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The main layers of the Earth in correct order, from the surface moving down is:
a) upper core, outer core, inner core, mantle
b) outer core, inner core, upper mantle, lower crust
c) crust, mantle, outer core, inner core
d) upper mantle, lower mantle, inner core, crust
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c) crust, mantle, outer core, inner core
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Geology can help us learn about Earth’s past by studying
a) why continents have different regions
b) why a landscape looks the way it does
c) how life in the past was different than today
d) how global climate has changed since the ice ages
e) all of these
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e) all of these
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The distribution of natural resources is influenced by the:
a) types of rocks
b) ages of rocks
c) way in which the rocks formed
d) all of these
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d) all of these
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Which layer in the earth is similar in composition to basalt, a dark lava rock?
a) continental crust
b) oceanic crust
c) upper mantle
d) lower mantle
e) core
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b) oceanic crust
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The principle of isostasy refers to:
a) the difference in the strength of the mantle versus the crust
b) the relationship between regional elevations and thickness of crustthe relationship between regional elevations and thickness of crust
c) how the outer core differs from the inner core
d)how the upper mantle differs from the lower mantle
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b) the relationship between regional elevations and thickness of crust
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which of the following is a principle to interpret relative ages?
a) The youngest rock is on the bottom
b) a geologic feature is older than any rock or feature it crosscuts
c) a younger rock can include pieces of an older rock
d) an older magma can bake or metamorphose younger rocks
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c) a younger rock can include pieces of an older rock
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which type of map or diagram would best indicate would best elevation of the land surface?
a) shaded relief map
b) satellite image
c) topographic map
d) stratigraphic section
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c) topographic map
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The scientific process states that:
a) we observe then hypothesize
b) we create laws that we then find data to fit
c) we conclude from observations to form theories
d) we make shit up
e) none of these
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c) we conclude from observations to form theories
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The earth is how old
a) 4.55 mill
b) 2,500
c) 10.2 bill
d) 4.55 bill
e) none of these
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d) 4.55 billion years old
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which of the following best explains what a contour line is?
a) 4.55 million years old
b) 2,500 years old
c) 10.2 billion years old
d) 4.55 billion years old
e) none of these
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b) a line that represents continuous points of equal elevation
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Which of the following is the Principle of uniformitarianism?
a) all rocks were originally deposited horizontally
b) all the rocks were depoisted with the youngest on the bottom
c) the present is the key to the past
d) all the rocks were deposited with the oldest on the bottom
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c) the present is the key to the past
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Mid-ocean ridges are higher than surrounding oceanic crust primarily because:
a) two plates are colliding
b) the crust is thicker
c) the crust is stronger
d) transform faulting uplifts the rocks
e) lithosphere is thinner and hotter
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e) lithosphere is thinner and hotter
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rocks moving from a source area become:
a) smaller and rounder as they are transported
b) bigger and rounder as they are transported
c) depends
d) smaller and more angular
e) change their mineralogy
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a) smaller and rounder as they are transported
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When a plate boundary changes its orientation, it can change from:
a) a spreading center to a transform fault
b) a transform fault to a spreading center
c) a transform fault to a subduction zone
d) all the above
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d) all the above
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deformation and metamorphism is part of?
a) internal processes within the moon
b) volcanic eruptions
c) the rock cycle
d) all of these
e) none of these
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c) the rock cycle
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which of the following is not one of the main families of rocks?
a) sedimentary
b) igneous
c) metamorphic
d) meteorites
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d) meteorites
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According to the rock cycle, sediment that is being transported by a river could become a metamorphic rock after:
a) uplift and weathering
b) melting and solidification
c) deposition and burial
d) solidification and uplift
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c) deposition and burial
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Of Earth’s four overlapping spheres, which of the following does not involve material above Earth’s surface?
a) atmosphere
b) lithosphere
c) biosphere
d) hydrosphere
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b) lithosphere
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which of the following is not considered a plate boundary?
a) Convergent
b) Gaines
c) Divergent
d) Transform
e) none of these
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b) Gaines
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Cali has 2 types of plate boundaries associated with its geology they are ?
a) transform and convergent
b) transform and divergent
c) convergent and divergent
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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a) transform and convergent
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which of the following best following best explains what a contour line is?
a) a line that connects the peaks and valleys of an area
b) a line that represents continuous points of equal elevation
c) a line that connects all the high points on a topographic map
d) a line that separates the tree from the grasslands on the shaded relief maps.
