Download Plate Tectonics Questions

Dynamic Crust Practice
1. Which event followed a massive volcanic eruption and led to the cooling of global
temperatures?
A)
B)
C)
D)
thunderstorms that developed near the eruption
the release of carbon dioxide and methane gases
the outflow of magma over Earth's surface
the addition of ash particles into the atmosphere
2. The photograph below shows a large crater located in the southwestern United States.
Some fragments taken from the site have a nickel-iron composition. This evidence indicates
that the crater probably was formed by
A) the impact of a meteorite from space B) the collapse of a cavern roof
C) an eruption of a volcano
D) an underwater explosion of steam
3. The scale below shows the age of the sea-floor crust in relation to its distance from the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Crust that originally formed at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is now 37 kilometers from the ridge.
Approximately how long ago did this crust form?
A) 1.8 million years ago
C) 3.0 million years ago
B) 2.0 million years ago
D) 4.5 million years ago
4. What caused the interior of Earth to separate into layers?
A)
B)
C)
D)
a decrease in the rate of rotation of Earth
the gravitational pull on materials of varying densities
variations in heating by the Sun due to Earth's tilt
collisions with meteors and comets
5. Seafloor spreading is occurring at the boundary between the
A)
B)
C)
D)
African plate and Antarctic plate
Nazca plate and South American plate
China plate and Philippine plate
Australian plate and Eurasian plate
Base your answers to questions 6 through 9 on the information and diagram below.
At intervals in the past, the Earth's magnetic field has reversed. The present North
magnetic pole was once the South magnetic pole, and the present South magnetic pole was
once the North magnetic pole. A record of these changes is preserved in the igneous rocks
that formed at mid-ocean ridges and moved away from the ridges.
The diagram below represents the pattern of normal and reversed magnetic polarity in
the igneous rocks composing the ocean crust on the east side of a mid-ocean ridge.
6. Approximately how many million years were required to form the material shown between A
and B in the diagram?
A) 2.5
B) 1.8
C) 1.1
D) 0.7
7. Which diagram below best shows the pattern of normal and reversed polarity on the west
side of the mid-ocean ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
8. The igneous material along this mid-ocean ridge was found to be younger than the igneous
material farther from the ridge. This fact supports the theory of
A) crustal subsidence
C) superposition
B) seafloor spreading
D) dynamic equilibrium
9. The younger extrusive igneous rocks on the ocean floor have a higher heat flow rate than
older extrusive igneous rocks. Which graph best shows the relationship between heat flow
rate and distance from the mid ocean ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
10. Which statement best supports the theory of continental drift?
A) Basaltic rock is found to be progressively younger at increasing distances from a
mid-ocean ridge.
B) Marine fossils are often found in deep-well drill cores.
C) The present continents appear to fit together as pieces of a larger landmass.
D) Areas of shallow-water seas tend to accumulate sediment, which gradually sinks.
Base your answers to questions 11 through 15 on the diagram below which shows the
magnetic orientation of igneous rock on the seafloor on the east (right) side of a mid-ocean
ridge. The pattern on the west (left) side of the ridge has been omitted. The age of the
igneous rock and its distance from the ridge center are shown.
11. As distance from the center of the ridge increases, the age of the rocks
A) decreases
C) remains the same
B) increases
12. According to the diagram, what is the approximate rate of seafloor spreading?
A) 1 km/million years
C) 40 km/million years
B) 2 km/million years
D) 50 km/million years
13. Which diagram below best represents the pattern of magnetic orientation in the seafloor on
the west (left) side of the ocean ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
14. The occurrence of high-heat floors at the ridge center provides evidence of the
A)
B)
C)
D)
destruction of oceanic crust
destruction of continental crust
existence of ancestral mountains
existence of rising mantle convection currents
15. Which inference can best be made from the diagram?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The orientation of the Earth's magnetic field has reversed with time.
The size of the continents has changed with time.
The elevation of sea level has changed with time.
The amount of fossil material preserved in the igneous rock has changed with time.
16. Which graph best shows the inferred density of Earth’s interior as depth increases from the
upper mantle to the lower mantle?
A)
B)
C)
D)
17. The two most abundant elements by mass in Earth’s crust are oxygen and
A) potassium
B) hydrogen
C) nitrogen
D) silicon
Base your answers to questions 18 through 20 on the diagram below, which shows details
of a section of a rift valley in the center of a mid-ocean ridge. The vertical lines in the
diagram represent faults and fractures within the ocean floor bedrock.
18. What will be the primary result of the continuation of the geologic processes indicated at
this location?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Earths magnetic field will reverse direction.
Continental crust will be forced downward.
Earths circumference will increase.
New oceanic crust will form.
19. Which type of crustal plate boundary is shown in this diagram?
A) divergent
B) convergent
C) universal
D) transform
20. The dark-colored lava flows shown in the diagram were pushed from the magma chamber
onto the surface of the ocean floor. Which characteristics are present in the solid rock that
formed when the lava flows cooled?
A)
B)
C)
D)
generally small grain size and mafic composition
generally small grain size and felsic composition
generally large grain size and mafic composition
generally large grain size and felsic composition
Base your answers to questions 21 through 23 on the map below. The map shows the
continents of Africa and South America, the ocean between them, and the ocean ridge and
transform faults. Locations A and D are on the continents. Locations B and C are on the
ocean floor.
21. Which graph best shows the relative age of the ocean-floor bedrock from location B to
location C?
A)
B)
C)
D)
22. The hottest crustal temperature measurements would most likely be found at location
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
23. Which table best shows the relative densities of the crustal bedrock at locations A, B, C,
and D?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Base your answers to questions 24 through 27 on the map below which shows mid-ocean
ridges and trenches in the Pacific Ocean. Specific areas A, B, C, and D are indicated by
shaded rectangles.
24. The crust at the mid-ocean ridges is composed mainly of
A) shale
B) limestone
C) granite
D) basalt
25. Mid-ocean ridges such as the East Pacific Rise and the Oceanic Ridge are best described
as
A)
B)
C)
D)
mountains containing folded sedimentary rocks
mountains containing fossils of present-day marine life
sections of the ocean floor that contain the youngest oceanic crust
sections of the ocean floor that are the remains of a submerged continent
26. Which map best shows the direction of movement of the oceanic crustal plates in the
vicinity of the East Pacific Rise (ridge)?
A)
B)
C)
D)
27. Movement of the crustal plates shown in the diagram is most likely caused by
A)
B)
C)
D)
the revolution of the Earth
the erosion of the Earth's crust
shifting of the Earth's magnetic poles
convection currents in the Earth's mantle
28. Recent volcanic activity in different parts of the world supports the inference that volcanoes
are located mainly in
A) the centers of landscape regions
C) zones of crustal activity
B) the central regions of the continents
D) zones in late stages of erosion
29. Which statement best explains why the direction of some seismic waves changes sharply
as the waves travel through the Earth?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The Earth is spherical.
Seismic waves tend to travel in curved paths.
The temperature of the Earth's interior decreases with depth.
Different parts of the Earth's interior have different densities.
30. On which plate is the Hawaii Hot Spot located?
A) South American
C) Nazca
B) Antarctic
D) Pacific
31. Which statement best supports the theory that all the continents were once a single
landmass?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Rocks of the ocean ridges are older than those of the adjacent sea floor.
Rock and fossil correlation can be made where the continents appear to fit together.
Marine fossils can be found at high elevations above sea level on all continents.
Great thicknesses of shallow-water sediments are found at interior locations on some
continents.
Base your answers to questions 32 through 34 on the map below, which shows the location
of the Peru-Chile Trench.
32. The Peru-Chile Trench marks the boundary between the
A)
B)
C)
D)
Pacific Plate and the Antarctic Plate
Nazca Plate and the South American Plate
North American Plate and the Cocos Plate
Caribbean Plate and the Scotia Plate
33. In which diagram do the arrows best represent the motions of Earth's crust at the
Peru-Chile Trench?
A)
B)
C)
D)
34. Which observation provides the best evidence of the pattern of crustal movement at the
Peru-Chile Trench?
A)
B)
C)
D)
the direction of flow of warm ocean currents
the mineral composition of samples of mafic mantle rock
comparison of the rates of sediment deposition
the locations of shallow-focus and deepfocus earthquakes
35. Where does most present-day faulting of rock occur?
A)
B)
C)
D)
in regions of glacial activity
in the interior areas of continents
at locations with many lakes
at interfaces between moving parts of the crust
36. Compared to the oceanic crust, the continental crust is usually
A)
B)
C)
D)
thicker, with a less dense granitic composition
thicker, with a more dense basaltic composition
thinner, with a less dense granitic composition
thinner, with a more dense basaltic composition
37. On the
map
below,
points A
through
D
represent
locations
on
Earth's
surface.
Which location is positioned over a mantle hot spot?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
38. Base your answer to the following question on the world map below. Points A through H
represent locations on Earth's surface.
Identify the tectonic feature responsible for the formation of the Hawaiian Islands.
39. Based on the theory of plate tectonics, it is inferred that over the past 250 million years
North America has moved toward the
A) northwest
B) southwest
C) southeast
D) northeast
Base your answers to questions 40 through 44 on the diagram below which is a cross
section of the major surface features of the Earth along the Tropic of Capricorn (23½º S)
between 75º W and 15º E longitude. Letters A through G represent locations on the Earth's
crust.
40. Which two locations in the diagram have bedrock of approximately the same age, which
has been separated by seafloor spreading?
