Final (3)

Front 1

1. Relative ages expressed on the geologic time
scale primarily resulted from ___.
a. spatial relationships among igneous rocks
b. spatial relationships of sedimentary rocks
c. radiometric dating of igneous rocks
d. radiometric dating of sedimentary rocks
e. magnetic reversals in igneous rocks

Back 1

b. spatial relationships of sedimentary rocks

Front 2

2. Numerical ages for the geologic time scale
primarily result from _______.
a. spatial relationships among igneous rocks
b. sedimentary rocks
c. radiometric dating of igneous rocks
d. radiometric dating of sedimentary rocks
e. magnetic reversals in igneous rocks

Back 2

c. radiometric dating of igneous rocks

Front 3

3. Climate has changed over geologic time:
a. Gradually towards cooler and drier.
b. Large and frequent swings, with some
extremes of greenhouse and icehouse
conditions periodically.
c. Gradually towards hotter and wetter.
d. Nearly constant for the last 3 billion years.
e. Hot, then cool, and hotter again.

Back 3

b. Large and frequent swings, with some
extremes of greenhouse and icehouse
conditions periodically.

Front 4

4. Isotopes are atoms:
a. related to each other by radioactive decay.
b. of an element that differ by number of
neutrons.
c. of an element that differ by number of
protons.
d. that differ by number of electrons.
e. that differ by number of neutrons.

Back 4

b. of an element that differ by number of
neutrons.

Front 5

5. A mineral containing a radioactive
parent-daughter with a half-life of one billion
years would be how old if the parent was now
1/8 of the daughter in abundance?
a. One half billion
b. One billion
c. Two billion
d. Three billion
e. Four billion

Back 5

d. Three billion

Front 6

6. As understood by modern geologists, the
principle of uniformitarianism implies ___.
a. the Earth has always had the same basic
appearance that it has today, with the
distribution of ocean basins and continents
similar to what we see today
b. igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary
rocks are uniformly mixed throughout the
crust of the Earth
c. physical processes observed today have
been active in the past, and are responsible
for the geologic history we see preserved in
the rock record
d. physical processes observed today have
been occurring throughout Earth history at
constant intensity; for example, no eruption
in geologic time would have been greater
than the Tambora eruption that caused the
“volcanic winter of 1815”
e. the forces of nature are in a harmonious
balance.

Back 6

c. physical processes observed today have
been active in the past, and are responsible
for the geologic history we see preserved in
the rock record

Front 7

7. A supercontinent existed at the end of the
Paleozoic which explains this observation:
a. The global distribution of plant and animal
families that first evolved at that time.
b. A record of glaciation suggesting that all
modern continents were clustered near the
south pole.
c. The alignment of ancient mountain ranges
that fit together when the modern
continents are fitted back together.
d. The alignment of the tropics and deserts at
the northernmost ends of the reassembled
supercontinent.
e. all these observations are correct.

Back 7

e. all these observations are correct.

Front 8

8. If horizontal sedimentary strata overlie tilted
strata (with no fault), the surface between the
horizontal and tilted strata is a(n)___.
a. conformable sedimentary contact
b. angular unconformity
c. disconformity
d. nonconformity
e. paleoconformity

Back 8

b. angular unconformity

Front 9

9. Earth is approximately how old?
a. 13 billion years
b. 4.57 billion years
c. 40 million years
d. 6000 years
e. 4 million years

Back 9

b. 4.57 billion years

Front 10

10. The Hadean is a time in Earth history when:
a. the first abundant shelly organisms appear
in the fossil record.
b. We infer Earth’s interior was so hot that a
solid outer crust, if present, was likely
being extensively remelted -- but no rocks
exist from this Eon.
c. stable continental interiors, termed cratons,
first formed.
d. the dinosaurs appeared and came to
dominate large-scale terrestrial life.
e. the Earth comes to a final explosive end to
its existence.

Back 10

b. We infer Earth’s interior was so hot that a
solid outer crust, if present, was likely
being extensively remelted -- but no rocks
exist from this Eon

Front 11

11. Toward the end of the Archean eon:
a. the first abundant shelly organisms appear
in the fossil record.
b. Earth’s interior was so hot that a solid outer
crust, if present, was likely being
extensively remelted.
c. stable continental interiors, termed cratons,
first formed.
d. the dinosaurs appeared and came to
dominate large-scale terrestrial life.
e. ancient humans first evolved.

Back 11

c. stable continental interiors, termed cratons,
first formed.