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b) a line that represents continuous points of equal elevation
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What kind of boundary is most likely to have volcanoes and earthquakes associated with it
a) divergent
b) transform
c) convergent
d) all of the above
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c) convergent
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pacific ocean plate moving 5 centimeters a year…how old will the island rock be when it begins to submerge into the trench
a) 1 mill
b) 5 mill
c) 100 mill
d) 1 bill
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c) 100 million years
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which of the following is not a mineral?
a) liquid water
b) crystals grown in a laboratory
c) volcanic glass
d) piece of wood
e) all of these
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e) all of these
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In identifying different minerals what don’t geologists use?
a) color
b) magnetism
c) hardness
d) prettiness
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d) prettiness
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a mineral property that can be observed without using a test is:
a) effervescence
b) magnetism
c) hardness
d) cleavage
e) all of these
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d) cleavage
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Loaning of atoms reflects what type of bonding?
a) metallic bond
b) covalent bond
c) intermolecular bond
d) ionic bond
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d) ionic bond
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The most important class of rock-forming minerals on Earth is:
a) halides
b) sulfates
c) native minerals
d) silicates
e) asbestos
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d) silicates
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which of the following largely determines an atoms atomic weight ?
a) the # of neutrons
b) the # of electrons
c) the # of electrons in the outer shell
d) the # of protons and neutrons
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d) the # of protons and neutrons
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Orange County receives most of its drinking water from?
a) the Colorado river
b) recycled waste water
c) the ocean
d) mars
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b) recycled waste water
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What causes a water molecule to be polar?
a)the magnetic properties of oxygen
b) the magnetic properties of hydrogen
c) the position of the hydrogen atoms on one side of the molecule
d) the abundance of ice in the north and south polar regions
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c) the position of the hydrogen atoms on one side of the molecule
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Vertical intrusions are refereed to as?
a) stills
b) fills
c) volcanoes
d) dikes
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d) dikes
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coarsely crystalline igneous textures indicate that:
a) there was a lot of gas in the magma
b) the rock cooled quickly
c) the rock broke apart as it flowed
d) the rock cooled slowly
e) the ash and pumice were hot and became compared
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d) the rock cooled slowly
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Which of the following is the best example of heat transfer by conduction?
a) a pan is placed directly on a burner
b) water within the pan flows in a circular path
c) a burner gives heat through the air without touching the object
d) seawater is drawn into a mid ocean ridge
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a) a pan is placed directly on a burner
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which of the following igneous rocks would be formed by the fastest cooling?
a) very coarse granite pegmatite
b) coarse granite
c) medium grained granite
d) fine grained granite
e) volcanic glass
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a) a pan is placed directly on a burner
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which of the following would be considered a shield volcano?
a) Hawaii
b) Mt. Saint Helens
c) Mt. Shasta
d) Mt. Lassen
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a) Hawaii
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A hot spot is interpreted to have formed from:
a) extreme heating of the seas near the equator
b) abundant magma produced within a subduction zone
c) abundant magma formed within a typical mid ocean ridge
d) a rising plume of hot mantle material
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d) a rising plume of hot mantle material
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Which of the following features is associated with a subduction zone?
a) mid-ocean ridge
b) linear island chain
c) rain forests
d) deep trenches
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d) deep trenches
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A divergent plate boundary is most likely associated with a(n):
a) mid ocean ridge
b) mountain belt or island arc
c) mid-ocean ridge
d) a and b only
e) none of these
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c) mid-ocean ridge
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Which of the following would not be considered a volcanic hazard?
a) mudflows
b) a pyroclastic flow
c) lava flows
d) flooding
e) none of the above
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e) none of the above
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A lava solidifies into non vesicular basalt instead of vesicular basalt because:
a) the magma has a low content of gas
b) the lava forms a ropy texture
c) the lava flow breaks apart as it flows
d) the lava flow forms lava tubes
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a) the magma has a low content of gas
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Hazards associated with basaltic lava flows and eruptions are:
a) burial of roads and neighborhoods by lava flow
b) house fires
c) floods from catastrophic melting of ice
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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d) all of the above
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Composite volcanoes are so called because they:
a) are a combination of shield volcanoes, scoria cones, and other volcanoes
b) have different types of geological hazards
c) were first discovered on the island of Compostia in Italy
d) are composed of lava flows, pyroclastic material, and mudflows
e) none of these
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d) are composed of lava flows, pyroclastic material, and mudflows
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The most dangerous type of volcano is a:
a) scoria cone
b) scoria cone whose magmas are interacting with groundwater
c) huge shield volcano
d) composite volcano
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d) composite volcano
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which of the following processes is not considered to be chemical weathering?