A) A and C
B) C and E
C) D and F
D) E and F
41. Which location is closest to the Prime Meridian (0º longitude)?
A) A
B) F
C) G
D) D
42. Which diagram shows the most probable direction of movement of the crustal plates and
the inferred mantle convection currents under position A?
A)
B)
C)
D)
43. What is the approximate width of the Atlantic Ocean at this location?
A) 1,200 km
B) 2,600 km
C) 3,500 km
D) 4,400 km
44. A mid-ocean ridge is located near position
A) A
B) E
C) C
D) D
45. During which geologic period were the continents all part of one landmass, with North
America and South America joined to Africa?
A) Tertiary
C) Triassic
B) Cretaceous
D) Carboniferous
46. An earthquake shear wave generally travels faster as the wave moves deeper into Earth's
interior because greater depths have
A) less confining pressure
C) greater rock density
B) lower melting points
D) greater rock temperatures
47. Which block diagram best represents the relative direction of plate motion at the San
Andreas Fault?
A)
B)
C)
D)
48. Which two elements listed below are most abundant by weight in the Earth's crust?
A) silicon and oxygen
C) oxygen and magnesium
B) hydrogen and iron
D) hydrogen and calcium
49. The diagrams below show four major types of fault motion occurring in Earth’s crust. Which
type of fault motion best matches the general pattern of crustal movement at California’s
San Andreas fault?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Base your answers to questions 50 through 52 on
the passage and map below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The map shows the
locations of the Mt. Redoubt volcano and Anchorage, Alaska.
Mt. Redoubt Volcano
In Anchorage, Alaska, scientists are monitoring sensors located on nearby Mt.
Redoubt. The sensors measure seismic activity at the top of the volcano. No one lives
near the volcano itself, so there is no danger to humans from lava flows, but ash can be
dangerous when breathed in, and can damage airplanes and automobiles if the ash is
drawn into their engines. When Mt. Redoubt erupted in 1989, a huge ash cloud reached
an approximate height of 7.6 miles above sea level, and spread ash across Alaska for
five months. The ash was composed largely of silica, which cooled rapidly as the ash
rose into the atmosphere. In March 2009, Mt. Redoubt erupted again.
50. How did the huge ash cloud that covered Alaska in 1989 affect the amount of insolation
reaching Earth’s surface and the air temperatures near Earth’s surface?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Insolation decreased and temperatures increased.
Insolation increased and temperatures decreased.
Both insolation and temperatures increased.
Both insolation and temperatures decreased.
51. The height of the ash cloud from the 1989 eruption reached an altitude in Earth’s
atmosphere located
A)
B)
C)
D)
between sea level and the lower troposphere
between the troposphere and the stratosphere
in the middle of the stratosphere
in the middle of the mesosphere
52. Mt. Redoubt's seismic activity is due to the interaction of which two tectonic plates?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Pacific Plate and Eurasian Plate
Eurasian Plate and North American Plate
North American Plate and Pacific Plate
Philippine Plate and Eurasian Plate
53. The border between the South American plate and the African plate is best described as
A)
B)
C)
D)
converging and located at an oceanic ridge
converging and located at an oceanic trench
diverging and located at an oceanic ridge
diverging and located at an oceanic trench
54. How does the oceanic crust compare to the continental crust?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The oceanic crust is thinner and contains less basalt.
The oceanic crust is thinner and contains more basalt.
The oceanic crust is thicker and contains less basalt.
The oceanic crust is thicker and contains more basalt.
55. To get sample material from the mantle, drilling will be done through the oceanic crust
rather than through the continental crust because oceanic crust is
A) more dense than continental crust
C) thinner than continental crust
B) softer than continental crust
D) younger than continental crust
56. Crustal disturbances such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are best described as
A)
B)
C)
D)
events that are cyclic and predictable
events that are usually related and cannot be predicted with accuracy
unrelated events that follow no pattern
phenomena seldom found in the same regions
57. The cross section below represents a pattern of magnetic field reversals preserved in the
igneous bedrock of the oceanic crust east of the Mid-Atlantic ridge.
Which cross section best represents the magnetic field pattern west of the Mid-Atlantic
ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
58. Which map best indicates the probable locations of continents 100 million years from now if
tectonic plate movement continues at its present rate and direction?
A)
C)
B)
D)
Base your answers to questions 59 through 62 on the map below, which shows crustal plate
boundaries located along the Pacific coastline of the United States. The arrows show the
general directions in which some of the plates appear to be moving slowly.
59. Which features are most often found at crustal plate boundaries like those shown on the
map?
A)
B)
C)
D)
meandering rivers and warm-water lakes
plains and plateaus
geysers and glaciers
faulted bedrock and volcanoes
60. Geologic studies of the San Andreas fault indicate that
A)
B)
C)
D)
many earthquakes occur along the San Andreas fault
the North American plate and the Pacific plate are locked in dynamic equilibrium
the subduction zone is the boundary at which the crustal plates are drifting apart
the age of the bedrock increases as distance from the fault increases
61. Which feature is located at 20º North latitude and 109º West longitude?
A) San Andreas fault
C) Baja California
B) East Pacific rise
D) Juan de Fuca Ridge
62. What would a study of the East Pacific rise (a mid-ocean ridge) indicate about the age of
the basaltic bedrock in this area?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The bedrock is youngest at the ridge.
The bedrock is oldest at the ridge.
The bedrock at the ridge is the same age as the bedrock next to the continent.
The bedrock at the ridge is the same age as the bedrock at the San Andreas fault.
Base your answers to questions 63 through 65 on
the passage below.
Crustal Activity at Mid-Ocean Ridges
Mid-ocean ridges are found at one type of tectonic plate boundary. These ridges
consist of extensive underwater mountain ranges split by rift valleys. The rift valleys mark
places where two crustal plates are pulling apart, widening the ocean basins, and
allowing magma from the asthenosphere to move upward. In some cases, mid-ocean
ridges have migrated toward nearby mantle hot spots. This explains why mid-ocean
ridges and mantle hot spots are found together at several locations.
63. Which mantle hot spot is located closest to a mid-ocean ridge?
A) Canary Islands
C) Hawaii
B) Easter Island
D) Tasman
64. Which type of tectonic plate boundary is located at mid-ocean ridges?
A) convergent
B) transform
C) divergent
D) complex
65. The map below shows a part of Earth’s surface. Points A through D are locations on the
ocean floor.
At which location is the temperature of the ocean floor bedrock most likely highest?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
Base your answers to questions 66 and 67 on the map below and on your knowledge of
Earth science. The map shows the coast of the northwestern United States. The Explorer
and Gorda ridges and plates are parts of the Juan de Fuca tectonic system.
66. The arrow on which map best shows the direction of movement of the Juan de Fuca Plate
in relation to the Juan de Fuca Ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
67. The Explorer Ridge is the boundary between the Explorer Plate and the
A) North American Plate
C) Juan de Fuca Plate
B) Pacific Plate
D) Gorda Plate
Base your answers to questions 68 and 69 on the map below, which shows Earth’s
Southern Hemisphere and the inferred tectonic movement of the continent of Australia over
geologic time. The arrows between the dots show the relative movement of the center of the
continent of Australia. The parallels of latitude from 0° to 90° south are labeled.
68. During which geologic time interval did Australia most likely have a warm, tropical climate
because of its location?
A) Cambrian
C) Late Permian
B) Carboniferous
D) Eocene
69. The geographic position of Australia on Earth’s surface has been changing mainly because
A)
B)
C)
D)
the gravitational force of the Moon has been pulling on Earth’s landmasses
heat energy has been creating convection currents in Earth’s interior
Earth’s rotation has spun Australia into different locations
the tilt of Earth’s axis has changed several times
70. Seismic studies of the Moon have helped scientists to make inferences about
A)
B)
C)
D)
water erosion on the Moon
weathering on the Moon's surface
radioactivity of the Moon's surface rocks
the Moon's interior
71. The inferred latitude of Pennsylvania 362 million years ago was closest to
A) where it is now
C) the Equator
B) the North Pole
D) 45° south
72. Many scientists infer the composition of the Earth's core to be similar to the composition of
A) metallic meteorites
C) the mantle
B) Moon rocks
D) the oceanic crust
Base your answers to questions 73 through 76 on the diagram below, which represents
zones of Earth’s interior, identified by letters A through E. The scale shows depths below
Earth’s surface, measured in kilometers.
73. What is the approximate thickness of zone C?
A) 650 km
B) 1600 km
C) 2250 km
D) 2900 km
74. Which zone is characterized by partially melted rock and large-scale convection currents?
A) zone A
B) zone B
C) zone C
D) zone E
75. Which zone of Earth’s interior has a density closest to the densities of the other terrestrial
planets?
A) zone A
B) zone E
C) zone C
D) zone D
76. The Moho is a boundary located in zone
A) A
B) B
C) E
D) D
77. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below which shows a coastal
area with a mountain range and a portion of the ocean floor. A turbidity current through a
submarine canyon has formed a fan-shaped sediment deposit on the ocean floor.
In which region of the ocean is the submarine canyon located?
A) tidal zone
C) deep ocean basin
B) continental margin
D) mid-ocean ridge
78. Contact zones between tectonic plates may produce trenches. One of these trenches is
located at the boundary between which plates?
A) Australian and Pacific
C) Australian and Antarctic
B) South American and African
D) North American and Eurasian
Base your answers to questions 79 through 83 on the diagram below which represents
three cross sections of the Earth at different locations to a depth of 50 kilometers below sea
level. The measurements given with each cross section indicate the thickness and the
density of the layers.