Front 12

12. Oxygen is significant in the Earth’s physical
and biological evolution because
a. it is one of the most abundant elements.
b. it seems to be essential for efficient
metabolism and higher life forms.
c. it leads to oxidation of organic matter
d. it leads to oxidation of a number of
important elements, including uranium.
e. all choices are correct.

Back 12

c. it leads to oxidation of organic matter

Front 13

13. The Phanerozoic is important for:
a. The first appearance of life on Earth.
b. The first appearance of humans on Earth.
c. The first appearance of continents on Earth
d. The first appearance of the oceans on Earth
e. None of these choices are correct.

Back 13

b. The first appearance of humans on Earth.

Front 14

14. When did trees first appear on Earth?
a. 400 million years ago, as life began its
significant radiation onto land.
b. 2.4 million years ago, in response to
cooling.
c. 60 million years ago, in response to the
decline of dinosaurs
d. 10,000 years ago, as the Earth recovered
from the last ice age.
e. 4,000 years ago, at the dawn of written
human history.

Back 14

a. 400 million years ago, as life began its
significant radiation onto land.

Front 15

15. The generally accepted scientific theory for the
origin of our Moon involves ____________.
a. impact between Earth and a Mars-sized
body during the Hadean
b. simultaneous formation of Earth and the
Moon in neighboring parts of the solar
system 4.6 billion years ago
c. gravitational capture of the Moon by Earth
during the Hadean
d. gravitational capture of Earth by the Moon
during the Archean

Back 15

a. impact between Earth and a Mars-sized
body during the Hadean

Front 16

16. The free oxygen on Earth is from:
a. volcanic outgassing
b. photosynthesis
c. animal respiration
d. water from the oceans breaking down into
hydrogen and oxygen during evaporation
e. all choices are correct.

Back 16

b. photosynthesis

Front 17

17. Banded-iron formations were abundantly
produced during the ____________.
a. high temperatures of the Archean Eon
b. crustal magmas of the Hadean Eon
c. initial oxidation of Earth’s atmosphere in
the Proterozoic Eon
d. appearance of life in the Paleozoic Era
e. recent post-glacial warming of Earth.

Back 17

c. initial oxidation of Earth’s atmosphere in
the Proterozoic Eon

Front 18

18. Which of the following lists contains only
fossil fuels?
a. coal, oil, natural gas
b. coal, geothermal, wind
c. coal, wood, natural gas
d. hydroelectric, geothermal, wind

Back 18

a. coal, oil, natural gas

Front 19

19. The most commonly used sources of energy in
the United States today are ____________.
a. oil, coal and natural gas
b. oil, coal and hydroelectric
c. oil, coal and hydrothermal
d. oil, coal and nuclear
e. oil, coal, and biomass

Back 19

b. oil, coal and hydroelectric

Front 20

20. In order to produce a commercially viable oil
deposit, there must be a source rock, a reservoir
rock, a seal rock, and a ____________.
a. large fracture connecting the reservoir rock
to the surface of the Earth, so the oil can
move freely toward the surface
b. filter rock—a rock of intermediate
permeability located between the source
and reservoir rocks to remove impurities
c. heater rock—an intrusive igneous rock
beneath the source rock to heat the oil and
give it buoyancy
d. trap—a geologic configuration that forces
oil to pool up and denies it passage to the
surface

Back 20

d. trap—a geologic configuration that forces
oil to pool up and denies it passage to the
surface

Front 21

21. Chemically, oil and gas are all:
a. pure forms of carbon
b. carbohydrates
c. hydrocarbons
d. carbonate minerals
e. graphite compounds

Back 21

c. hydrocarbons

Front 22

22. Oil is derived from the breakdown of organic
matter from once-living ____________.
a. dinosaurs
b. marine plankton
c. terrestrial plants
d. marine animals
e. terrestrial animals

Back 22

b. marine plankton

Front 23

23. A permeable and porous rock, regardless of
lithology, is a good candidate to serve as a
____________ in an oil producing scenario.
a. reservoir rock
b. seal rock
c. source rock
d. trap rock
e. cap rock

Back 23

a. reservoir rock

Front 24

24. Permeability is a measure of ____________.
a. empty space present within a rock
b. the percentage of rock volume comprised of
pores
c. how easily fluids and gases can move
through a rock
d. the stiffness of a rock, or its ability to
maintain its shape

Back 24

c. how easily fluids and gases can move
through a rock

Front 25

25. Most of Earth’s coal deposits were produced:
a. between 350 and 250 million years ago.
b. by accumulation of plankton.
c. between 120 and 60 million years ago.
d. by accumulation of weathered
hydrocarbons
e. between 350,000 and 250,000 years ago

Back 25

a. between 350 and 250 million years ago.

