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Exam
Name___________________________________
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
The energy released by a magnitude 8 quake on the Richter scale is how many times greater than
that of a magnitude 6 quake?
What type of convergent boundary associated with orogeny is illustrated here?
Continental plate–continental plate collision
Oceanic plate–oceanic plate collision
Oceanic plate–continental plate collision
Increased seismicity in Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma has been linked to
a continental plate–continental plate subduction zone.
a rift valley hot spot in the mid–continental region.
injection wells associated with hydraulic fracturing.
An earthquake is best described as
The point within Earth where seismic waves originate.
The amount of ground displacement along a fault.
the sharp release of energy in Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves.
The amount of stress rocks along plate boundaries experience.
Normal faults are associated with
Volcanic activity generally does NOT occur
in association with hot spots over plumes in the mantle.
along subduction boundaries.
in association with plutons.
along sea–floor spreading centers.
The horizontal line that defines the portion of the anticline or syncline with the maximum
curvature is known as the
Within the United States, which area has the highest earthquake hazards?
The Wrangellia terranes refer to
a former volcanic island arc that migrated 10,000 km (6200 mi.) to its present location along
the western margin of North America.
pieces of crust that moved with the Pacific plate to their present location near Japan.
a mountain range that became part of the Himalayas.
a terrane in southern Tibet that migrated to the region during the Paleozoic from Australia.
________ applies to upward–faulted blocks, whereas ________ applies to downward–faulted
blocks.
The most detailed order of relief applies to ________ order relief features.
Which of the following is NOT used to rate an earthquake on the moment magnitude scale?
The nature of the ground materials affected by the quake
The amount of fault slippage that occurred
The amount of death and destruction that occurred
The size of the subsurface or surface area that ruptured
The average elevation of the depth of the oceans is
The average elevation of the exposed land is
Compressional stress along a fault resulting in rocks moving upward along the fault plane is an
example of a
The Zagros mountains of Iran is an example of
a zone of shearing motions.
a series of faulted mountain blocks.
a zone of compression and folding.
The Basin and Range Province in the western United States is a result of ________ faulting
produced by ________ forces.
Which of the following is NOT one of the three types of tectonic activity that causes orogenesis
along convergent boundaries?
Oceanic plate–oceanic plate collision
Continental plate–continental plate collision
Oceanic plate–continental plate collision
Oceanic plate–continental plate collision, oceanic plate–oceanic plate collision, and
continental plate–continental plate collision are all correct.
Volcanic activity located away from plate boundaries is associated with
subduction and melting of plates along collision zones.
________ provides the highest resolution for mapping Earth’s surface.
Passive remote sensing platforms, such as Landsat 8,
If one were to stack thick fabric on top of one another, then push the opposite ends towards one
another, resulting and bending and rumpling, this would illustrate what physical process?
Folded layers of rock can form a wavelike pattern of troughs and crests. The layers near the crest
(i.e. the upward fold) form
Which of the following is a cause of warping?
Mantle convection, hot spots, and isostatic adjustment all cause warping.
The phrase “considerable–to–serious damage to buildings” would be used in the ________ scale.
Modified Mercalli Intensity
Which of the following is an example of a first order of relief?
A ________ occurs when the fault plane forms a low angle relative to the horizontal, resulting in the
overlying block being shifted over the underlying block.
A
A continental craton is best described as
the inactive remains of ancient tectonic activity.
the product of active folding and faulting.
the surface accumulation of molten rock.
a landform undergoing constant tectonic activity.
The concept of “orders of relief” refers to
the ordering of surface features based on height.
the ordering of surface features based on their time of origin.
the rate at which stress is relieved in the crust.
the classification of landscapes based on scale.
A gently sloping mountain landform built from effusive eruptions is known as a
Warping produces bends in rocks that are ________ those produced by folding.
The variety of surface features on Earth results from
endogenic processes only.
Both endogenic and exogenic processes.
Large, basin–shaped depressions that form when summit materials on a volcanic mountain
collapse inward after an eruption or loss of magma are known as
What type of convergent boundary associated with orogeny is illustrated here?