79. The division of the Earth's interior into crust and mantle, as shown in the diagram, is based
primarily on the study of
A) radioactive dating
C) volcanic eruptions
B) seismic waves
D) gravity measurements
80. In which group are the layers of the Earth arranged in order of increasing average density?
A) mantle, crust, ocean water
C) ocean water, mantle, crust
B) crust, mantle, ocean water
D) ocean water, crust, mantle
81. Which statement about the Earth's mantle is confirmed by the diagram?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The mantle is liquid.
The mantle has the same composition as the crust.
The mantle is located at different depths below the Earth's surface.
The mantle does not exist under continental mountains.
82. Which material is most likely to be found 20 kilometers below sea level at the continental
mountain location?
A) basalt
B) granite
C) shale
D) limestone
83. Compared with the oceanic crust, the continental crust is
A) thinner and less dense
C) thicker and less dense
B) thinner and more dense
D) thicker and more dense
84. The formation of the Canary Islands was primarily caused by their location near a
A) subduction zone
C) divergent boundary
B) mantle hot spot
D) transform fault
85. Rifting of tectonic plates in eastern North America during the Jurassic Period was
responsible for the
A)
B)
C)
D)
formation of the Catskill delta
flrst uplift of the Adirondack Mountains
Alleghenian orogeny
opening of the Atlantic Ocean
86. The block diagram below shows the bedrock age as measured by radioactive dating and
the present location of part of the Hawaiian Island chain. These volcanic islands may have
formed as the Pacific Plate moved over a mantle hot spot.
This diagram provides evidence that the Pacific Crustal Plate was moving toward the
A) south
B) east
C) southwest
D) northwest
87. The density of Earth’s crust is
A)
B)
C)
D)
less than the density of the outer core but greater than the density of the mantle
greater than the density of the outer core but less than the density of the mantle
less than the density of both the outer core and the mantle
greater than the density of both the outer core and the mantle
88. Earth’s inner core is inferred to be solid based on the analysis of
A) seismic waves
C) radioactive decay rates
B) crustal rocks
D) magnetic pole reversals
89. The rock between 2,900 kilometers and 5,200 kilometers below the Earth's surface is
inferred to be
A) an iron-rich solid
C) a silicate-rich solid
B) an iron-rich liquid
D) a silicate-rich liquid
90. Which best describes a major characteristic of both volcanoes and earthquakes?
A)
B)
C)
D)
They are centered at the poles.
They are located in the same geographic areas.
They are related to the formation of glaciers.
They are restricted to the Southern Hemisphere.
91. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below which shows the structure
of a student-developed chart for identifying some rock samples. The circles labeled choice 1
through choice 4 represent decision-making steps leading either to path (a) or path (b).
Choice 5 has not been completed.
Based on studies of fossils found in the Trenton group, scientists have estimated that the
climate of New York State during this part of the Ordovician Period was much warmer than
the present climate. Which statement best explains this change in climate?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The North American Continent was nearer to the Equator during the Ordovician Period.
The Sun emitted less sunlight during the Ordovician Period.
Earth was farther from the Sun during the Ordovician Period.
Many huge volcanic eruptions occurred during the Ordovician Period.
92. The fact that S-waves are unable to travel through the Earth's outer core supports the
inference that the outer core is
A) composed of iron and nickel
C) hotter than the rock's melting point
B) more dense than the inner core
D) in the solid state of matter
93. Base your answer to the following question on
the map below, which shows the tectonic plate boundaries near the East African Rift.
Arrows show relative tectonic plate movement. A region of Africa is crosshatched.
What appears to be happening to the crosshatched region of eastern Africa?
A)
B)
C)
D)
A folded mountain range is forming as this region collides with the rest of Africa.
Several volcanic mountains are forming as the rest of Africa subducts under this region.
This region is moving eastward relative to the rest of Africa.
This region is moving northward relative to the rest of Africa.
94. Compared to Earth’s continental crust, Earth’s oceanic crust is
A) thinner and more dense
C) thicker and more dense
B) thinner and less dense
D) thicker and less dense
95. The source of energy for the high temperatures found deep within the Earth is
A) tidal friction
C) decay of radioactive materials
B) incoming solar radiation
D) meteorite bombardment of the Earth
Base your answers to questions 96 through 99 on
the cross section below, which shows the boundary between two lithospheric plates. Point X
is a location in the continental lithosphere. The depth below Earth's surface is labeled in
kilometers.
96. Between which two lithospheric plates could this boundary be located?
A)
B)
C)
D)
South American Plate and African Plate
Scotia Plate and Antarctic Plate
Nazca Plate and South American Plate
African Plate and Arabian Plate
97. Point X is located in which Earth layer?
A) rigid mantle
C) asthenosphere
B) stiffer mantle
D) outer core
98. Compared to the continental crust, the oceanic crust is
A) less dense and thinner
C) more dense and thinner
B) less dense and thicker
D) more dense and thicker
99. The temperature of the asthenosphere at the depth where melting first occurs is inferred to
be approximately
A) 100°C
B) 1300°C
C) 4200°C
D) 5000°C
100. Base your answer to the following question on the map below. The map represents the
movement of tectonic plates that resulted in the collision of India with Asia. Scientists
believe that 71 million years ago, India was at position A.
Which present-day geologic feature in Nepal resulted from this collision?
A) a rift valley
C) an oceanic ridge
B) a mountain range
D) an oceanic trench
101. In which layer of Earth’s interior is the pressure inferred to be 1.0 million atmospheres?
A) outer core
B) inner core
C) rigid mantle
D) stiffer mantle
Base your answers to questions 102 through 105 on the map below which shows
mid-ocean ridges and trenches in the Pacific Ocean. Specific areas A, B. C, and D are
indicated by shaded rectangles.
102. Movement of the crustal plates shown in the diagram is most likely caused by
A)
B)
C)
D)
the revolution of the Earth
the erosion of the Earth's crust
shifting of the Earth's magnetic poles
convection currents in the Earth's mantle
103. The crust at the mid-ocean ridges is composed mainly of
A) granite
B) shale
C) basalt
D) limestone
104. Mid-ocean ridges such as the East Pacific Rise and the Oceanic Ridge are best described
as
A)
B)
C)
D)
mountains containing folded sedimentary rocks
mountains containing fossils of present-day marine life
sections of the ocean floor that contain the youngest oceanic crust
sections of the ocean floor that are the remains of a submerged continent
105. Which map best shows the direction of movement of the oceanic crustal plates in the
vicinity of the East Pacific Rise (ridge)?
A)
B)
C)
D)
106. The map below shows the northern section of the boundary between the Arabian Plate
and the African Plate. Arrows show the relative direction of plate motion.
Which type of plate boundary is located at the Jordan Fault?
A) divergent
B) subduction
C) convergent
D) transform
107. Which cross-sectional diagram of a portion of the crust and mantle best shows the pattern
of mantle convection currents that are believed to cause the formation of a mid-ocean
ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Base your answers to questions 108 through 110 on the map below which shows the
locations of deep-sea core drilling sites numbered 1 through 4. The approximate location of
the diverging plate at the East Pacific Ridge is shown by a dashed line. Point A is located on
the East Pacific Ridge.
108. Compared to the thickness and density of the continental crust of South America, the
oceanic crust of the Pacific floor is
A) thinner and less dense
C) thicker and less dense
B) thinner and more dense
D) thicker and more dense
109. At point A, the East Pacific Ridge is the boundary between the
A)
B)
C)
D)
Cocos Plate and the North American Plate
South American Plate and the Nazca Plate
Pacific Plate and the South American Plate
Pacific Plate and the Nazca Plate
110. At which drilling site would the oldest igneous bedrock most likely be found?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
111. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram of Earth shown below. Letters
B, C, and D represent layers of Earth. Letter Q represents a location on Earth's surface.
Which letter best represents Earth's mantle?
A) Q
B) B
C) C
D) D
112. Which two tectonic plates are separated by a mid-ocean ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Indian-Australian and Eurasian
Indian-Australian and Pacific
North American and South American
North American and Eurasian
113. Compared to Earth’s crust, Earth’s core is believed to be
A)
B)
C)
D)
less dense, cooler, and composed of more iron
less dense, hotter, and composed of less iron
more dense, hotter, and composed of more iron
more dense, cooler, and composed of less iron
114. Compared to Earth's oceanic crust, Earth's continental crust is
A) thinner and composed of granite
C) thicker and composed of granite
B) thinner and composed of basalt
D) thicker and composed of basalt
115. What are the four most abundant elements, by volume, in the Earth's crust?
A)
B)
C)
D)
oxygen, potassium, sodium, and calcium
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and potassium
aluminum, iron, silicon, and magnesium
aluminum, calcium, hydrogen, and iron
116. Letters A through D shown on the map below are locations on Earth's surface.
Which location is closest to a major zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
117. The pressure at the interface between the mantle and the outer core of Earth is inferred to
be approximately
A) 1.0 million atomspheres
C) 3.0 million atmospheres
B) 1.4 million atmospheres
D) 3.4 million atmospheres
Base your answers to questions 118 and 119 on the map below, which shows the risk of
damage from seismic activity in the United States.