a) dissolution
b) thermal expansion
c) oxidation
d) hydrolysis
e) reaction with acids from decaying plants
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b) thermal expansion
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which of the following ism\ not a way to form layers in a sedimentary rock?
a) occurrence of a discrete event like a flood
b) a change in the strength of the current
c) a change in the supply of sediment
d) a change in climate of the region
e) all of the above are ways to form layers
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e) all of the above are ways to form layers
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Which of the following does not help define layers in some sedimentary rocks?
a) a change in mineral comp
b) a change in grain size
c) a change in color
d) a sharp contrast between two rock types
e) all of the above help define layers
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e) all of the above help define layers
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How does a cross bed form?
a) an abrupt change is the composition of the sediment
b) a gradual decrease in the strength of the current over time
c) piling of sediment down the front of a dune or ripple
d) a gradual change in the climate
e) two glaciers that cross.
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e) all of the above help define layers
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which of the following is a good interpretation of the environmental significance of an attribute of a sedimentary rock?
a fossils indicate that a sediment was deposited on land
b) large cross beds in a well stored sandstone usually indicate deposition by wind
c) mudcracks are formed in deep water environments where sand and mud can be deposited in thin layers
d) large, angular, poorly sorted clasts reflect a large amount of transportation
e) none of the above
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b) large cross beds in a well stored sandstone usually indicate deposition by wind
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which of the following is most likely to occur at shallow crustal levels?
a) ductile behavior
b) brittle deformation
c) growth of new minerals
d) recrystalization of minerals
e) metamorphism
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b) brittle deformation
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A rock is subjected to differential stress, then it means that:
a) forces are pushing inward from all directions by the same amount
b) stresses are pushing inward all directions by the same amount
c) fluid pressure is greater than the confining pressure
d) the amount of stress is greater in some directions than in others
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d) the amount of stress is greater in some directions than in others
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what causes the stress that forms joints
a) burial and tectonic forces
b) cooling and contraction
c) uplift and unloading of pressure
d) all of the above
e) none of these
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d) all of the above
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which of the following situations would result in angular clasts?
a) transport of the clast over long distance
b) working of clasts by waves on a beach
c) steep slopes in a mountain
d) dunes formed by wind
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c) steep slopes in a mountain
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What typically happens to the size, shape, and sorting of clasts as they are transported from steep mountains toward more gentle settings?
a) the size of the clast increase
c) the sediment becomes more poorly sorted
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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b) the clast becomes more rounded
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the term half life represents the time it takes:
a) to dissolve half of the atoms in the lattice
b) for the parent atoms to decay into atoms half their original size
c) for half of the parent atoms to decay into daughter atoms
d) for the sun to decay its size by 50 percent
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c) for half of the parent atoms to decay into daughter atoms
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which of the following is not a way in which fossils can be preserved?
a) they can be replaced by hard minerals like silica
b) they can be buried and decay, leaving a cavity in the rock
c) they can be preserved in ancient tree sap
d) they can be too small to see but can build diagnostic features in the rocks
e) all of the above are ways fossils can be preserved
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e) all of the above are ways fossils can be preserved
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To what does the term evolution refer?
a) to observe the changes in the fossil record
b) to one or more theories that help explain observed changes
c) as a general term to describe how, something such as a landscape has changed over time
d) all of the above
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d) all of the above
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Which of the following is evidence that Earth’s history is not short?
a) millions of layers of light-and-dark colored sediment that record yearly cycles
b) rates of seafloor spreading compared to the width of the Atlantic ocean
c) a 4 billion year age on a rock in Canada
d) thousands of isotopic ages measured by different methods
e) all of the above
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e) all of the above
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Which of the following resources do geologic ages help us explore?
