GEOLOGY 1500 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS(RATED A+)
Which of these statements is most consistent with the law of uniformitarianism? -
ANSWER"The present is the key to the past."
Which example below represents relative age dating? - ANSWERAngela is older
than Karen.
Which sphere does the crust of Earth belong to? - ANSWERthe geosphere
Metamorphic rocks are created by _______________. - ANSWERtemperatures hot
enough to change the rock in the solid state without melting it
Internally, the Earth consists of spherical shells with different compositions and
densities. - ANSWERTrue
Compared to the age of Earth accepted as correct today, how did 17th and 18th
century proponents of catastrophism envision the Earth's age? - ANSWERthey
believed Earth to be much younger than current estimates.
The asthenosphere is a relatively cool and rigid shell that overlies the lithosphere. -
ANSWERFalse
______ was an important 18th-century English geologist and proponent of
uniformitarianism. - ANSWERJames Hutton
The doctrine of uniformitarianism implies that the current forces and processes
shaping the Earth have been operating for a very long time. - ANSWERTrue
Describe what happens during the rock cycle. - ANSWERMagma (molten rock) >
cooling and crystallization > Igneous ("fire-formed") rock > weathering,
transportation, and deposition > sediment > compaction and cementation >
sedimentary ("setting" rock) > heat and pressure > metamorphic ("changed form"
rock) > melting
Which statement is not correct? - ANSWERsedimentary rocks may weather to
igneous rocks
The composition of the core of Earth is thought to be _________. - ANSWERsolid
iron-nickel alloy
the asthenosphere is actually a part of the _______ of the Earth. - ANSWERmantle
the _______ is thought to be a liquid, metallic region in the Earth's interior. -
ANSWERouter core
, The current accepted age of Earth is ________ years. - ANSWER4.6 billion years
old
The law of superposition applies primarily to sedimentary rocks and lava flows. -
ANSWERTrue
Which of the following best describes the fundamental concept of superposition? -
ANSWERAny sedimentary deposit accumulates on top of older rock or sediment
layers.
The currently accepted age of Earth is approximately 4.5 million years. -
ANSWERFalse
The _____ division of the geologic time scale is an era of the Phanerozoic eon. -
ANSWERPaleozoic
A scientific theory is a tentative or untested explanation that is proposed to explain
scientific observations. - ANSWERFalse
The ____ forms the relatively cool, brittle plates of plate tectonics. -
ANSWERlithosphere
A ______ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain
scientific observations. - ANSWERtheory
All of the following are possible steps of a scientific investigation except for _____. -
ANSWERassumption of conclusions without prior experimentation or observation.
According to the nebular hypothesis, all of the bodies in the universe evolved from a
rotating cloud of gases and dust about 5 billion years ago. - ANSWERFalse
_______ rocks form by crystallization and consolidation of molten magma. -
ANSWERIgneous
The lithosphere and asthenosphere are both layers of Earth defined by their
composition. - ANSWERTrue
______ rocks always originate at the surface of the solid Earth. -
ANSWERsedimentary
Much of our modeling of Earth's interior comes from the study of seismic or
earthquake waves. - ANSWERTrue
In correct order from the center outward, Earth includes which units? -
ANSWERinner core, outer core, mantle, crust
The ______ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth. - ANSWERbiosphere
& ANSWERS(RATED A+)
Which of these statements is most consistent with the law of uniformitarianism? -
ANSWER"The present is the key to the past."
Which example below represents relative age dating? - ANSWERAngela is older
than Karen.
Which sphere does the crust of Earth belong to? - ANSWERthe geosphere
Metamorphic rocks are created by _______________. - ANSWERtemperatures hot
enough to change the rock in the solid state without melting it
Internally, the Earth consists of spherical shells with different compositions and
densities. - ANSWERTrue
Compared to the age of Earth accepted as correct today, how did 17th and 18th
century proponents of catastrophism envision the Earth's age? - ANSWERthey
believed Earth to be much younger than current estimates.
The asthenosphere is a relatively cool and rigid shell that overlies the lithosphere. -
ANSWERFalse
______ was an important 18th-century English geologist and proponent of
uniformitarianism. - ANSWERJames Hutton
The doctrine of uniformitarianism implies that the current forces and processes
shaping the Earth have been operating for a very long time. - ANSWERTrue
Describe what happens during the rock cycle. - ANSWERMagma (molten rock) >
cooling and crystallization > Igneous ("fire-formed") rock > weathering,
transportation, and deposition > sediment > compaction and cementation >
sedimentary ("setting" rock) > heat and pressure > metamorphic ("changed form"
rock) > melting
Which statement is not correct? - ANSWERsedimentary rocks may weather to
igneous rocks
The composition of the core of Earth is thought to be _________. - ANSWERsolid
iron-nickel alloy
the asthenosphere is actually a part of the _______ of the Earth. - ANSWERmantle
the _______ is thought to be a liquid, metallic region in the Earth's interior. -
ANSWERouter core
, The current accepted age of Earth is ________ years. - ANSWER4.6 billion years
old
The law of superposition applies primarily to sedimentary rocks and lava flows. -
ANSWERTrue
Which of the following best describes the fundamental concept of superposition? -
ANSWERAny sedimentary deposit accumulates on top of older rock or sediment
layers.
The currently accepted age of Earth is approximately 4.5 million years. -
ANSWERFalse
The _____ division of the geologic time scale is an era of the Phanerozoic eon. -
ANSWERPaleozoic
A scientific theory is a tentative or untested explanation that is proposed to explain
scientific observations. - ANSWERFalse
The ____ forms the relatively cool, brittle plates of plate tectonics. -
ANSWERlithosphere
A ______ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain
scientific observations. - ANSWERtheory
All of the following are possible steps of a scientific investigation except for _____. -
ANSWERassumption of conclusions without prior experimentation or observation.
According to the nebular hypothesis, all of the bodies in the universe evolved from a
rotating cloud of gases and dust about 5 billion years ago. - ANSWERFalse
_______ rocks form by crystallization and consolidation of molten magma. -
ANSWERIgneous
The lithosphere and asthenosphere are both layers of Earth defined by their
composition. - ANSWERTrue
______ rocks always originate at the surface of the solid Earth. -
ANSWERsedimentary
Much of our modeling of Earth's interior comes from the study of seismic or
earthquake waves. - ANSWERTrue
In correct order from the center outward, Earth includes which units? -
ANSWERinner core, outer core, mantle, crust
The ______ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth. - ANSWERbiosphere