118. Which New York State location has the greatest risk of earthquake damage?
A) Binghamton
B) Buffalo
C) Plattsburgh
D) Elmira
119. In the United States, most of the major damage expected from a future earthquake is
predicted to occur near a
A)
B)
C)
D)
divergent plate boundary, only
convergent plate boundary, only
mid-ocean ridge and a divergent plate boundary
transform plate boundary and a hot spot
120. The observed difference in density between continental crust and oceanic crust is most
likely due to differences in their
A) composition
C) porosity
B) thickness
D) rate of cooling
121. Earth’s outer core and inner core are both inferred to be
A)
B)
C)
D)
liquid
solid
composed of a high percentage of iron
under the same pressure
122. The dots on the map below show the present locations of living coral reefs. Site X
indicates an area of fossil coral reefs preserved in rocks formed during the Jurassic
Period.
Which inference is best supported by this map?
A) The climate at site X during the Jurassic Period was colder than the present climate
at site X.
B) Site X was covered by warm ocean water during the Jurassic Period.
C) Site X has drifted southward since the Jurassic Period.
D) The coral at site X evolved from ocean-dwelling animals into land-dwelling animals
after the Jurassic Period.
123. Base your answer to the following question on
the passage and map below. The map shows sections of the Atlantic Ocean, the
Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Shipwreck
In 1641, the crew of the ship Concepcion used the Sun and stars for navigation. The crew
thought that the ship was just north of Puerto Rico, but ocean currents had carried them off
course. The ship hit a coral reef and sank off the coast of the Dominican Republic. The X
on the map marks the location of the sunken ship.
On which tectonic plate is Puerto Rico located?
A) North American Plate
C) Caribbean Plate
B) South American Plate
D) Cocos Plate
Base your answers to questions 124 through 126 on the map below, which shows the
location of mid-ocean ridges and the age of some oceanic bedrock near these ridges.
Letters A through D are locations on the surface of the ocean floor.
124. What is the most probable age, in millions of years, of the bedrock at location B?
A) 5
B) 12
C) 48
D) 62
125. The age of oceanic bedrock on either side of a mid-ocean ridge is supporting evidence
that at the ridges, tectonic plates are
A) diverging
C) locked in place
B) converging
D) being subducted
126. Rising convection currents in the asthenosphere would most likely be under location
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
127. Which world map shows the locations where most earthquakes and volcanoes occur on
Earth?
A)
B)
C)
D)
128. Which group of elements is listed in increasing order based on the percent by mass in
Earth’s crust?
A) aluminum, iron, calcium
C) magnesium, iron, aluminum
B) aluminum, silicon, magnesium
D) magnesium, silicon, calcium
129. The cross section below represents a portion of Earth's crust. Letters A through D are
locations within the rock units.
At which location is quartzite most likely found?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
130. Which diagram best shows the type of plate boundary found between the China Plate and
the Philippine Plate?
A)
B)
C)
D)
131. Which coastal area is most likely to experience a severe earthquake?
A) east coast of North America
C) west coast of Africa
B) east coast of Australia
D) west coast of South America
132. Base your answer to the following question on the geologic cross sections below, which
represent bedrock from different areas on Earth.
All the cross sections most likely represent areas of
A) crustal stability
C) seashore erosion
B) mountain building
D) plateau development
Base your answers to questions 133 and 134 on the information and the cross section
below. The cross section represents a possible model of the Moon's interior.
Seismographs left on the Moon by astronauts have provided enough data to develop a
model of the Moon's interior. Scientists believe that the Moon has a layered interior and that
its crustal thickness varies greatly from one side of the Moon to the other.
133. Which inference is best supported by the Moon's apparent absence of continental drift?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The Moon's crust is very thin.
The Moon has a low-density core.
The Moon's mountain ranges are rapidly weathering.
The Moon lacks convection currents in its mantle.
134. If the pressure, temperature, and density patterns of the Moon's interior are similar to
those of the Earth's interior, which statement best describes the Moon's characteristics?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Pressure, temperature, and density all increase with depth.
Pressure increases with depth, but temperature and density remain the same.
Pressure and temperature increase with depth, but density remains the same.
Pressure, temperature, and density remain the same at all depths.
135. The diagram below represents a cross section of the Atlantic Ocean from the eastern
coast of South America to the western coast of Africa along the Equator.
At what point would evidence of a rising convection current in the mantle most likely be
found?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) E
136. In which area of Earth's interior is the pressure most likely to be 2.5 million atmospheres?
A) asthenosphere
C) inner core
B) stiffer mantle
D) outer core
137. Where has the process of nuclear fusion been occurring for over four billion years?
A) in Earth's inner core
C) at lithospheric plate boundaries
B) on the surface of the Moon
D) in the Sun's interior
Base your answers to questions 138 through 142 on the diagram below which represents
Earth's interior zones.
138. Which graph best represents the relationship between depth below Earth's surface and
density?
A)
B)
C)
D)
139. In which layer of Earth's interior is the inferred temperature 6,000°C?
A) crust
B) mantle
C) outer core
D) inner core
140. The composition of Earth's core is thought to be the same as the composition of many
A) meteorites
C) granites
B) volcanic ashes
D) basalts
141. Scientists have classified Earth's interior into the zones shown based primarily on
evidence gained by studying
A) deep drill cores
C) gravity measurements
B) volcanic eruptions
D) earthquake seismic waves
142. The thinnest section of Earth's crust is found beneath
A) oceans
C) coastal plains
B) desert regions
D) mountain regions
143. On the map below, line AB is drawn across several of Earth's tectonic plates in the South
Atlantic Ocean.
Which cross section best represents the plate boundaries and mantle movement beneath
line AB?
A)
B)
C)
D)
144. At 4,500 kilometers below the surface of the Earth, the pressure is estimated to be
A) 1.4 million atmospheres
C) 2.8 million atmospheres
B) 2.0 million atmospheres
D) 3.1 million atmospheres
145. Hot springs on the ocean floor near the midocean ridges provide evidence that
A)
B)
C)
D)
convection currents exist in the asthenosphere
meteor craters are found beneath the oceans
climate change has melted huge glaciers
marine fossils have been uplifted to high elevations
146. Which element is most abundant in Earth's crust?
A) nitrogen
B) hydrogen
C) oxygen
D) silicon
147. At which plate boundary is one lithospheric plate sliding under another?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Nazca Plate and Antarctic Plate
Pacific Plate and Indian-Australian Plate
Indian-Australian Plate and Antarctic Plate
Nazca Plate and Pacific Plate
148. Which mountain range resulted from the collision of North America and Africa, as parts of
Pangea joined together in the late Pennsylvanian Period?
A) Appalachian Mountains
C) Taconic Mountains
B) Acadian Mountains
D) Grenville Mountains
149. The diagram below shows some features of Earth's crust and upper mantle.
Which model most accurately shows the movements (arrows) associated with the surface
features shown in the diagram?
A)
B)
C)
D)
150. In which group are the zones of the Earth's interior correctly arranged in order of
increasing average density?
A)
B)
C)
D)
crust, mantle, outer core, inner core
crust, mantle, inner core, outer core
inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
outer core, inner core, mantle, crust
151. Most inferences about the characteristics of Earth’s mantle and core are based on
A)
B)
C)
D)
the behavior of seismic waves in Earth’s interior
well drillings from Earth’s mantle and core
chemical changes in exposed and weathered metamorphic rocks
comparisons between Moon rocks and Earth rocks
152. Arrows in the block diagram below show the relative movement along a tectonic plate
boundary.
Between which two tectonic plates does this type of plate boundary exist?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Nazca Plate and South American Plate
Eurasian Plate and Indian-Australian Plate
North American Plate and Eurasian Plate
Pacific Plate and North American Plate
153. The rock between 2,900 kilometers and 5,200 kilometers below the Earth's surface is
inferred to be
A) an iron-rich solid
C) a silicate-rich solid
B) an iron-rich liquid
D) a silicate-rich liquid
Base your answers to questions 154 through 156 on the information, map, and cross
section below.
The map represents a portion of Earth's surface in the Pacific Ocean. The positions of
islands, earthquake epicenters, active volcanoes, and the Tonga Trench are shown.
Lines of latitude and longitude have been included.
The cross section shows earthquakes that occurred beneath line XY on the map.
Depth beneath Earths surface is indicated by the scale along the left side of the cross
section, as are the range of depths for shallow, intermediate, and deep earthquakes.
Distance from the trench is indicated by the scale along the bottom of the cross section.
154. The greatest number of earthquakes shown in the cross section occurred
A)
B)
C)
D)
at sea level
between sea level and a depth of 100 km
at a depth between 100 and 300 km
at a depth between 300 and 600 km
155. The Tonga Trench is located at the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the
A) Antarctic Plate
C) Indian-Australian Plate
B) Philippine Plate
D) Nazca Plate
156. Which cross section has arrows that best represent the relative motion of the crustal plates
along the Wadati-Benioff zone beneath the Tonga Trench?
A)
B)
C)
D)
157. Which element is most abundant by mass in the Earth's crust?
A) nitrogen
B) oxygen
C) silicon
D) iron
158. Compared to continental crust, oceanic crust is
A)
B)
C)
D)
less dense, more mafic, and thinner
less dense, more felsic, and thicker
more dense, more mafic, and thinner
more dense, more felsic, and thicker
159. Which conditions normally can be found in Earths asthenosphere, producing a partial
melting of ultramafic rock?
A)
B)
C)
D)
temperature = l,000°C; pressure = 10 million atmospheres
temperature = 2,000°C; pressure = 0.1 million atmospheres
temperature = 3,500°C; pressure = 0.5 million atmospheres
temperature = 6,000°C; pressure = 4 million atmospheres
160. Which cross section below best represents the crustal plate motion that is the primary
cause of the volcanoes and deep rift valleys found at mid-ocean ridges?