a) mineral deposits relate to granites
b) oil and gas
c) groundwater
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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d) all of the above
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The Earth’s magnetic field is generated by:
a) salty water moving through the deep parts of the crust
b) convection currents in the atmosphere
c) movement of iron and electrical currents within Earth’s outer core
d) aligned magnetic minerals within Earth’s inner core
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c) movement of iron and electrical currents within Earth’s outer core
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Which of the following is associated with mid-ocean ridges?
a) a great thickness of oceanic sediment trapped within the central rift
b) very smooth topography as a result of the sedimentary cover
c) melting of the entire thickness of the asthenosphere to produce magma
d) compression that buckles the crust forming the ridge
e) none of the above
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e) none of the above
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The deepest parts of the seafloor are
a) mid-ocean ridges
b) abyssal plain
c) seamounts
d) oceanic trenches
e) continental shelves
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d) oceanic trenches
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which of the following parts of the seafloor are the shallowest ?
a) mid-ocean ridges
b) abyssal plain
c) oceanic trenches
d) continental shelf
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d) continental shelf
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which parts of the seafloor have the youngest oceanic crust?
a) mid-ocean ridges
b) abyssal plain
c) oceanic trenches
d) continental shelves along passive margins
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a) mid-ocean ridges
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how did the South Atlantic Ocean form?
a) Asia rifted apart form Europe
b) Africa and North America collided to form the Appalachian Mountains
c) a piece of California started moving northward up the west coast
d) south America rifted apart from Africa
e) none of the above
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d) south America rifted apart from Africa
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Which of the following is not a way in which we map and investigate the seafloor?
a) bouncing sound waves from a ship off the bottom
b) drilling holes into the seafloor from ships
c) using satellites to observe the sea floor surface
d) conducting seismic surveys to investigate rock layers
e) we use all of these techniques
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e) we use all of these techniques
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what is associated with reversed magnetic polarity?
a) a compass needle would point south
b) the magnetic signal of the seafloor formed with this polarity would be weaker compared to adjacent areas of the seafloor
c)there are much fewer intervals of reversed polarity than normal polarity
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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e) a and b only
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which of the following is not a type of carbonate rock?
a) limestone
b) traveltine
c) dolostone
d) shale
e) a rock formed from a coral reef
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d) shale
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which of the following is not involved in turning some sediments into sedimentary rock?
a) burial
b) compaction
c) cementation
d) metamorphism
e) all of the above are involved
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d) metamorphism
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what is the ultimate source of food for animals living around deep-sea hydrothermal vents?
a) sunlight and photosynthesis
b) the decay of creatures that float on the ocean surface and settle to the bottom
c) nuclear energy from the heated uranium-rich rocks
d) bacteria that break down hydrogen sulfide
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d) bacteria that break down hydrogen sulfide
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which of the following environments would likely have clasts smaller than sand?
a) a weak current
b) steep slops
c) dunes formed by wind
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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a) a weak current
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which environments is least likely to deposit sand
a) sand dunes along a beach or in a desert
b) channel of a meandering river
c) beach along and ocean or lake
d) delta along an ocean or lake
e) open ocean away from land
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e) open ocean away from land
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which of these environments is least likely to deposit siltstone or shale?
a) calm waters in a lagoon
b) shallow continental seas
c) bottoms of lakes
d) channel of a braided river
e) open ocean away from land
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d) channel of a braided river
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if a rock is poorly sorted, this means the rock contains:
a) mostly sand
b) a great variety of rock types as clasts
c) some angular and some rounded clasts
d) some parts that are reddish and others that are not
e) a wide range in the size of clasts
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e) a wide range in the size of clasts
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which of the following places would not be a good place to visit a reef?
a) shallow seas that are relatively free of suspended sediment
b) the area offshore of northern Australia
c) the Caribbean
d)islands in the southwestern Pacific ocean
e) shallow, clear waters off Iceland
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e) shallow, clear waters off Iceland
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which of the following can we understand by studying sedimentary rocks?
a) how environments are shifted in location through time
b) past changes in climate
c) past events, such as landslides and earthquakes
d) migration of deserts and advances of the sea
e) all of the above
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e) all of the above
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which of the following environments would likely have large clasts?
a) s strong current
b) steep slopes
c) dunes formed by wind
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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e) a and b only
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which of the following rocks cannot be metamorphosed?
a) shale
b) sandstone
c) limestone
d) granite
e) all of the above can be
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e) all of the above can be
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which of the following is a common metamorphic process?
