GEOL 1340 EXAM 1 ONLINE LYTWYN
CHAPTERS 1-3 COMPREHENSIVE SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEED TO
PASS
◉ The bending of seismic waves when passing through Earth's
interior is due to changes in wave _____ when encountering different
Earth materials. Answer: Velocity
◉ Define: Refraction Answer: The bending of seismic waves when
passing through Earth's interior
◉ What is between the crust and upper mantle? Answer: The Moho
◉ What happens to S-waves as they pass through the
asthenosphere? Answer: S-waves slow down because of the
presence of a few percent partial melt
◉ What happens to P- and S- waves when encountering transition
zones at 400 km and 700 km depths? Answer: they speed up due to
density increases in mantle rock resulting from phase changes in
minerals
,◉ What changes in P- and S-waves occur when encountering the
outer core that lead scientists to conclude that this layer is
composed of liquid iron? Answer: S-waves cannot pass through the
outer core while P-waves slow down significantly when passing
through this layer
◉ The upper mantle is composed largely of a rock called _____
Answer: Peridotite
◉ P-wave shadow zones are regions on Earth's surface where...
Answer: no p-waves are detected by seismometers
◉ Circulation of liquid iron in the outer core is thought to be
responsible for Earth's ______ Answer: magnetic field
◉ What does a figure for most of Earth's surface covered by water
look like? Answer: sand with water over most of sand
◉ What feature exhibits the greatest relief? Answer: mountains
◉ What are characteristics of craton? Answer: includes
metamorphosed igneous rocks originally formed within ancient
subduction zones, contains exposures of the root zones of ancient
mountain ranges that have since mostly been eroded away, includes
, old continental margin sedimentary rocks subsequently
metamorphosed within the collision zone of protocontinents
◉ One way by which continents grow is through addition of igneous
material along (transform plate boundaries/convergent plate
boundaries/divergent plate boundaries/passive continental
margins). Answer: convergent plate boundaries
◉ The following figure illustrates how the root zones of ancient
mountain ranges consisting of igneous and metamorphic rocks
eventually reach the surface. These ancient root zones are most
likely exposed today, where? Answer: within the shield areas of
cratons
◉ What would cause a supercontinent to break apart? Answer:
supercontinent prevents heat in the underlying mantle from
escaping, thus generating upwelling mantle plumes that break the
supercontinent apart
◉ Tensional stress and strain most likely occur along a _________.
Answer: divergent plate boundary
◉ Horizontally-layered sedimentary rocks can be folded into arches
called _____ and troughs known as ________. Answer:
Anticlines/synclines
CHAPTERS 1-3 COMPREHENSIVE SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEED TO
PASS
◉ The bending of seismic waves when passing through Earth's
interior is due to changes in wave _____ when encountering different
Earth materials. Answer: Velocity
◉ Define: Refraction Answer: The bending of seismic waves when
passing through Earth's interior
◉ What is between the crust and upper mantle? Answer: The Moho
◉ What happens to S-waves as they pass through the
asthenosphere? Answer: S-waves slow down because of the
presence of a few percent partial melt
◉ What happens to P- and S- waves when encountering transition
zones at 400 km and 700 km depths? Answer: they speed up due to
density increases in mantle rock resulting from phase changes in
minerals
,◉ What changes in P- and S-waves occur when encountering the
outer core that lead scientists to conclude that this layer is
composed of liquid iron? Answer: S-waves cannot pass through the
outer core while P-waves slow down significantly when passing
through this layer
◉ The upper mantle is composed largely of a rock called _____
Answer: Peridotite
◉ P-wave shadow zones are regions on Earth's surface where...
Answer: no p-waves are detected by seismometers
◉ Circulation of liquid iron in the outer core is thought to be
responsible for Earth's ______ Answer: magnetic field
◉ What does a figure for most of Earth's surface covered by water
look like? Answer: sand with water over most of sand
◉ What feature exhibits the greatest relief? Answer: mountains
◉ What are characteristics of craton? Answer: includes
metamorphosed igneous rocks originally formed within ancient
subduction zones, contains exposures of the root zones of ancient
mountain ranges that have since mostly been eroded away, includes
, old continental margin sedimentary rocks subsequently
metamorphosed within the collision zone of protocontinents
◉ One way by which continents grow is through addition of igneous
material along (transform plate boundaries/convergent plate
boundaries/divergent plate boundaries/passive continental
margins). Answer: convergent plate boundaries
◉ The following figure illustrates how the root zones of ancient
mountain ranges consisting of igneous and metamorphic rocks
eventually reach the surface. These ancient root zones are most
likely exposed today, where? Answer: within the shield areas of
cratons
◉ What would cause a supercontinent to break apart? Answer:
supercontinent prevents heat in the underlying mantle from
escaping, thus generating upwelling mantle plumes that break the
supercontinent apart
◉ Tensional stress and strain most likely occur along a _________.
Answer: divergent plate boundary
◉ Horizontally-layered sedimentary rocks can be folded into arches
called _____ and troughs known as ________. Answer:
Anticlines/synclines
