Exam 1: Introducing Geology, the Essentials of Plate Tectonics, and Other Important Concepts

Earth's external heat engine is driven by __.

The Earth's system that includes the oceans, rivers, lakes, and glaciers of the world is called the _______.

The two major types of crust are oceanic crust and __.

Understanding geology can help us lessen or prevent damage to the environment.

A _______ boundary occurs where plates move towards one another.

A ______ is a huge ocean wave usually caused by a displacement of the sea floor and commonly associated with massive earthquakes.

The _______ is the most voluminous of the Earth's three major concentric zones.

Plates are known to be moving away from each other __.

Earth can be visualized as a giant machine driven by which of the following engines?

The North American plate is moving ____.

Rock deep within the Earth is _____ and ______.

Sedimentary rock that becomes deeply buried may be transformed by heat and pressure into _______ rock.

Listed from Earth's center outward, the three concentric zones of Earth are the __.

Rocks brought to the earth's surface by internal processes are worn down, and eroded by surficial processes.

The _____ and the Alpine Fault of New Zealand are examples of transform plate boundaries.

Deeply buried rock that is hot and under pressure can deform like taffy or putty.

While the reserves of petroleum hydrocarbons within the United States are limited, other geologic resources (iron, aluminum, copper, and tin) are available in great abundance.

The product of the breakdown of surface rocks by weathering and erosion is __.

After the opening of the North Slope in Alaska the U.S. stopped importing petroleum.

A(n) ___ may eventually be formed as layers of sediment are buried by subsequent layers of sediment.