A)
B)
C)
D)
161. Earth’s outer core is best inferred to be
A)
B)
C)
D)
liquid, with an average density of approximately 4 g/cm3
liquid, with an average density of approximately 11 g/cm3
solid, with an average density of approximately 4 g/cm3
solid, with an average density of approximately 11 g/cm3
162. Base your answer to the following question on cross section below, which shows an
underwater mountain range in the Atlantic Ocean. The oceanic bedrock is composed
mainly of basalt. Points X and Y are locations in the bedrock that have been diverging at
the same rate. The movement of the North American Plate and Eurasian Plate is shown by
the two arrows.
Which cross section best represents the relative locations of Earth’s asthenosphere, rigid
mantle, and stiffer mantle? (The cross sections are not drawn to scale.)
A)
B)
C)
D)
163. The map below shows a portion of Earth's surface. Points X and Y are locations on the
lithosphere.
Which cross section shows the inferred movement of material in the asthenosphere
beneath points X and Y?
A)
B)
C)
D)
164. Which landmass is moving northward with Australia as part of the same tectonic plate'?
A) India
C) North America
B) Antarctica
D) South America
165. According to the plate tectonics theory, the Peru-Chile Trench and the Andes Mountains
formed along the west coast of South America because the South American Plate
A)
B)
C)
D)
collided with the Nazca Plate
collided with the North American Plate
slid away from the Nazca Plate
slid away from the North American Plate
166. Beneath which surface location is Earth's crust the thinnest?
A) East Pacific Ridge
C) Old Forge, New York
B) the center of South America
D) San Andreas Fault
Base your answers to questions 167 through 169 on the diagram below. The diagram
shows a model of the relationship between Earth’s surface and its interior.
167. According to the diagram, the deep trench along the west coast of South America is
caused by movement of the oceanic crust that is
A)
B)
C)
D)
sinking beneath the continental crust
uplifting over the continental crust
sinking at the Mid-Atlantic ridge
colliding with the Atlantic oceanic crust
168. Mid-ocean ridges (rifts) normally form where tectonic plates are
A) converging
C) stationary
B) diverging
D) sliding past each other
169. The motion of the convection currents in the mantle beneath the Atlantic Ocean appears to
be mainly making this ocean basin
A) deeper
B) shallower
C) wider
D) narrower
170. The country of Iceland would be closest to the
A) Mid-Atlantic Ridge
C) South-East Indian Ridge
B) Mid-Indian Ridge
D) East Pacific Ridge
Base your answers to questions 171 and 172 on the map below. Dots on the map show the
distribution of major earthquake epicenters. The shaded circle labeled A represents a
location on Earth's surface.
171. Which conclusion can best be inferred from the data shown on this map?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Earthquakes generally are evenly distributed over the surface of Earth.
Most earthquakes occur west of the Prime Meridian and north of the Equator.
Most earthquakes are concentrated in zones along plate boundaries.
Most earthquakes occur on continents.
172. Location A is best described as an area that is
A)
B)
C)
D)
within a rift valley at a mid-ocean ridge
at the boundary between two diverging plates
within a deep-sea trench between two converging plates
above a mantle hot spot near the center of a crustal plate
173. Which element in the Earth's crust makes up the largest volume of most minerals?
A) oxygen
B) nitrogen
C) hydrogen
D) iron
174. Where is the thickest part of the Earth's crust?
A) at mid-ocean ridges
C) under continental mountain ranges
B) at transform faults
D) under volcanic islands
175. Base your answer to the following question on the map below which shows part of the
earthquake damage field that resulted from the earthquake that occurred in Northridge, in
southern California, in January 1994. Several sites associated with the earthquake and
earthquake damage are shown.
Which crustal plate boundary is most closely associated with this earthquake?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Cocos Plate — Pacific Plate
Cocos Plate — Nazca Plate
North American Plate — Nazca Plate
North American Plate — Pacific Plate
176. Which features are commonly formed at the plate boundaries where continental crust
converges with oceanic crust?
A) large volcanic mountain ranges parallel to the coast at the center of the continents
B) a deep ocean trench and a continental volcanic mountain range near the coast
C) an underwater volcanic mountain range and rift valley on the ocean ridge near the
coast
D) long chains of mid-ocean volcanic islands perpendicular to the coast
Base your answers to questions 177 through 179 on the map of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
shown below. Points A through D are locations on the ocean floor. Line XY connects
locations in North America and Africa.
177. Samples of ocean-floor bedrock were collected at points A, B, C, and D. Which
sequence show the correct order of the age of the bedrock from from oldest to youngest?
A) D
C) C
C
B
B
D
A
A
B) A
D) A
D
B
B
D
C
C
178. In which cross section do the arrows best show the convection occurring within the
asthenosphere beneath line XY?
A)
B)
C)
D)
179. The boundary between which two tectonic plates is most similar geologically to the plate
boundary at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
A) Eurasian and Indian-Australian
C) Pacific and Nazca
B) Cocos and Caribbean
D) Nazca and South American
180. What is Earth’s inferred interior pressure, in millions of atmospheres, at a depth of 3500
kilometers?
A) 1.9
B) 2.8
C) 5500
D) 6500
Base your answers to questions 181 and 182 on the passage and map of a portion of the
East African Rift system shown below. Point X represents a location on Earth's surface
within a rift valley on the Ethiopian Dome.
The Great Rift Valley
Rifting of Earth's crust in eastern Africa began during the Neogene Period as the
Ethiopian and Kenyan Domes formed. These two huge domes were created as Earth's
mantle pushed up the overlying crust. As the crust was forced upward, the resulting
tension cracked the crust, resulting in the eruption of volcanoes and the formation of
large rifts. The crust continued to pull apart, forming rift valleys. These valleys have
become deeper and are currently becoming filled with sediments, igneous rock, and
water.
181. On the cross section below,draw two curved arrows, one on each side of the dashed line,
to show the direction of movement of the convection currents within the asthenosphere
that caused the formation of the dome and the rift valley near location X.
182. Which two lithospheric plates are separated by a mid-ocean ridge in the northeastern
portion of the Ethiopian Dome?
183. Why does the oceanic crust sink beneath the continental crust at a subduction boundary?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The oceanic crust has a greater density.
The oceanic crust is pulled downward by Earth’s magnetic field.
The continental crust has a more mafic composition.
The continental crust is pulled upward by the Moon’s gravity.
184. Which two Earth layers are separated by the Moho boundary?
A) rigid mantle and plastic mantle
C) stiffer mantle and asthenosphere
B) outer core and stiffer mantle
D) crust and rigid mantle
185. Convection currents in the plastic mantle are believed to cause divergence of lithospheric
plates at the
A) Peru-Chile Trench
C) Canary Islands Hot Spot
B) Mariana Trench
D) Iceland Hot Spot
186. Where are earthquakes most likely to take place?
A)
B)
C)
D)
along the core-mantle interface
where the composition of the Earth tends to be uniform
near the Earth's Equator
near a fault zone
Base your answers to questions 187 through 189 on the map and data table below. The
map shows the locations of volcanic islands and seamounts that erupted on the seafloor of
the Pacific Plate as it moved northwest over a stationary mantle hotspot beneath the
lithosphere. The hotspot is currently under Kilauea. Island size is not drawn to scale.
Locations X, Y and Z are on Earth's surface.
187. Which lithospheric plate boundary features are located at Y and Z?
A)
B)
C)
D)
trenches created by the subduction of the Pacific Plate
rift valleys created by seafloor spreading of the Pacific Plate
secondary plates created by volcanic activity within the Pacific Plate
mid-ocean ridges created by faulting below the Pacific Plate
188. According to the data table, what is the approximate speed at which the island of Kauai
has been moving away from the mantle hotspot, in kilometers per million years?
A) 1
B) 10
C) 100
D) 1,000
189. Approximately how far has location X moved from its original location over the hotspot?
A) 3,600 km
B) 2,500 km
C) 1,800 km
D) 20 km
190. What do mid-ocean ridges and hot spots beneath ocean plates have in common?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Rising magma moves due to density differences
They are located along crustal plate boundaries
Local earthquakes originate at great depths
Neither is associated with plate motions
191. Base your answer to the following question on
the map below, which shows seismic stations X, Y, and Z that have recorded seismic
waves from the same earthquake. The distances from seismic stations X and Y to the
earthquake epicenter have been drawn on the map. Locations A, B, C, and D represent
possible earthquake epicenters. The distance from seismic station Z to the earthquake
epicenter has been deliberately omitted.
If the earthquake's focus was 2 kilometers below Earth's surface, the earthquake occurred
in the
A) lithosphere
C) stiffer mantle
B) asthenosphere
D) outer core
192. The Mariana Trench was most likely created by the
A)
B)
C)
D)
convergence of the Pacific and Philippine Plates
divergence of the Eurasian and Philippine Plates
sliding of the Pacific Plate past the North American Plate
movement of the Pacific Plate over the Hawaii Hot Spot
193. Which mineral is most frequently found in both granitic continental crust and basaltic
oceanic crust?
