Question 1

Does the fact that the mantle is beneath the crust necessarily mean that the mantle is denser than the crust? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The differential separation of elements

Question 2

The Mohorovicic discontinuity was discovered by observing

Accepted Answer

A) earthquake movement at Earth's surface. 
B) seismograms of an earthquake. 
C) changes in rock density. 
D) all of these 
A) earthquake movement at Earth's surface. 
B) seismograms of an earthquake. 
C) changes in rock density. 
D) all of these

Question 3

Tsunami are correctly referred to as

Accepted Answer

A) seismic sea waves. 
B) tidal waves 
C) energy waves. 
D) mega waves. 
A) seismic sea waves. 
B) tidal waves 
C) energy waves. 
D) mega waves.

Question 4

Which of the following did Alfred Wegener NOT use to support his theory of continental drift?

Accepted Answer

A) Paleoclimate data. 
B) Similar fossils on widely separated continents. 
C) Paleomagnetic data. 
D) Similar rocks on widely separated continents. 
A) Paleoclimate data. 
B) Similar fossils on widely separated continents. 
C) Paleomagnetic data. 
D) Similar rocks on widely separated continents.

Question 5

Briefly describe the different types of plate boundaries.

Accepted Answer

Divergent boundaries, produced by tensio

Question 6

The ocean crust

Accepted Answer

A) becomes progressively younger away from the mid-ocean ridges. 
B) is the same age worldwide. 
C) becomes progressively older away from the mid-ocean ridge. 
D) ranges in age, the oldest ocean crust is in the Atlantic and the youngest is in the Arctic. 
A) becomes progressively younger away from the mid-ocean ridges. 
B) is the same age worldwide. 
C) becomes progressively older away from the mid-ocean ridge. 
D) ranges in age, the oldest ocean crust is in the Atlantic and the youngest is in the Arctic.

Question 7

The dominant force at convergent boundaries is

Accepted Answer

A) compression. 
B) tension. 
C) shearing. 
D) similar to that in normal faulting. 
A) compression. 
B) tension. 
C) shearing. 
D) similar to that in normal faulting.

Question 8

A tsunami is unlike most other water waves mainly because it

Accepted Answer

A) is stronger. 
B) has a very long wavelength. 
C) moves very fast. 
D) is energetic. 
A) is stronger. 
B) has a very long wavelength. 
C) moves very fast. 
D) is energetic.

Question 9

What is the major source of energy responsible for earthquakes in southern California?

Accepted Answer

Horizontal sliding movement be

Question 10

The lithosphere floats atop the

Accepted Answer

A) mantle. 
B) crust. 
C) asthenosphere. 
D) mohorovicic. 
A) mantle. 
B) crust. 
C) asthenosphere. 
D) mohorovicic.

Question 11

What are the eight major plates according to the theory of plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Eurasian Plate, Indo-Australia

Question 12

The San Andreas fault

Accepted Answer

A) stretches from the Gulf of California to Cape Mendocino, California, and separates the Pacific Plate from the North American Plate. 
B) accommodates all the motion between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. 
C) is presently inactive. 
D) all of the above 
A) stretches from the Gulf of California to Cape Mendocino, California, and separates the Pacific Plate from the North American Plate. 
B) accommodates all the motion between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. 
C) is presently inactive. 
D) all of the above

Question 13

Granite does not readily form near oceanic-oceanic convergent boundaries because

Accepted Answer

A) granite forms from granitic magma and most oceanic material is basaltic in origin. 
B) the magma formed at this type of boundary is not conducive to producing granitic type rocks. 
C) oceanic-oceanic convergence often results in the eruption of andesitic lavas. 
D) all of the above. 
A) granite forms from granitic magma and most oceanic material is basaltic in origin. 
B) the magma formed at this type of boundary is not conducive to producing granitic type rocks. 
C) oceanic-oceanic convergence often results in the eruption of andesitic lavas. 
D) all of the above.

Question 14

The top of the mantle is the same as the

Accepted Answer

A) base of the core. 
B) base of the lithosphere. 
C) top of the asthenosphere. 
D) base of the crust. 
A) base of the core. 
B) base of the lithosphere. 
C) top of the asthenosphere. 
D) base of the crust.