a) deforming objects into new shapes
b) rotation of minerals into a common orientation
c) demobilization of chemical constituents into light and dark bands
d) dissolving some parts of the rock and carrying the material away
e) all of the above
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e) all of the above
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in what environments does low pressure- high tempereature metamorphism occur?
a) near magma but a shallow levels
b) near magma but at deep levels
c) under normal conditions of burial and heating
d) in a subduction zone or accretionary prism
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a) near magma but a shallow levels
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sudden movement of a fault can cause a tsunami when:
a) a hurricane or cyclone is occurring
b) the fault suddenly uplifts or downdrops the seafloor
c) hot water is trapped below the seafloor is released
d) a fault on land has a large displacement
e) none of the above
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b) the fault suddenly uplifts or downdrops the seafloor
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which of the following types of faults does not generate earthquakes?
a) normal
b) reverse
c) thrust
d) strike-slip
e) all types can generate earthquakes
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e) all types can generate earthquakes
|
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What type of seismic wave can pass through liquid?
a) S waves
b) surface waves
c) P waves
d) no waves
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c) P waves
|
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what time period do we currently live in?
a) ordovician
b) quaternary
c) Jurrasic
d)Mesosoic
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b) quaternary
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what is the height of the tallest tsunami in the open ocean?
a) 10 meters
b) 100 meters
c) 1 meter
d) 100 feet
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c) 1 meter
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wind moves sediment by:
a) bouncing sand grains along the surface
b) rolling sand grains along the surface
c) carrying finer material, like dust and silt, in air currents
d) all of the above
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d) all of the above
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El nino is a condition that brings increased precipitation to the eastern Pacific Ocean basin when:
a) when weakening of an ocean current results in cooler sea temp in the eastern pacific
b) when strengthening of an ocean current results in warmer sea temp in the eastern pacific
c) when an ocean current reverses direction resulting in cooler sea temp in the eastern pacific
d) heating occurs in deserts of the American Southwest during summer time
e) none of the above
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b) when strengthening of an ocean current results in warmer sea temp in the eastern pacific
|
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Which of the following is not a reason why rain forests are disappearing?
a) trees are cleared for small farms so that people can live off the land
b) cattle ranching
c) commercial lodging for typical hardwoods, such as mahogany
d) construction of dams for hydroelectric power
e) all of the above are reasons why rain forests are disappearing
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e) all of the above are reasons why rain forests are disappearing
|
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where do most deserts and arid lands occur:
a) along the equator
b) near the poles
c) in the southern hemisphere
d) in the subtropics
e) both a and c
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d) in the subtropics
|
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Which of the following landscape features is not common in deserts?
a) alluvial fan
b) playa
c) rock vanish
d) dry wash
e) all of the above are common in deserts
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e) all of the above are common in deserts
|
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which of the following is a way that plate tectonics can affect the climate?
a) mountain ranges intercept wind and water affecting rainfall amounts
b) rapid seafloor spreading displaces water from ocean basins
c) tectonic subsidence during earthquakes can cause flooding and change local climates
d) volcanic activity releases Co2 and water vapor that can cause atmospheric warming
e) all of the above
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e) all of the above
|
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Tornado Alley is a region in the U.S. comprising:
a) Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina
b) Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska
c) Delaware, Maryland
d) Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio
e) Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessese
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b) Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska
|
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what are some ways that geology controls ecology?
a) steepness of slope
b) variations in thickness of slope
c) topography
d) whether water runs off the land or sinks into the ground
e) all the above
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e) all the above
|
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which of the following is true about how shorelines are affected from the water side?
a) most waves are generated by earthquakes and become larger upon approaching the shore
b) most erosion along shorelines occurs from offshore currents
c) waves can erode, deposit, or simply transport sediment
d) tides increase and decrease the size of waves but leave sea level unchanged
e) none of the above
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c) waves can erode, deposit, or simply transport sediment
|
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factors that affect the appearance of a shoreline include:
a) the hardness of bedrock along the coast
b) climate and vegetation
c) weather sea level has risen or fallen relative to the coast
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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d) all of the above
|
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what is the depth of wave base?
a) the depth to which wave action extends
b) a depth equal to three times the wavelength of waves
c) the process by which waves move material along the bottom in very deep water
d) the inside of tubular breaking wave that is perfect for surfing
e) none of the above
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a) the depth to which wave action extends
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which of the following can influence weather a shoreline gains or loses sand with time?