Oceanic plate–oceanic plate collision
Oceanic plate–continental plate collision
Continental plate–continental plate collision
Circular surface depressions usually found at or near the summit of a volcano are known as
The subsurface area where the motion of seismic waves is initiated along the fault plane is called
the
The six types of topographic regions are defined based on
logarithmic relationships applied to elevation.
arbitrary elevation or other descriptive criteria in common use.
local criteria that have never been universally recognized.
complex statistical analyses of surface relief variation across the surface of Earth.
A large region identifiable by several topographic or geological traits is known as a
the beginning of extensive faulting.
the formation of mountains without faulting, folding, or the capture of migrating terranes.
a general thinning of the crust.
a general term for a mountain–building episode that thickens continental crust.
Folded layers of rock can form a wavelike pattern of troughs and crests. The layers near the trough
(i.e. downward fold) form
When lateral shear causes horizontal movement along a fault plane, the resulting fault is called a
Which of the following is NOT correct regarding terranes?
They can move thousands of miles from their place of origin.
They are framed by fracture zones.
They are very similar in composition to the continents to which they attach.
They are smaller–scale migrating crustal pieces; i.e., microplates.
They may accrete onto continents and thereby increase the size of the continents.
A
Which of the following is an example of a third order of relief?
An active volcano is defined as one that
exhibits activity indicative of an imminent eruption.
has erupted at least once within recorded history
has erupted at least once within the past century.
has erupted at least once within the past decade.
Effusive eruptions are NOT related to which of the following?
Magma with a 50–75 percent silica content, high in aluminum
Magma rich in iron and magnesium
The volcanic activity in Hawaii
Vertical elevation differences in a local landscape are referred to as
What type of convergent boundary associated with orogeny is illustrated here?
Continental plate–continental plate collision
Oceanic plate–oceanic plate collision
Oceanic plate–continental plate collision
Which of the following shows the general sequency of an orogeny?
Weathering and/or erosionupliftthickening of crust through accretion or magma intrusion
Thickening of crust through accretion or magma intrusionweathering and/or erosionuplift
Thickening of crust through accretion or magma intrusionupliftweathering and/or erosion
Upliftthickening of crust through accretion or magma intrusionweathering and/or erosion
The study of plate boundaries and the frequency of past earthquakes in order to forecast
earthquakes is known as
C
Explosive eruptions tend to build up
many subsequent lava flows.
The general term that describes subducted oceanic crusts that incorporate seawater and sediments
is
The measurement of land elevation relative to sea level is known as
Strain, the amount of deformation undergone by an object, is expressed in rocks by
a graph that shows the change in temperature with depth below the surface of a continent.
a graph that shows the change in temperature with depth below the surface of the ocean floor.
a graph that shows Earth is of relatively high relief.
a graph that shows Earth’s relief is great when compared to its diameter.
a generalized curve showing Earth’s surface by area and elevation in relation to sea level.
The San Andreas system in California is an example of a
both a strike–slip and transform fault.
Which of the following is CORRECT regarding the moment magnitude scale?
It is a closed scale that begins at 0.0 and ends at 10.0.
It is a scale of magnitude based on arithmetical progressions (1,2,3,4, etc.).
It considers the amount of fault slippage produced by the earthquake, the size of the surface
(and subsurface) area that ruptured, and the nature of the materials that faulted.
It is the same as the Mercalli scale.
A topographic region that is characterized by local relief of more than 600 m (2,000 ft) is a
Which of the following most accurately describes the current status of volcano forecasting?
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo was the impetus for the Volcano Disaster Assistance
Program (VDAP).
Integrated seismographic networks and monitoring play an important role in early warning
systems for volcanic activity.
Scientists have hypothesized that early warning systems are possible, but none have been
developed yet.
Forecasting volcanoes is not possible given the abrupt nature of explosions.
The relatively young mountains along the western margins of the North America and South
America plates are referred to as the
Eurasian–Himalayan system.
An effusive eruption ________, whereas an explosive eruption ________.
produces composite volcanoes; is an outpouring of low–viscosity magma onto the ground
is a violent explosion of magma, gas, and pyroclastics; produces shield volcanoes
produces composite volcanoes; produces shield volcanoes
is an outpouring of low–viscosity magma onto the ground; is a violent explosion of magma,
gas, and pyroclastics
The Appalachians formed as a result of the
The general term for the undulations and other variations in the shape of Earth’s surface is called
Molten rock that pours forth on Earth’s surface is called
What is the expected number of an M 5–5.9 or Mercalli V–VII earthquakes per year?