A) olivine
C) plagioclase feldspar
B) potassium feldspar
D) quartz
194. The interface between the crust and mantle of the Earth is generally much deeper under
continental surfaces than under ocean surfaces. This information indicates that
A)
B)
C)
D)
the interface varies in an unpredictable manner
oceanic crust is thicker than continental crust
continental crust is thicker than oceanic crust
both oceanic and continental crusts are approximately the same thickness
195. Active volcanoes are most abundant along the
A)
B)
C)
D)
edges of tectonic plates
eastern coastline of continents
23.5° N and 23.5° S parallels of latitude
equatorial ocean floor
196. The movement of tectonic plates is inferred by many scientists to be driven by
A)
B)
C)
D)
tidal motions in the hydrosphere
density differences in the troposphere
convection currents in the asthenosphere
solidification in the lithosphere
197. The diagram below shows the collision of an oceanic plate and a continental plate.
Collisions between oceanic plates and continental plates are thought to result primarily
from
A) hot liquid magma in the inner core B) convection currents in the mantle
C) volcanic eruptions along coastlines D) meteor impacts in the ocean basins
198. Compared to the continental crust of central North America, the oceanic crust of the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge is
A) younger
B) thicker
C) less dense
D) more felsic
199. Andrija Mohorovicic discovered the interface between the crust and the mantle that is now
named for him. His discovery of the “Moho” was based on analysis of
A) landscape boundaries
C) erosional surfaces
B) continental coastlines
D) seismic waves
200. Base your answer to the following question on the map below. Letters A through F are
locations on Earth’s surface.
Which location is closest to a divergent plate boundary at an oceanic ridge?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) E
201. Diagrams I and II show the same region of the Earth's surface at two different times in the
geologic past.
Which statement best explains the basic cause of the changes that occurred in this
region?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Meteor impact on the crust caused widening of the valley.
Mantle convection currents caused crustal movement.
Climate changes caused flooding.
Temperature changes caused melting of polar ice caps.
202. Earth's internal heat is the primary source of energy that
A)
B)
C)
D)
warms the lower troposphere
melts glacial ice at lower altitudes
moves the lithospheric plates
pollutes deep groundwater with radioactivity
203. The basaltic bedrock of the oceanic crust is classified as
A) felsic, with a density of 2.7 g/cm 3
C) mafic, with a density of 2.7 g/cm 3
B) felsic, with a density of 3.0 g/cm 3
D) mafic, with a density of 3.0 g/cm 3
204. At the Aleutian Trench and the Peru-Chile Trench, tectonic plates are generally
A) moving along a transform boundary B) moving over a mantle hot spot
C) diverging
D) converging
205. Scientists have inferred the structure of Earth’s interior mainly by analyzing
A) the Moon’s interior
C) Earth’s surface features
B) the Moon’s composition
D) Earth’s seismic data
Base your answers to questions 206 and 207 on the cross section of two crustal plates and
the boundary between them shown below. The arrows indicate the direction of rock
movement.
206. Which geologic events occur most often at this mid-oceanic ridge plate boundary?
A)
B)
C)
D)
magnetic pole reversals and cooling of ocean water
meteorite impacts and tilting of shorelines
hydrospheric pollution and adiabatic heating
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
207. The mid-oceanic ridge portion of this cross section best represents
A)
B)
C)
D)
convergence of the Nazca Plate and the South American Plate
divergence of the African Plate and the South American Plate
subduction of the Philippine Plate by the China Plate
transform faulting between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate
208. The cross section below shows the location of earthquakes near a plate boundary.
This distribution of earthquakes near the plate boundary is most likely caused by
A) a transform fault
C) subduction of a crustal plate
B) a mantle hot spot
D) divergence of crustal plates
Base your answers to questions 209 and 210 on the cross section below, which shows a
portion of Earth’s crust and upper mantle near a mid-ocean ridge.
209. The geological features of the ocean floor in this region resulted from
A)
B)
C)
D)
colliding plates in the lithosphere
sinking iron and magnesium in the lithosphere
cooler temperatures in the mantle
rising convection currents in the mantle
210. If crust 2 represents basalt with normal magnetic polarity, what does crust 3 most likely
represent?
A)
B)
C)
D)
igneous rock with normal magnetic polarity
igneous rock with reversed magnetic polarity
sedimentary rock with normal magnetic polarity
sedimentary rock with reversed magnetic polarity
the passage
and diagram
below and
on your
knowledge
of Earth
science. The
passage
describes
geologic
studies of
the Moon.
The diagram
represents
the Moon's
surface and
interior,
showing the
inferred
depth of
each layer
below the
Moon's
surface.
Moon Studies Scientific
instruments
left on the
Moon's
surface
recorded
12,558
moonquakes
in eight
years. Most
of these
moonquakes
originated
between
700 km and
1200 km
below the
Moon's
surface.
Scientists
infer that
most
moonquakes
are caused
by the
gravitational
forces
between the
Moon,
Earth, and
Base your answers to questions 211 through 213 on
211. The same type of evidence was used to find the inferred depths of both the Moon's interior
layers and Earth's interior layers. What evidence was used to determine the inferred depth
of the boundary between the Moon's mantle and core?
A)
B)
C)
D)
seismic data recorded on the Moon's surface
magnetic data measured on the Moon's surface
convection currents mapped in the Moon's mantle and core
temperatures measured in the Moon's mantle and core
212. What is the inferred thickness of the Moon's mantle?
A) 60 km
B) 638 km
C) 1040 km
D) 1738 km
213. Which planet has an average density most similar to the average density of the Moon?
A) Mercury
B) Mars
C) Jupiter
D) Neptune
214. Base your answer to the following question on the cross section below, which shows the
paths of seismic waves traveling from an earthquake epicenter through the different layers
of Earth's interior.
No P-waves or S-waves are received in the shadow zone because
A)
B)
C)
D)
P-waves are absorbed and S-waves are refracted by Earth's outer core
P-waves are refracted and S-waves are absorbed by Earth's outer core
both the P-waves and S-waves are refracted by Earth's outer core
both the P-waves and S-waves are absorbed by Earth's outer core
215. The Indian-Australian tectonic plate is moving
A) away from the Philippine Plate
C) toward the Pacific Plate
B) away from the Fiji Plate
D) toward the Antarctic Plate
216. The diagram below shows the interaction of two tectonic plates.
The type of plate boundary represented in the diagram most likely exists between the
A)
B)
C)
D)
Antarctic Plate and the African Plate
Antarctic Plate and the Indian-Australian Plate
South American Plate and the Nazca Plate
South American Plate and the African Plate
217. On the map below, locations A and B are reference points on the Earth's surface. Crustal
thickness was measured beneath a line from A to B.
Which graph best represents the thickness of the Earth's crust from location A to location
B?
A)
B)
C)
D)
218. What is the relationship between density, temperature, and pressure inside the Earth?
A)
B)
C)
D)
As depth increases, density, temperature, and pressure decrease.
As depth increases, density and temperature increase, but pressure decreases.
As depth increases, density increases, but temperature and pressure decrease.
As depth increases, density, temperature, and pressure increase.
219. Where is the thickest part of the Earth's crust?
A) at the edge of continental shelves
C) under continental mountain ranges
B) at mid-ocean ridges
D) under volcanic islands
220. The edges of most lithospheric plates are characterized by
A)
B)
C)
D)
reversed magnetic orientation
unusually rapid radioactive decay
frequent volcanic activity
low P-wave and high S-wave velocity
221. What is the approximate percentage by volume of oxygen in the crust of the Earth?
A) 20%
B) 30%
C) 70%
D) 90%
Base your answers to questions 222 and 223 on the diagram below, which shows a
cutaway view of Earth in which the interior layers are visible. The paths of earthquake waves
generated at point X are shown. A, B, C, and D are locations of seismic stations on Earth's
surface, and point E is located in Earth's interior.
222. Both P-waves and S-waves were received at seismic stations A and B, but only P-waves
were received at seismic stations C and D. Which statement best explains why this
occurred?
A)
B)
C)
D)
S-waves are much weaker than P-waves.
S-waves travel faster than P-waves.
The liquid outer core prevents S-waves from traveling to seismic stations C and D.
The solid outer core prevents S-waves from traveling to seismic stations C and D.
223. The actual rock temperature at point E is inferred to be approximately
A) 1,500ºC
B) 2,900ºC
C) 5,000ºC
D) 6,200ºC
224. Which graph best represents the relationship between depth and density for the Earth's
interior?
A)
B)
C)
D)
225. Base your answer to the following question on The map below shows California and a
section of the San Andreas Fault.
What is the primary geologic process occurring along the San Andreas Fault?
A) transform movement
C) subduction
B) spreading movement
D) convergence
226. The analysis of seismic data from an earthquake shows that some locations received both
P-waves and S-waves, but other locations received only P-waves. What is the best
inference that can be made from these observations?
A)
B)
C)
D)
A zone of liquid rock exists within the Earth.
Iron in some rocks prevents S-waves from traveling.
Some seismographs are more sensitive than others.
S-waves are very weak.
227. According to plate tectonic theory, during which geologic time interval did the continents of
North America and Africa separate, resulting in the initial opening of the Atlantic Ocean?
A) Mesozoic Era
C) Proterozoic Eon
B) Paleozoic Era
D) Archean Eon
228. In the Earth's interior, which zone has a temperature higher than its melting point?
A) crust
B) stiffer mantle C) inner core
D) outer core
229. Which graph best shows the range of density in each of Earth's layers?
A)
B)
C)
D)
230. The graph below shows the different velocities of P-waves and S-waves through Earth's
interior.
Which cross section best shows the inferred thickness of Earth's interior layers that cause
these different velocities?
A)
B)
C)
D)
231. The diagram below represents a cross section of the Earth's crust at a location where an
oceanic plate is converging (colliding) with a continental plate. The arrows indicate the
direction of plate motion. Letters W, X, Y, and Z represent locations on the Earth.
