granite and basalt outcropped in an area
with a hot and humid climate, __________.
A) the granite would
weather most rapidly
B) the basalt would weather
most rapidly
C) both rocks would weather
at the same rate
D) There is no way of
knowing which rock type would weather most rapidly.
84) Which of the following is NOT considered
pyroclastic debris?
A) pahoehoe B) ash C)
blocks D) bombs E) cinders
85) Batholiths are typically __________.
A) extrusive
B) smaller than other types
of plutons
C) aphanitic
D) composed of basalt
E) associated with mountain
systems
86) The most violent volcanic activity is
associated with __________.
A) fissure eruptions
B) flood basalts
C) shield volcanoes
D) cinder cones
E) composite cones
87) Igneous rocks produced in association with
subduction zone volcanism generally are __________ in composition.
A) ultramafic B) basaltic
C) andesitic D) both basaltic and ultramafic
88) Which of the following lists magma types in
order of decreasing viscosity (i.e., the most viscous listed first)?
A) granitic, basaltic,
andesitic
B) granitic, andesitic,
basaltic
C) basaltic, granitic,
andesitic
D) andesitic, granitic,
basaltic
E) basaltic, andesitic,
granitic
89) The Hawaiian Islands are associated with
__________ volcanism.
A) intraplate
B) subduction zone
C) spreading center
D) geothermal
E) intercrustal
90) The most important mechanical weathering
process is __________.
A) root wedging
B) unloading
C) hydrolysis
D) frost action
E) none of the above
91) Sheeting __________.
A) may produce an
exfoliation dome
B) is commonly associated
with large bodies of granite
C) creates concentric slabs
of rock
D) is caused primarily by
unloading
E) all of the above
92) This region exhibits extensive flood basalts.
A) Rocky Mountains
B) Mt. Rainier
C) Columbia Plateau
D) Yosemite National Park
E) Yellowstone National
Park
93) The most abundant gas associated with
volcanic activity is __________.
A) carbon dioxide
B) water vapor
C) sulfur oxide
D) chlorine
E) nitrogen
94) Large, dome-shaped volcanoes consisting
primarily of basaltic lava flows are called __________.
A) shield volcano
B) cinder cone
C) composite cone
D) lava dome
E) volcanic neck
95) Which one of the following is not related to
chemical weathering?
A) hydrolysis
B) frost wedging
C) decomposition
D) solution
E) oxidation
96) A lens-shaped mass emplaced in a near surface
environment is termed a __________.
A) batholith B) stock C)
sill D) laccolith E) dike
97) The rocks in this region are part of a
batholith.
A) Yellowstone National
Park
B) the Grand Tetons
C) Texas Panhandle
D) Yosemite National Park
E) Mt. Rainier
98) At which one of these locations would frost
wedging be most effective?
A) Amazon Basin of Brazil
B) Arctic coast of Alaska
C) Chicago, Illinois
D) Frost wedging should be
equally effective at all of these sites.
99) The Cascade Range in the western United
States is associated with __________ volcanism.
A) intraplate
B) geothermal
C) subduction zone
D) intercrustal
E) spreading center
100) A region of extensive pyroclastic flows is
__________.
A) Hawaiian Islands
B) the Columbia Plateau
C) Grand Teton National
Park
D) Yosemite National Park
E) Yellowstone National
Park
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best
completes the statement or answers the question.
1) E
2) C
3) A
4) A
5) E
6) D
7) D
8) D
9) C
10) C
11) B
12) B
13) D
14) D
15) A
16) C
17) A
18) B
19) D
20) D
21) A
22) B
23) A
24) D
25) B
26) E
27) C
28) C
29) B
30) C
31) E
32) D
33) D
34) C
35) B
36) A
37) A
38) C
39) E
40) E
41) A
42) C
43) E
44) B
45) E
46) E
47) E
48) B
49) B
50) D
51) D
52) D
53) A
54) A
55) E
56) B
57) D
58) C
59) C
60) B
61) B
62) D
63) E
64) B
65) D
66) B
67) C
68) B
69) B
70) B
71) E
72) A
73) D
74) E
75) E
76) D
77) D
78) A
79) A
80) D
81) C
82) E
83) B
84) A
85) E
86) E
87) C
88) B
89) A
90) D
91) E
92) C
93) B
94) A
95) B
96) D
97) D
98) C
99) C
100) E