Which of the following properly describes the formation of continental crust?
All continental crust was formed millions of years ago. There is no active continental crust
being formed.
New continental crust is formed essentially in the same many as oceanic crustfrom
upwelling at mid–continental ridges.
The formation of continental crust involves the entire sequence of seafloor spreading,
subduction, remelting of oceanic crust, and subsequent rise of the remelted material.
The formation of continental crust is independent of the formation of oceanic crust, involving
only volcanism over the land masses.
When rock strata are strained beyond their ability to remain an intact unit, displacement occurs in a
process known as
A seismic gap refers to an area that
is overdue for an earthquake, based on past earthquake frequency.
has had tectonic plates separate, leaving large cracks in the surface.
has significant surface fracturing due to fault movement.
is lacking seismometers or other measuring devices.
A topographic region that is characterized by local relief of more than 100 m (325 ft.), but less than
600 m (2000 ft.), is considered a
Large portions of North and South America, Asia, and Australia are dominated by which
topographic region?
An earthquake that occurs in association with anthropogenic activity, such as waste water injection
wells, is known as
an earthquake. (There is no special name for such an implausible event.)
Small surface irregularities along a fault plane that prevent movement and are generally areas of
high strain are termed
The slight increase in rock volume produced by small cracks that form under stress and
accumulated strain is known as
Which of the following is an example of the tools scientists use to study topography?
LiDAR, radar, and GPS are all used in the study of topography.
Fault types are differentiated by
the tilt and orientation of the fault plane.
the type of rock material in which they occur.
the amount of movement along the fault plane.
the amount of energy liberated during movement.
A topographic region that is characterized by local relief of less than 100 m (325 ft.) is considered a
Tensional stress along a fault can result in a dropped hanging–wall block relative to the footwall
side, producing a
What is the expected number of an M 8.0 or Mercalli XII earthquakes per year?
Which of the following is INCORRECTLY matched?
Compression shortening or folding
Tension stretching or faulting
Shearing stretching or faulting
subducted oceanic crust that is melted and later reaches the surface in volcanic eruptions or
cools in the subsurface as an intrusive body.
fragmented crustal material from one plate and accreted to another plate.
a large region where a craton is exposed at the surface.
the topography of a tract of land.
Large areas of depressions are found in
The nucleus of old crystalline rock in each of the principal continental masses is called a
continental shield, or craton.
An exposed fault plane with significant vertical extent is known as
Africa is dominated by which topographic region?
Large areas of high tablelands are found in
Small conical–shaped hills with truncated tops that formed during moderately explosive volcanic
eruptions are known as
The vertical relief of Earth (highest point to lowest point) is approximately
Pulverized rock and clastic materials ejected violently during an eruption are called
An instrument used to record vibrations in the crust is the
The area at the surface directly above the subsurface location where seismic waves are initiated is
termed the
Which of the following is an example of a second order of relief?
The Canadian and American Rockies
TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if the statement is false.
Modern technologies, such as GPS, LiDAR, and radar are important tools for studying Earth’s
topography.
The San Andreas fault is principally the result of compressional stress.
B
Radon gas emissions and changes in the magnetic field are some of the phenomena that often occur
prior to a quake.
Scientists have been able to accurately forecast earthquakes for approximately a decade.
Oceanic trenches form when one oceanic plate collides with another oceanic plate.
The elastic–rebound theory explains what happens to Earth’s plates during an earthquake.
The Basin and Range Province of the interior western United States is a type of horst–and–graben
topography.
The first order of relief is the most detailed order and includes mountains, cliffs, valleys, hills, and
other landforms.
Earth’s landscapes are generalized to 12 topographic regions, each defined based on specific,
statistical criteria.
A tall, conically–shaped volcanic peak is generally the result of effusive eruptions.
Amplitude is the height of a seismic wave and is directly related to the amount of ground
movement.