For an observer on the Earth's surface, the best evidence of this crustal plate collision
would probably be provided by
A)
B)
C)
D)
seafloor fossils at location W
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions near location X
flooding near location Y
horizontal sedimentary layers at location Z
232. Which diagram correctly shows how mantle convection currents are most likely moving
beneath colliding lithospheric plates?
A)
B)
C)
D)
233. When two tectonic plates collide, oceanic crust usually subducts beneath continental crust
because oceanic crust is primarily composed of igneous rock that has
A) low density and is mafic
C) high density and is mafic
B) low density and is felsic
D) high density and is felsic
234. The diagram below shows a cross section of a portion of Earth. The inferred motions of
crustal plates are shown. Letters A through D represent locations at Earth's surface.
Which letter represents the location of the mid-Atlantic Ridge?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
235. The cross section below shows the ocean floor between two continents. Points A through
D represent locations on the ocean floor where samples of oceanic crust were collected.
The youngest rock sample most likely was collected from location
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
236. Locations A, B, C, and D are shown on the map below.
Which location is closest to a tectonic plate boundary?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
237. What type of plate boundary exists between the African Plate and the Antartic Plate?
A) convergent
B) transform
C) divergent
D) complex
238. What is the inferred temperature at the boundary between Earth’s stiffer mantle and outer
core?
A) 2,500°C
B) 4,500°C
C) 5,000°C
D) 6,200°C
239. Theories about the composition of the Earth's core are supported by meteorites that are
composed primarily of
A) oxygen and silicon
C) aluminum and oxygen
B) aluminum and iron
D) iron and nickel
240. According to tectonic plate maps, New York State is presently located
A) at a convergent plate boundary
C) above a mid-ocean ridge
B) above a mantle hot spot
D) near the center of a large plate
241. When a continental crustal plate collides with an oceanic crustal plate, the continental
crust is forced to move over the oceanic crust. What is the primary reason that the
continental crust stays on top of the oceanic crust?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Continental crust is less dense.
Continental crust deforms less easily.
Continental crust melts at higher temperatures.
Continental crust contains more mafic minerals.
Base your answers to questions 242 and 243 on the diagram below, which shows a portion
of Earth’s interior. Point A is a location on the interface between layers.
242. The temperature of rock at location A is approximately
A) 600°C
B) 1,000°C
C) 2,600°C
D) 3,000°C
243. The arrows shown in the asthenosphere represent the inferred slow circulation of the
plastic mantle by a process called
A) insolation
B) convection
C) convection
D) radiation
244. What are the two most abundant elements by mass found in Earth's crust?
A) aluminum and iron
C) calcium and carbon
B) sodium and chlorine
D) oxygen and silicon
245. Compared to the continental crust, the oceanic crust is
A) less dense and less felsic
C) more dense and more felsic
B) less dense and less mafic
D) more dense and more mafic
246. In the diagram below, letters A and B represent locations near the edge of a continent.
A geologist who compares nonsedimentary rock samples from locations A and B would
probably find that the samples from location A contain
A) more granite
C) more fossils
B) more basalt
D) the same minerals and fossils
247. The most abundant element in the Earth's crust is
A) nitrogen
B) oxygen
C) silicon
D) hydrogen
248. Which minerals contain the two most abundant elements by mass in Earth’s crust?
A) fluorite and calcite
C) amphibole and quartz
B) magnetite and pyrite
D) galena and sulfur
249. Approximately how far below the Earth's surface is the interface between the mantle and
the outer core?
A) 5 to 30 km
C) 2,900 to 3,000 km
B) 700 to 900 km
D) 5,000 to 5,200 km
250. Which surface feature was produced by crustal movements at a transform plate
boundary?
A) East African Rift
C) Tasman Hot Spot
B) Aleutian Trench
D) San Andreas Fault
251. The large coal fields found in Pennsylvania provide evidence that the climate of the
northeastern United States was much warmer during the Carboniferous Period. This
change in climate over time is best explained by the
A)
B)
C)
D)
movements of tectonic plates
effects of seasons
changes in the environment caused by humans
evolution of life
252. The Earth's core is believed to be composed primarily of
A) oxygen and silicon
C) iron and nickel
B) aluminum and silicon
D) carbon and iron
253. The most abundant metallic element by mass in Earth's crust makes up 8.23% of the
crust. Which group of minerals all normally contain this metallic element in their
compositions?
A)
B)
C)
D)
garnet, calcite, pyrite, and galena
biotite mica, muscovite mica, fluorite, and halite
talc, quartz, graphite, and olivine
plagioclase feldspar, amphibole, pyroxene, and potassium feldspar
254. In which Earth layer are most convection currents that cause seafloor spreading thought to
be located?
A) crust
C) outer core
B) asthenosphere
D) inner core
255. The diagram below represents a cross section of a portion of the Earth's crust and mantle.
LettersA, B, C, D and X identify locations within the crust.
The age of oceanic crust increases along a line between location X and location
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
256. What happens to the density and temperature of rock within Earth’s interior as depth
increases?
A)
B)
C)
D)
density decreases and temperature decreases
density decreases and temperature increases
density increases and temperature increases
density increases and temperature decreases
257. Which cross-sectional diagram of Earth’s asthenosphere best shows the convection
currents that would cause crustal plate X to drift away from crustal plate Y?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Base your answers to questions 258 and 259 on the map and profile shown below. The
map shows the major areas of the North Atlantic Ocean. Letters A, B, C, and D represent
locations on the ocean floor. The profile represents the ocean bottom from point X in North
America along the dashed line to point Y in Africa. Note that the profile is vertically
exaggerated.
258. Which statement about the age of ocean-floor rocks is correct?
A)
B)
C)
D)
All ocean-floor rocks are generally the same age.
Rocks at location C are generally older than rocks at locations A and B.
Rocks at location C are generally younger than rocks at locations A and B.
Igneous rocks at location D are generally younger than rocks at location C.
259. Classification of the ocean bottom into the areas shown is based on the
A)
B)
C)
D)
distance from continental landmasses
topography of the ocean floor
age of ocean-bottom rocks
type of ocean-bottom sediments
260. At a depth of 2,000 kilometers, the temperature of the stiffer mantle is inferred to be
A) 6,500ºC
B) 4,200ºC
C) 3,500ºC
D) 1,800ºC
261. The Aleutian Islands extend westward from southern Alaska to form the northern boundary
of the Pacific Ocean. These volcanic islands were formed by the nearby
A) subduction of a continental plate
C) divergence of a continental plate
B) subduction of an oceanic plate
D) divergence of an oceanic plate
262. Oceanic crust is sliding beneath the Aleutian Islands in the North Pacific Ocean, forming
the Aleutian Trench at a
A)
B)
C)
D)
convergent plate boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate
convergent plate boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Juan de Fuca Plate
divergent plate boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate
divergent plate boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Juan de Fuca Plate
263. Base your answer to the following question on the diagrams below of geologic cross
sections of the upper mantle and crust at four different Earth locations, A, B, C, and D.
Movement of the crustal sections (plates) is indicated by arrows, and the locations of
frequent earthquakes are indicated by *. Diagrams are not drawn to scale.
Which location best represents the boundary between the African plate and the South
American plate?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
264. Which cross section best represents the convection currents in the mantle beneath the
Peru-Chile Trench?
A)
B)
C)
D)
265. Which observation about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region provides the best evidence that the
seafloor has been spreading for millions of years?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The bedrock of the ridge and nearby seafloor is igneous rock.
The ridge is the location of irregular volcanic eruptions.
Several faults cut across the ridge and nearby seafloor.
Seafloor bedrock is younger near the ridge and older farther away.
266. Oxygen is the most abundant element by volume in the Earth's
A) inner core
B) troposphere
C) hydrosphere D) crust
267. The map below shows continental and oceanic crustal plates along the west coast of
North America.
Which conclusion is best supported by the map?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The boundary of the Pacific plate has very few faults.
The Pacific plate has stopped moving.
The west coast of North America is composed of the oldest rocks on the continent.
The west coast of North America is a zone of frequent crustal movement.
268. A model of Earth's internal structure is shown below.
Analysis of which type of data led to the development of this model?
A) seismic waves
C) electromagnetic radiation
B) depth of Earth's oceans
D) isobar gradients
269. What is the approximate temperature at the mantle-outer core boundary?
A) 1,500°C
B) 4,500°C
C) 5,000ºC
D) 7,000ºC
270. During which era did the initial opening of the present-day Atlantic Ocean most likely
occur?
A) Cenozoic
C) Paleozoic
B) Mesozoic
D) Late Proterozoic
271. Which of the following is located at a converging plate boundary?
A) Southwest Indian Ridge
C) Marianas Trench
B) Iceland Hotspot
D) Sandwich Plate
272. The map below shows the present-day locations of South America and Africa. Remains of
Mesosaurus, an extinct freshwater reptile, have been found in similarly aged bedrock
formed from lake sediments at locations X and Y.
Which statement represents the most logical conclusion to draw from this evidence?
A) Mesosaurus migrated across the ocean from location X to location Y.
B) Mesosaurus came into existence on several widely separated continents at different
times.
C) The continents of South America and Africa were joined when Mesosaurus lived.
D) The present climates at locations X and Y are similar.
Base your answers to questions 273 and 274 on
the block diagram below, which shows a tectonic plate boundary.