Question 15

Earth's internal layers were discovered by studying the propagation of P- and S- waves through Earth's interior. In comparison to S-waves, the movement of P-waves is

Accepted Answer

A) fast, compressing and expanding the rock as they move through it. 
B) fast, vibrating the rock particles up and down and side-to-side. 
C) slower and can travel through solid granite, magma, water or air; 
D) slower and can travel only through solids, not liquids. 
A) fast, compressing and expanding the rock as they move through it. 
B) fast, vibrating the rock particles up and down and side-to-side. 
C) slower and can travel through solid granite, magma, water or air; 
D) slower and can travel only through solids, not liquids.

Question 16

In the 1950s a plot of the position of the magnetic north pole through time revealed that

Accepted Answer

A) either the magnetic poles had migrated through time or the continents had moved. 
B) polar magnetization varied from pole to pole. 
C) over the past 500 million years the geographic poles changed position at least once or twice. 
D) all of the above. 
A) either the magnetic poles had migrated through time or the continents had moved. 
B) polar magnetization varied from pole to pole. 
C) over the past 500 million years the geographic poles changed position at least once or twice. 
D) all of the above.

Question 17

Motion in a P-wave is

Accepted Answer

A) side to side. 
B) transverse. 
C) longitudinal. 
D) up and down. 
A) side to side. 
B) transverse. 
C) longitudinal. 
D) up and down.

Question 18

Damage from an earthquake is most severe when the

Accepted Answer

A) epicenter is close to the surface. 
B) surface material is composed of unconsolidated sediments. 
C) buildings and structures are poorly constructed. 
D) epicenter close to surface which is composed of unconsolidated sediments and the building are all of the above. 
A) epicenter is close to the surface. 
B) surface material is composed of unconsolidated sediments. 
C) buildings and structures are poorly constructed. 
D) epicenter close to surface which is composed of unconsolidated sediments and the building are all of the above.

Question 19

Continental crust extends farther down into the mantle than oceanic crust because

Accepted Answer

A) it is thicker than oceanic crust. 
B) oceanic crust is buoyant and rides atop the mantle. 
C) it is heavier than oceanic crust. 
D) it sinks into the mantle and asthenosphere. 
A) it is thicker than oceanic crust. 
B) oceanic crust is buoyant and rides atop the mantle. 
C) it is heavier than oceanic crust. 
D) it sinks into the mantle and asthenosphere.

Question 20

The concept of seafloor spreading states that

Accepted Answer

A) Earth is expanding. 
B) seafloor is created at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed at deep ocean trenches. 
C) sea level is rising. 
D) earthquakes occur underwater. 
A) Earth is expanding. 
B) seafloor is created at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed at deep ocean trenches. 
C) sea level is rising. 
D) earthquakes occur underwater.

Exam 21: Plate Tectonics and Earths Interior

Does the fact that the mantle is beneath the crust necessarily mean that the mantle is denser than the crust? Explain.

The Mohorovicic discontinuity was discovered by observing

Tsunami are correctly referred to as

Which of the following did Alfred Wegener NOT use to support his theory of continental drift?

Briefly describe the different types of plate boundaries.

The ocean crust

The dominant force at convergent boundaries is

A tsunami is unlike most other water waves mainly because it

What is the major source of energy responsible for earthquakes in southern California?

The lithosphere floats atop the

What are the eight major plates according to the theory of plate tectonics?

The San Andreas fault

Granite does not readily form near oceanic-oceanic convergent boundaries because

The top of the mantle is the same as the

Earth's internal layers were discovered by studying the propagation of P- and S- waves through Earth's interior. In comparison to S-waves, the movement of P-waves is

In the 1950s a plot of the position of the magnetic north pole through time revealed that

Motion in a P-wave is

Damage from an earthquake is most severe when the

Continental crust extends farther down into the mantle than oceanic crust because

The concept of seafloor spreading states that

Patterns of Motion and Equilibrium

Newtons Laws of Motion

Momentum and Energy

Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites

Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Energy and Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer and Change of Phase

Static and Current Electricity

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Waves and Sound

Light

Atoms and the Periodic Table

The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Elements of Chemistry

How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract

Mixtures

How Chemicals React

Two Classes of Chemical Reactions

Organic Compounds

Rocks and Minerals

Shaping Earths Surface

Geologic Timereading the Rock Record

The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

Driving Forces of Weather

The Solar System

Stars and Galaxies

The Structure of Space and Time

Prologue: the Nature of Science

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