Front 26

26. Which gas is most abundantly produced from
the burning of coal?
a. sulfur dioxide
b. carbon monoxide
c. carbon dioxide
d. oxygen
e. nitrogen

Back 26

c. carbon dioxide

Front 27

27. The world’s widespread use of oil for energy is
likely to end due to an exhaustion of the
resource in about ______ years.
a. 10-20
b. 80-100
c. 1,000-5,000
d. 10,000-100,000
e. Oil is a renewable resource.

Back 27

b. 80-100

Front 28

28. Which of these occurs as a native metal?
a. aluminum
b. copper
c. magnesium
d. none of these choices is correct.
e. zinc

Back 28

b. copper

Front 29

29. Mineral-rich veins near igneous plutons,
deposited by hot groundwater into fractures
within the rock, are sometimes ____________.
a. hydrothermal ore deposits
b. placer ore deposits
c. secondary ore deposits
d. sedimentary ore deposits
e. All choices are correct.

Back 29

a. hydrothermal ore deposits

Front 30

30. MVT (Mississippi-Valley Type) ores are:
a. gold and silver
b. tin
c. copper and bronze
d. lead and zinc
e. uranium

Back 30

d. lead and zinc

Front 31

31. Resources that are renewable:
a. all base metals
b. all nonmetallic minerals
c. iron and aluminum ores
d. Nearly all mineral resources are
non-renewable.
e. Nearly all mineral resources are renewable.

Back 31

d. Nearly all mineral resources are
non-renewable.

Front 32

32. China has nearly a complete monoply on this
material which has many important recently
discovered uses in medicine, commerce,
communications, and warfare..
a. lithium
b. rare earths
c. platinum
d. nickel
e. molybdenum

Back 32

b. rare earths

Front 33

33. The recovery (drilling, mining, etc.) of
geological energy and mineral resources:
a. are usually without major environmental
consequences.
b. are usually at some significant cost to the
environment.
c. are generally evenly distributed around the
Earth.
d. generally reflect a constant value to these
commodities.
e. generally reflect international cooperation
and sharing.

Back 33

b. are usually at some significant cost to the
environment.

Front 34

34. Mountains form in this tectonic environment:
a. Extensional, like Nevada.
b. Compressional, like Tibet.
c. Hot spots, like Hawaii.
d. all of the choices are correct.

Back 34

d. all of the choices are correct.

Front 35

35. In satellite or map view, when the rocks form
long linear bands, with the youngest rocks to the
interior of the bands, these structures are:
a. basins
b. anticlines
c. domes
d. synclines
e. faults

Back 35

d. synclines

Front 36

36. Strike and dip are two of the geometrical
measures of shape associated with:
a. the slope of a volcano.
b. the angular departure of a once horizontal
plane to the modern horizontal plane.
c. the slope of an erosional surface.
d. the angles of cross-beds in a dune relative to
wind direction.

Back 36

b. the angular departure of a once horizontal
plane to the modern horizontal plane.

Front 37

37. A craton is a large area of continental crust that
a. has been stable for a long period of time and
has accumulated sediments that are still
relatively undeformed.
b. represents many different orogenic events
right up to the present.
c. has been produced by a giant meteorite
impact, thus originally formed as a crater.
d. has submerged to below sea-level.
e. is exclusively composed of sedimentary rocks
to great depth.

Back 37

a. has been stable for a long period of time and
has accumulated sediments that are still
relatively undeformed

Front 38

38. Because mountain-building is often associated
with subduction at continental margins:
a. many mountains contain uplifted marine
sediments
b. many mountains contain volcanic rocks
c. many mountains have faults
d. many mountains contain compressive
structures such as folds.
e. all choices are true.

Back 38

e. all choices are true.

Front 39

39. The Appalachian Mountains represent:
a. several collisions of North Africa with North
America
b. the break-up of the super-continent Pangaea.
c. an orogeny that occurred in the past few
million years.
d. an orogeny that occurred in the Archean.
e. a collision between North Africa and Europe.

Back 39

a. several collisions of North Africa with North
America

Front 40

40. Early geologists could not discern the time
required to build a mountain range. What is our
current idea about this length of time?
a. Thousands up to one hundred thousand years.
b. A few (1-2) million years.
c. Tens of millions years
d. Over a billion years.
e. All mountain ranges date back to before we
can measure time accurately.

Back 40

c. Tens of millions years