273. Compared to the oceanic crust, the continental crust is
A) more dense and more mafic
C) less dense and more mafic
B) more dense and more felsic
D) less dense and more felsic
274. Which tectonic plate boundary is best represented by this diagram?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Nazca Plate and Pacific Plate boundary
Scotia Plate and South American Plate boundary
Juan de Fuca Plate and North American Plate boundary
Antarctic Plate and Indian-Australian Plate boundary
275. A part of which zone of the Earth's interior is inferred to have a density of 10.0 grams per
cubic centimeter?
A) crust
B) mantle
C) outer core
D) inner core
276. Compared to the continental crust, the oceanic crust is
A) thicker
B) more dense
C) more granitic D) more felsic
277. The diagram below represents a cross section of a portion of the Earth's crust.
Which statement about the Earth's crust is best supported by the diagram?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The oceanic crust is thicker than the mantle.
The continental crust is thicker than the oceanic crust.
The continental crust is composed primarily of sedimentary rock.
The crust is composed of denser rock than the mantle is.
278. Letters A through D shown on the map below are locations on Earth's surface.
Which location is closest to a major zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
279. The diagram below shows the cutaway views of the inferred interior layers of the planets
Mercury and Venus.
What is the reason for the development of the interior layers of these two planets?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Impact events added the mantle rock above the cores.
Heat from the Sun melted the surface rocks to form the mantles above the cores.
Gravity separated the cores and mantles due to their density differences.
Rapid heat loss caused the cores to solidify before the mantles.
280. Geologists have used information about the composition of meteorites to make inferences
about Earth’s
A) core properties
C) asthenosphere location
B) atmospheric structure
D) continental-crust thickness
281. Living corals are found in warm, shallow seas. Coral fossils have been found in the
sedimentary rocks of Alaska. These findings suggest that
A)
B)
C)
D)
Alaska once had a tropical marine environment
Alaska's cold climate fossilized the coral
coral usually develops in cold climates
ocean currents carried the coral to Alaska
282. The rate of temperature increase below the Earth's surface is greatest between depths of
A) 250 and 500 km
C) 2500 and 3500 km
B) 1500 and 2500 km
D) 3500 and 4000 km
283. The diagram below shows a tectonic plate boundary.
Which mantle hot spot is at a plate boundary like the one shown in this diagram?
A) Hawaii Hot Spot
C) Galapagos Hot Spot
B) Yellowstone Hot Spot
D) Canary Hot Spot
284. The inferred temperature and pressure of Earth's interior at a depth of 3,000 kilometers
are approximately
A)
B)
C)
D)
1000°C and 0.5 million atmospheres
1000°C and 1.0 million atmospheres
5000°C and 1.5 million atmospheres
5000°C and 3.0 million atmospheres
285. Most of the oceanic crust is composed of rock material similar to
A) basalt
B) granite
C) sandstone
D) limestone
286. In which part of the Earth is a rock temperature of 2,000ºC most likely to occur?
A) continental crust
C) stiffer mantle
B) asthenosphere (plastic mantle)
D) outer core
287. As depth within the Earth's interior increases, the
A)
B)
C)
D)
density, temperature, and pressure decrease
density, temperature, and pressure increase
density and temperature decrease, but pressure increases
density decreases, but temperature and pressure increase
288. Which combination of temperature and pressure is inferred to occur within Earth’s stiffer
mantle?
A)
B)
C)
D)
3500°C and 0.4 million atmospheres
3500°C and 2.0 million atmospheres
5500°C and 0.4 million atmospheres
5500°C and 2.0 million atmospheres
289. During which period were North America, Africa, and South America closest?
A) Tertiary
B) Cretaceous
C) Triassic
D) Ordovician
290. The inferred temperature at the interface between the stiffer mantle and the
asthenosphere is closest to
A) 1000°C
B) 2500°C
C) 4500°C
D) 5000°C
291. Which temperature is inferred to exist in Earth’s plastic mantle?
A) 2000°C
B) 3000°C
C) 5000°C
D) 6000°C
292. The interior of Earth between a depth of 5200 kilometers and 6300 kilometers is inferred to
be composed mostly of
A) silicon and iron
C) iron and lead
B) silicon and oxygen
D) iron and nickel
293. Which statement most accurately compares Earth’s crust and Earth’s mantle?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The crust is thinner and less dense than the mantle.
The crust is thinner and more dense than the mantle.
The crust is thicker and less dense than the mantle.
The crust is thicker and more dense than the mantle.
294. Which part of the Earth is most likely a liquid zone?
A) inner core
B) outer core
C) mantle
D) crust
295. Why is Earth’s outer core inferred to be a liquid?
A)
B)
C)
D)
P-waves can pass through the outer core.
P-waves cannot pass through the outer core.
S-waves can pass through the outer core.
S-waves cannot pass through the outer core.
296. The diagram below shows how scientists think some of Earth's continents were joined
together in the geologic past.
When do scientists think these continents were joined together?
A)
B)
C)
D)
during the Tertiary Period, only
from the Cretaceous Period through the Tertiary Period
from the Devonian Period through the Triassic Period
during the Cambrian Period, only
297. Which statement correctly describes the density of Earth’s mantle compared to the density
of Earth’s core and crust?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The mantle is less dense than the core but more dense than the crust.
The mantle is less dense than both the core and the crust.
The mantle is more dense than the core but less dense than the crust.
The mantle is more dense than both the core and the crust.
298. Which statement about the Earth's mantle is correct?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The density of the mantle is greatest 300 km below the Earth's surface.
The highest temperatures within the Earth occur in the mantle.
The greatest pressures within the Earth exist in the mantle.
The temperature of the mantle 300 km below the Earth's surface is very near its
melting point.
299. The map below shows the Atlantic Ocean divided into zones A, B, C, and D. The
Mid-Atlantic Ridge is located between zones B and C.
Which graph best represents the geologic age of the surface bedrock on the ocean
bottom?
A)
B)
C)
D)
300. On what other landmass would you most likely find fossil remains of the late Paleozoic
reptile called Mesosaurus shown below?
A)
B)
C)
D)
301. Which two elements make up the greatest volume of the Earth's crust?
A) silicon and potassium
C) iron and nickel
B) silicon and iron
D) oxygen and potassium
302. Base your answer to the following question on the cross section below and on your
knowledge of Earth science. The cross section represents the distance and age of
ocean-floor bedrock found on both sides of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Which map best represents the pattern of magnetic polarity in the minerals of ocean-floor
bedrock on each side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
303. Base your answer to the following question on the map below, which shows seismograph
recording stations at locations A, B, and C. Location D is an earthquake epicenter. The
distances from locations A and B to this epicenter are given in kilometers.
How does the age of the ocean-floor bedrock change as the distance east or west of
location D increases?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The age decreases, because D is in an oceanic trench.
The age decreases, because D is on a mid-oceanic ridge.
The age increases, because D is in an oceanic trench.
The age increases, because D is on a mid-oceanic ridge.
304. The diagram below represents a partial cross section of a model of the Earth. The arrows
show inferred motions within the Earth.
Which property of the oceanic crust in regions F and G is a result of these inferred
motions?
A) The crystal size of the rock decreases constantly as distance from the mid-ocean
ridge increases.
B) The temperature of the basaltic rock increases as distance from the mid-ocean ridge
increases.
C) Heat-flow measurements steadily increase as
distance from the mid-ocean ridge increases.
D) The age of the igneous rock increases as distance from the mid-ocean ridge
increases.
305. The block diagram below shows the boundary between two tectonic plates.
Which type of plate boundary is shown?
A) divergent
B) convergent
C) transform
D) complex
306. The theory of continental drift suggests that the
A)
B)
C)
D)
continents moved due to changes in the Earth's orbital velocity
continents moved due to the Coriolis effect caused by the Earth's rotation
present-day continents of South America and Africa are moving toward each other
present-day continents of South America and Africa once fit together like puzzle parts
307. The temperature of rock located 1,000 kilometers below the Earth's surface is about
A) 200 K
B) 2,100 K
C) 2,800 K
D) 3,200 K
308. Which information indicates that new seafloor rock is forming along a mid-ocean ridge and
then moving horizontally away from the ridge?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Most volcanoes are located under ocean water.
Seafloor rock is older than continental rock.
Fossils of marine organisms can be found at high elevations on continents
The age of seafloor rock increases as the distance from the mid-ocean ridge
increases.
309. Which part of Earth’s interior is inferred to have convection currents that cause tectonic
plates to move?
A) rigid mantle
C) outer core
B) asthenosphere
D) inner core
310. In which zone of the Earth's interior is the melting point of the rock inferred to be lower
than the actual temperature of the rock?
A) outer core
B) inner core
C) crust
D) mantle
311. From the top of the stiffer mantle to the center of Earth, the rock material is inferred to be
A)
B)
C)
D)
solid all the way to the center of the inner core
solid, then liquid to the center of the inner core
solid, then liquid, then solid again to the center of the inner core
solid, then liquid, then gaseous to the center of the inner core
312. The diagram below shows the magnetic polarity preserved by minerals within the bedrock
of the oceanic crust near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Letters A, B, C, and D represent
locations in the ocean-floor bedrock.
The most recently formed bedrock is found at location
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
313. The temperature at the center of the Earth is estimated to be
A) 1,000 K
B) 2,800 K
C) 5,000 K
D) 6,800 K
314. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram and map below. The diagram
shows three seismograms of the same earthquake recorded at three different seismic
stations, X, Y, and Z. The distances from each seismic station to the earthquake epicenter
have been drawn on the map. A coordinate system has been placed on the map to
describe locations. The map scale has not been included.
The youngest bedrock is most likely found at which location?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D