Miscellaneous Fundamentals
The Greek root “geo” in the word geography most directly refers to:
A. Weather
B. Maps
C. Earth
D. Nature
C.
Which type of natural event is responsible for most historically recorded tsunamis worldwide?
A. Earthquake
B. Volcanic eruption
C. Meteorological impact
D. Coastal erosion
A. Earthquake
Which of the following is NOT primarily caused by tectonic activity?
A. Earthquakes
B. Volcanoes
C. Hurricanes
D. Tsunami
C. Hurricanes
Which igneous rock type is most likely to have large, visible crystals?
A. Extrusive
B. Intrusive
C. Sedimentary
D. Metamorphic
B. Intrusive
If you are standing at 90°N latitude, where are you located?
A. The Equator
B. The Prime Meridian
C. The North Pole
D. The International Date Line
C. The North Pole
Most deep-focus earthquakes occur at plate boundaries where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another in a process known as __________.
Subduction
Volcanic activity that occurs within a tectonic plate, rather than at its boundary, is most commonly associated with __________.
hot spots
A clast is a _________.
rock fragment
Which geographic field would most likely study the distribution of plant and animal species across different environments?
A. Biogeography
B. Geomorphology
C. Paleogeography
D. Cartography
A. Biogeography
Which property of P-waves best explains why they are useful in identifying Earth’s internal structure?
A. They cause the most surface damage
B. They travel only through solid rock
C. They can move through solids, liquids, and gases
D. They are generated only at shallow depths
C. They can move through solids, liquids, and gases
Which type of magma is most likely to produce explosive volcanic eruptions?
A. Mafic
B. Felsic
C. Ultramafic
D. Basaltic
B. Felsic
Loose sand on a beach eventually becomes sandstone through the process of:
A. Crystallization
B. Lithification
C. Metamorphism
D. Subduction
B. Lithification
Which situation would make the principle of superposition least reliable?
A. Flat-lying sedimentary layers
B. A sedimentary sequence with fossils
C. Rock layers that have been folded or overturned
D. Horizontal sandstone layers
C. Rock layers that have been folded or overturned
When rock layers are compressed and bend without breaking, forming mountain ranges, the process is called __________.
Correct answer: Folding
Which type of volcano is characterized by steep slopes, alternating layers of lava and ash, and is commonly found at subduction zones?
A. Shield
B. Cinder cone
C. Crater
D. Strato-composite
D. Strato-composite
A __________ is a sedimentary rock made of rounded pebbles and gravel cemented together.
Conglomerate
A geologist studies ripple marks forming today in shallow streams and uses them to interpret similar ripple patterns preserved in ancient rock layers.
This approach best reflects:
A. Catastrophism
B. Uniformitarianism
C. Plate tectonics
D. Relative dating
B. Uniformitarianism
Which statement correctly distinguishes a continental–continental divergent boundary from an oceanic–oceanic divergent boundary?
A. CC divergence produces deep-sea trenches, while OO divergence does not
B. OO divergence forms mid-ocean ridges, while CC divergence forms rift valleys
C. CC divergence creates subduction zones, while OO divergence creates volcanoes
D. OO divergence produces folded mountains, while CC divergence produces faults
B. OO divergence forms mid-ocean ridges, while CC divergence forms rift valleys
Which situation best demonstrates how a natural disaster can disrupt human systems beyond the immediate physical damage?
A. A volcanic eruption destroys homes located near the crater
B. An earthquake damages roads and bridges in a rural area
C. A hurricane temporarily floods coastal neighborhoods
D. A drought leads to crop failure, food price increases, and population migration
D. A drought leads to crop failure, food price increases, and population migration
A sedimentary rock is uplifted, exposed at Earth’s surface, broken down into loose material, transported by a river, buried, and later transformed into a foliated rock deep underground.
Which sequence of processes best describes this portion of the rock cycle?
A. Melting → cooling → crystallization → erosion
B. Compaction → cementation → melting → cooling
C. Weathering → erosion → deposition → lithification → metamorphism
D. Deposition → metamorphism → erosion → crystallization
C. Weathering → erosion → deposition → lithification → metamorphism