a) the amount of precipitation on land
b) the amount of sediment in rivers
c) a longshore current
d) prevailing wind direction
e) all the above
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e) all the above
|
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which of the following does not affect the potential hazards of a shoreline ?
a) elevation of the land surface near the shore
b) the distribution of hard and soft rocks
c) width of the beach
d) the presence of offshore islands and and bars
e) all of the above affect potential hazards of shorelines
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e) all of the above affect potential hazards of shorelines
|
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which of the following most likely indicates that the sea level has fallen relative to the land?
a) offshore sand bars that have become coastal dunes
b) the presence of coral reefs on land
c) wave cut notches and platforms that are above sea level
d) marine terraces
e) all of the above
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e) all of the above
|
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what is the primary reason an increase in glaciers on land would cause sea level to fall?
a) because the temp of the oceans decreases from cold glacial streams
b) an increase in snow cover causes the atmosphere to heat up whcih causes more evaporation
c) glaciers depress the land surface which pulls sea level down with it
d) glaciers tie up large volumes of water that would otherwise be in the sea
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d) glaciers tie up large volumes of water that would otherwise be in the sea
|
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which of the following is not a way a glaicer moves downhill?
a) the glacier can slide over bedrock
b) a glacier can move by internal shear and flow
c) the upper parts of the glacier can fracture
d) the lower parts of the glacier flows faster that the upper part
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d) the lower parts of the glacier flows faster that the upper part
|
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which of the following is not a type of evidence left behind by glaciers?
a) scratched and polished bedrock
b) scattered stone (dropstones) in fine grained sediment
c) changes in the isotopic composition of marine shells
d) V-shaped valleys
e) all of the above are evidence left behind by glaciers
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c) changes in the isotopic composition of marine shells
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which of the following does not physically loosen rocks on the surface?
a) water contracting as it freezes
b) crystals of salt and other minerals that exert outward force on fractures
c) roots that pry apart fractures as the root grows in size
d) joints that form when rock pressures are released
e) rodents and other burrowing organisms
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a) water contracting as it freezes
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what happens to the surface area of exposed rock if a rock is fractured?
a) there are more pieces but the surface area does not change
b) the surface area does not change because the volume does not change
c) the surface area increase as the rock is fractured
d) the surface area decrease as the rock is fractured
e) both a and b
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c) the surface area increase as the rock is fractured
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what is the common rock that can be dissolved by water and weak acids?
a) quartzite
b) quartz rich sandstone
c) limestone
d) all of the above
e) a and b only
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c) limestone
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where does the quartz in granite usually end up?
a) as small clay minerals that are deposited in lakes and the sea
b) quartz does not weather and so it keeps the granite from weathering
c) it ends up as sand in rivers, dunes, and beaches
d) it is converted into feldspar and weathers into clay
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c) it ends up as sand in rivers, dunes, and beaches
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which of the following is not a source of material for soil?
a) weathered rock and sediment
b) leaves and other plant debris
c) Co2 gas from roots
d) water from precipitation and snowmelt
e) all of the above are source of material in soil
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e) all of the above are source of material in soil
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what is the main force involved in the stability of slopes?
a) water pressure
b) sunlight
c) wind
d) gravity
e) radioactive decay
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d) gravity
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which of the following is not a common trigger for slope failure?
a) adding water to a slope
b) volcanic eruption
c) shaking during an earthquake
d) oversteepening of cliffs or hillslopes during road construction
e) all of the above are common triggers for slope failure
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e) all of the above are common triggers for slope failure
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which of the following slope failures is least likely to cause casualties?
a) rock avalanche
b) debris flow
c) creep
d) rock slide
e) rock fall
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c) creep
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what is the main reason why the oceans are salty?
a) the early oceans were salty because comets are dirty snowballs
b) salt deposits that formed early in Earth’s history become dissolved by modern oceans
c) weathering of rocks releases chemical elements that make the oceans salty
d) blowing salt crystals become incorporated into clouds and falls with the rainfall
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c) weathering of rocks releases chemical elements that make the oceans salty
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which of the following are true about how a stream erodes material?
