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Geologic Processes & Earth's Features
1. California is known for its mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes. What is the
common source of these three geologic features?
A. the large size of the state of California
B. the Pacific Ocean coastline
C. the interactions of two lithospheric plates
D. the eruption of Mt. Lassen in 1915
Pacific Northwest
2. As you can see, there are numerous volcanic mountains in the Pacific Northwest.
What is the most likely cause of the volcanic and earthquake activity in this
region?
A. the differing climates of the mountain ranges
B. random abnormal weather occurrences
C. rising and falling tides in the ocean
D. collision of tectonic plates
3.
Image from http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/PlateTectonics/Maps/map_plate_tectonics_world.html
The world map above shows the locations of tectonic plate boundaries (black lines) and
active volcanoes (red dots). Based on this map, volcanoes most commonly form
A. in the middle of tectonic plates.
B. along Earth's equator.
C. in Earth's polar regions.
D. near tectonic plate boundaries.
4. Which of the following is a result of the transfer of the Earth's internal heat?
A. geyser
B. global warming
C. tsunami
D. hurricane
5. Faults are
A. found only in the center of the Earth's oceans.
B. cracks that prevent tectonic forces from moving pieces of the Earth's crust.
C. cracks where pieces of the Earth's crust move past each other due to tectonic forces.
D. found only in the center of the Earth's continents.
6. Volcanoes most commonly form where
A. one tectonic plate plunges beneath another.
B. two tectonic plates slide alongside each other.
C. where there is no tectonic plate motion.
D. two tectonic plates pull away from each other.
7. The map below shows an area located near a tectonic plate boundary. The red
circles on the map show the locations of earthquakes.
Knowing that tectonic plate boundaries can be inferred from the locations of
earthquakes, where is the plate boundary most likely located?
A. The plate boundary runs southwest to northeast, through Meadowview and Green Oaks.
B. The plate boundary runs east to west, through Gardenville and Meadowview.
C. The plate boundary runs north to south, through Green Oaks and Gardenville.
D. The plate boundary runs northwest to southeast, through Maple Grove and Gardenville.
8.
This image is adapted from USGS
What major geologic feature is labeled by the orange rectangle on the map
above?
A. Lassen Peak
B. Death Valley
C. Sierra Nevada range
D. San Andreas fault
9. The Earth's lithosphere is divided into plates, which move very slowly. There may
be no movement at the border of two plates, but pressure can build up, causing
the plates to eventually slip and rub against each other. This rubbing may cause
an earthquake.
Where would the situation described above most likely occur?
A. a volcano
B. a fault line
C. a peninsula
D. a mountain range
10.
This image is courtesy of USGS
Mauna Loa in Hawaii is an active volcano. In July of 1975, magma began to erupt
from several openings in the ground, including the one shown in the picture.
When magma rises close to the surface, its pressure can cause the ground to
break open in long fractures. Magma can then reach the surface through these
openings.
What do geologists call this fracture?
A. a normal fault
B. a cinder cone
C. a flood basalt
D. a fissure
11. Most of the Earth's volcanoes occur
A. before tectonic plates can form.
B. where there are no tectonic plates.
C. near the center of tectonic plates.
D. along tectonic plate boundaries.
12.
What term best describes the geologic event taking place in the above
illustration?
A. weathering
B. erosion
C. plate convergence
D. seafloor spreading
13. A _______ is a concentrated area of major, long-term volcanic activity fed by a
rising plume of magma. This area can cause landmass changes within a tectonic
plate and is not necessarily associated with a plate boundary. The island of
Hawai'i is a classic example.
A. transform boundary
B. mid-ocean ridge
C. hot spot
D. subduction zone
14.
Folding of rock layers occurs where pieces of the Earth's crust
A. gradually squeeze together and move upward.
B. gradually stretch apart and become thinner.
C. do not move at all.
D. slide sideways without pushing into each other.
15.
Earth 250 million years ago
Earth Today
The images above show how the Earth's continents looked 250 million years ago
and how they look today. The change in the continents' positions is explained by
the modern theory of plate tectonics.
The theory of plate tectonics developed in part from an earlier hypothesis about
how continents move. What is the name of this earlier hypothesis?
A. earthquake development
B. continental drift
C. natural selection
D. evolution
16. Tsunamis pose the greatest threat to populations living
A. along the coast.
B. far inland.
C. in the Rocky Mountains.
D. in the desert.
17. What causes events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the creation of
mountains?
A. ocean tides
B. position of the planets
C. lithospheric plate movement
D. atmospheric pressure
18. Which event below cannot be explained by the movement of the lithospheric
plates?
A. mountain formation
B. tornadoes
C. earthquakes
D. volcanoes
19. In the Earth's mantle, heat is transferred in large convection currents. Within
these currents,
A. hotter rock rises and cooler rock sinks.
B. cooler rock rises and hotter rock sinks.
C. hotter and cooler rock sink but do not rise.
D. cooler and hotter rock rise but do not sink.
20. Which of the following occurs when the Earth's crust shifts?
A. hurricane
B. earthquake
C. ocean tide
D. tornado