Whereas mountains occur on every continent, depressions (basins) only occur in Asia and Africa.
In an oceanic plate–continental plate collision, denser continental crust dives beneath oceanic crust.
A seismic gap refers to ruptures in the land surface that result from an earthquake.
A normal fault is associated with compressional stress.
Oil and natural gas tend to concentrate in the low areas of a fold; i.e., near the bottom of a syncline.
Landscapes are grouped into orders of relief by scale, from continents and ocean basins to
individual landforms.
Shortening or folding of the crust is produced by strain caused by tension.
An orogeny is usually caused by large–scale deformation and uplift of crust.
Cratons are generally of low elevation and old in age.
Terranes refer to the topography of a tract of land.
History seems to teach us that humans are generally unable or unwilling to perceive hazards in a
familiar environment.
A reassessment of pre–1993 earthquakes using the moment magnitude scale has increased the
rating of all earthquakes based on the Richter scale.
The Hawaiian Islands are near one end of a hot–spot track that stretches to the Aleutian Islands.
Compressional forces associated with converging plates produce blocks that move upward relative
to the footwall block; this is called a thrust or reverse fault.
Tension creates stretching and results in thinning crust.
The Appalachian Mountains are older than the Rocky Mountains.
Explosive eruptions produce composite volcanic peaks.
The relief from Earth’s highest point to its lowest point is approximately 50 km (31 mi).
The Alps is an example of the second order of relief.
An earthquake with a high rating on the moment magnitude scale can receive a low rating on the
Mercalli scale.
A thrust fault is associated with compressional stress.
An active volcano is one that has erupted at least once in the last 25 years.
Earthquakes associated with human activity, such as waste water injection wells, are known as
induced seismicity.
Geologically speaking, the continents began forming relatively recently.
Crater Lake in southern Oregon is an example of a caldera.
The Richter scale replaced the moment magnitude (M) scale for measuring earthquake magnitude.
In a reverse fault, the hanging wall moves upward relative to the footwall.
The Sierra Nevada and Grand Tetons are examples of tilted–fault–block mountain systems.
Terranes often differ in rock composition and structure from the continental plate to which they
accreted.
Individual mountains, cliffs, valleys, hills, and other landforms are examples of third order of relief.
A playa is a dry lakebed characterized by an area of salt crust left behind by evaporation of water.
Paleoseismology estimates expected earthquake activity based on past earthquake activity.
In a normal fault, the hanging wall drops (moves downward) relative to the footwall.
The average elevation of all Earth’s surface is slightly above sea level at this time in Earth’s history.
A continental shield is a large region where a craton is exposed at the surface.
Orogens are remarkably well correlated with the plate tectonics model.
The magnitude of some aftershocks rival that of the main earthquake.
The measurement of land elevations relative to sea level is known as hypsometry.
Extensive plains are found in North and South America, Asia, and Australia.
Human populations are growing in areas prone to seismic activity and near active volcanoes.
Orogenesis may begin with the capture of migrating terranes.
Folding occurs when rocks are deformed as a result of compressional stress and shortening.
Prior to the invention of seismometers, damage to terrain and structures and severity of shaking
were used to assess an earthquakes size.
The topography of Earth’s surface has had relatively little influence on human activities and
culture.
ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper.
Compare and contrast explosive and effusive eruptions. Include their locations, the chemical composition of the
magma, and the landforms they typically produce.
Discuss the process and causes of folding and distinguish between anticline and syncline.
Draw and label a simple sketch showing common folded landscape features.
Describe various volcanic landforms.
Define and distinguish between the following: epicenter, focus, foreshock, aftershock.
Draw and label a diagram of the three types of convergent plate boundaries and their typical orogenies.
Describe the three orders of relief and give one example of each.
Describe the creative forces and typical characteristics of the three major types of faults.
Describe the typical formation and characteristics of a continental shield.
What are the different ways of measuring the intensity and/or effects of earthquakes? Which do you think is
best, and why?
Discuss the seismic hazards in your area. Are these tectonically driven or induced seismicity?
Discuss why short term predictions of earthquakes are not yet entirely reliable, while volcanoes are more easily
predicted.
Draw and label a simple sketch showing the three major types of faults.