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1 | |
Select the correct order of the four major layers of the Earth, from the innermost to outermost. |
| | A) | core, aesthenosphere, mantle, moho |
| | B) | inner core, outer core, mantle, crust |
| | C) | core, crust, lithosphere, mantle |
| | D) | mantle, crust, mesosphere, aesthenosphere |
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2 | |
The inner core is thought to consist primarily of: |
| | A) | nickel. |
| | B) | iron. |
| | C) | silica. |
| | D) | rubber. |
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3 | |
Which of the following statements about the study of the interior of the Earth is incorrect? |
| | A) | The earth's interior has a very uniform density. |
| | B) | The velocity of seismic waves varies with the density of the material. |
| | C) | S-waves cannot pass through the liquid outer core. |
| | D) | Data from seismic waves can be used to produce three-dimensional tomographs. |
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4 | |
Oceanic crustal rock is best described as: |
| | A) | high in aluminum, sodium, potassium, and silica. |
| | B) | highly variable composition. |
| | C) | high in magnesium, iron, and calcium. |
| | D) | having an average thickness of about 40 km. |
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5 | |
Which statement about the lithosphere is not correct? |
| | A) | Seismic waves travel more slowly through the aesthenosphere than the lithosphere. |
| | B) | The lithosphere consists solely of the rigid crustal rocks. |
| | C) | The Moho is the boundary between the crust and the upper mantle. |
| | D) | The lithosphere is less dense than the aethenosphere. |
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6 | |
The principle explaining the variable bouyancy of crustal material is: |
| | A) | eustasy. |
| | B) | tomography. |
| | C) | topography. |
| | D) | isostasy. |
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7 | |
Which of the following was not an early theory about the "fit" of the continents across the Atlantic Ocean? |
| | A) | an unexplained cataclysmic event |
| | B) | loss of continental crust to form Mars |
| | C) | subsidence theory of separation |
| | D) | continental drift |
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8 | |
Which of the following palaeogeographic relationships is not correct? |
| | A) | Pangaea, all the oceans |
| | B) | Gondwanaland, southern continents |
| | C) | Laurasia, northern continents |
| | D) | Pangaea, super continent |
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9 | |
Which of the following does not accurately describe mid-ocean rises? |
| | A) | gently sloped compared to mid-ocean ridges |
| | B) | narrow zones of volcanic activity |
| | C) | central rift valley |
| | D) | highest elevation along central axis |
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10 | |
Which of the following is not cited as evidence of plate motion? |
| | A) | earthquakes landward of subduction zones |
| | B) | variability of heat flow through the ocean crust |
| | C) | mirror images of polarity reversals on each side of mid-ocean ridges |
| | D) | age of sediments increases from the continents to the mid-ocean ridges |
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11 | |
The theory of plate motion has been tested by all but which of the following methods? |
| | A) | temperature probes on the ocean floor |
| | B) | temperature of surface waters |
| | C) | radiometric dating of seafloor rocks |
| | D) | recording the magnetic polarity of minerals in the crust |
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12 | |
Of the following statements about the Earth's plates, which is correct? |
| | A) | Oceans are not underlain by plates but by bowls. |
| | B) | Oceanic plates are comprised of much older rocks than continental rocks. |
| | C) | New lithosphere is formed at divergent plate boundaries. |
| | D) | Transform faults are where crust is subducted. |
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13 | |
Rifting is closely associated with all but which of the following features or processes? |
| | A) | divergent zones |
| | B) | grabens |
| | C) | mid-ocean ridges |
| | D) | subduction |
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14 | |
Which of the following features is not associated with subduction? |
| | A) | basaltic volcanism and rifting |
| | B) | andesitic volcanism |
| | C) | crumpled and fractured continental rocks |
| | D) | volcanic island arc chains |
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15 | |
Passive continental margins are characterized by: |
| | A) | narrow continental shelves. |
| | B) | volcanic activity. |
| | C) | wide, seismically quiet coastal zones. |
| | D) | deep ocean trenches. |
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16 | |
Which of the following statements about hot spots is not correct? |
| | A) | As oceanic crust cools, it subsides. |
| | B) | The youngest peak in a chain of seamounts is over the hot spot. |
| | C) | Guyots are islands that have subsided beneath the surface. |
| | D) | Hot spots cannot be located along spreading centers. |
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17 | |
Select the statement below which does not correctly describe the history of the continents. |
| | A) | Scientists must look for pre-Pangaean records in the oceans. |
| | B) | Pangaea broke apart about 200 million years ago. |
| | C) | The Walvis Ridge is a chain of seamounts connecting the Mid-Atlantic ridge with Africa. |
| | D) | Through wandering, plates may show evidence of climates related to previous locales. |
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18 | |
Remnants of small crustal fragments that are accreted to larger crusts are termed: |
| | A) | cratons. |
| | B) | cretins. |
| | C) | terranes. |
| | D) | vents. |
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19 | |
Which statement does not correctly describe hydrothermal vents? |
| | A) | Hydrothermal vent activity is known to occur at seafloor spreading centers. |
| | B) | Chimneys are channels where cold water seeps down into the crust. |
| | C) | Vents occur over some of the thickest portions of oceanic crust. |
| | D) | Minerals may precipitate rapidly out of super heated plumes of water. |
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20 | |
Which of the following statements accurately describes vent communities? |
| | A) | Organisms cannot live in the super heated environments of the vents. |
| | B) | Vent organisms only exist in shallow water where sunlight provides energy for photosynthesis. |
| | C) | Organisms are sustained by the rain of organic material from the surface. |
| | D) | Vent communities rely on bacteria that thrive on minerals in the hydrothermal plumes. |
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