a) abrasion is concentrated on the upstream side of obstructions
b) turbulence of the water is less important than the temp, which affects viscosity
c) erosion occurs equally on two sides of a bend
d) water cannot erode unless it is carrying sediment
e) all of the above
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a) abrasion is concentrated on the upstream side of obstructions
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the size of clast that a river can carry is primarily controlled by:
a) the water temperature
b) the dissolved and suspended load of a river
c) how close the river is to the ocean
d) the velocity and turbulence of the current
e) weather it is a permanent or ephemeral stream
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d) the velocity and turbulence of the current
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which of the following features are generally not associated with mountain streams and rivers?
a) waterfalls
b) rapids
c) canyons incised into bedrock
d) meanders
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d) meanders
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which of the following settings contains the least amount of water?
a) oceans
b) lakes
c) ground water
d) ice caps and glaciers
e) atmosphere
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e) atmosphere
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which of the following is correctly described part of the hydrologic cycle?
a) rain drops from via the process of evaporation
b) precipitation refers to minerals coating sand grains with natural cement
c) most groundwater forms when water on the surface infiltrates into the ground
d) movement of water is restricted to rainfall and rivers
e) none of the above
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c) most groundwater forms when water on the surface infiltrates into the ground
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which of the following materials probably has the lowest porosity?
a) well sorted fine grained sediment
b) well sorted coarse grained sediment
c) unfractured granite
d) sand with well rounded grains
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c) unfractured granite
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which of the following materials has high porosity and high permeability?
a) fractured granite
b) well sorted gravel
c) compacted clay
d) uncompacted clay
e) poorly sorted sand, silt, and clay
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b) well sorted gravel
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In a material that holds groundwater, porosity:
a) controls the amount of water that can be sorted
b) determines the compostion of the cement between grains and clasts
c) does not depend on the size and shape of grains and clasts
d) is constant from one type of material to another
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a) controls the amount of water that can be sorted
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which of the following aquifers require a low permeability zone above it or below it?
a) artesian
b) perched
c) confined
d) all of the above
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d) all of the above
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which of the following is true about how a lake can relate to the water table?
a) a lake that is above the water table may lose water to groundwater
b) the water table intersect, or is higher than, the surface in many lakes
c) a lake can gain water if it is lower then the water table in areas adjacent to the lake
d) all of the above
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d) all of the above
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which of the following is true about how contamination moves in groundwater?
a) contamination moves up the slope of groundwater
b) contamination moves opposite to the direction of groundwater flow
c) contamination introduced into the ground does not move
d) contamination spreads out as it moves, forming a widening plume
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d) contamination spreads out as it moves, forming a widening plume
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most of the groundwater pumped in the US is used for:
a) industry
b) irrigation
c) drinking water
d) swimming pools
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b) irrigation
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the Coriolis effect in the atmosphere is due to:
a) centrifugal force that causes water to bulge along the poles
b) the atmosphere rotating faster at the equator than at the poles
c) warm air flowing around the equator due to the Earth’s rotation
d) cool air rising from the equator and flowing east and west
e) both a and b
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b) the atmosphere rotating faster at the equator than at the poles
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surface ocean currents circulate in ocean basins:
a) clockwise in the northern hemisphere
b) clockwise in the southern hemisphere
c) counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere
d circulation directions are not systematic
e) both b an c
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a) clockwise in the northern hemisphere
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what is the main cause of high and low tides?
a) the tendency of the continents on a spinning globe to be thrown outward
b) daily heating and cooling of the seas, which causes seawater to contract and expand
c) a rise in sea level during the day because of an increase in storms
d) water is pulled by gravity of the moon
e) all of the above
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d) water is pulled by gravity of the moons
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which source of drinking water is most likely to be pure and safe to drink?
a) spring water
b) bottled spring water
c) river water
d) municipal water
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d) municipal water
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what is permafrost?
a) curly crystals of frost that form early in the morning
b) ice and snow that exist throughout the entire year
c) ice and snow that are permanently in motion
d) the upper part of the ground that remains frozen throughout the year
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d) the upper part of the ground that remains frozen throughout the year
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what rock type is the most common setting for caves formed by dissolution of a rock?
a) well sorted sandstone
b) grey limestone
c) dark porous lava flows
d) gray granite
e) slate
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b) grey limestone
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oil that reaches the surface can form:
a) an oil seep
b)tar sands
c) tar pits
d) all of the above
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d) all of the above
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what mineral resource do we use the most of?
a) salt
b) iron ore
c) cement
d) petroleum
e) sand, gravel, and stone
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e) sand, gravel, and stone
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