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Question #1
The science of geology is traditionally divided into two broad areas—physical geology and _________ geology.
A.
oceanography B.
mineralogy C.
tectonic D.
historical E.
none of the above
Question #2
_________ are the remains or traces of prehistoric life.
A.
rocks B.
faults C.
minerals D.
fossils E.
inclusions
Question #3
The accepted age of Earth is about _______ years.
A.
300 million B.
6.4 million C.
4.6 billion D.
895 million E.
3.6 billion
Question #4
In 1795, James __________ published his monumental work, Theory of the Earth.
A.
Henry B.
Smith C.
Playfair D.
Lyell E.
Hutton
Question #5
A scientific ___________ is a preliminary, untested explanation of a natural phenomenon.
A.
guess B.
theory C.
supposition D.
observation E.
hypothesis
Question #6
Which one of the following is NOT one of the four "spheres" that constitute our environment?
A.
exosphere B.
atmosphere C.
hydrosphere D.
lithosphere E.
biosphere
Question #7
The doctrine of _________ is commonly stated as "the present is the key to the past."
A.
exospherism B.
catastrophism C.
continuity D.
uniformitarianism E.
succession
Question #8
The _________ is a hot, weak zone that is capable of gradual flow located within Earth between the depths of 100 and 350 kilometers.
A.
lithosphere B.
core C.
mantle D.
asthenosphere E.
crust
Question #9
The law of _________ states that in layers of undisturbed sedimentary rocks or lava flows, the youngest layer is on top, and the oldest on bottom.
A.
superposition B.
uniformity C.
catastrophism D.
succession E.
layering
Question #10
A scientific __________ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that scientists agree best explains observable facts.
A.
estimate B.
hypothesis C.
supposition D.
theory E.
idea
Question #11
The constructive processes that alter Earth's surface depend upon Earth's internal ___________ as their source of energy.
A.
minerals B.
heat C.
magnetism D.
pressure E.
tectonics
Question #12
Earth's _________ includes the crust and part of the upper mantle.
A.
lithosphere B.
mantle C.
asthenosphere D.
core E.
none of the above
Question #13
In the mid-seventeenth century, Archbishop James ___________ calculated that Earth was created in 4004 B.C.
A.
Smith B.
Ussher C.
Aristotle D.
Lyell E.
Hutton
Question #14
The idea that continents had moved about the face of Earth, proposed in the early 1900s, was referred to as continental ____________.
A.
mechanics B.
locomotion C.
tension D.
drift E.
conveyance
Question #15
Which natural philosophy of the 17th and 18th centuries was based on a firm belief in a very short geologic history for Earth?
A.
catastrophism B.
uniformitarianism C.
exosphereism D.
successionism E.
none of these
Question #16
The term _________ refers to large-scale deformation of Earth's lithosphere.
A.
magma B.
tectonics C.
transform D.
drift E.
lithification
Question #17
The global ocean accounts for nearly ______ percent of Earth's surface.
A.
33 B.
45 C.
66 D.
71 E.
86
Question #18
Which one of the following is NOT one of the solid Earth's principal units?
A.
crust B.
mantle C.
tropopause D.
core E.
none of the above
Question #19
According to the plate tectonics model, Earth's rigid outer shell is broken into large slabs called __________.
A.
ridges B.
convergent zones C.
divergent zones D.
boundaries E.
plates
Question #20
Which one of the following is NOT a type of plate boundary?
A.
transform fault B.
reverse C.
divergent D.
convergent E.
All of these are types of plate boundaries.
Question #21
A typical rate of sea-floor spreading is estimated to be approximately ________ centimeters per year.
A.
2 B.
5 C.
8 D.
10 E.
15
Question #22
A type of plate boundary where plates grind past each other without either generating new crust or consuming old crust is a __________ fault boundary.
A.
parallel B.
reverse C.
convergent D.
transform E.
divergent
Question #23
The regions where oceanic crust is being consumed into Earth's interior are called ___________ zones.
A.
consumption B.
ridge C.
end D.
subduction E.
none of the above
Question #24
Which one of the following is NOT one of the three classes of rocks?
A.
sedimentary B.
igneous C.
amorphous D.
metamorphic E.
None of these are a class of rocks.
Question #25
The thinnest of the three principal units of Earth's interior is the ____________.
A.
core B.
mantle C.
crust D.
all of the above E.
none of the above
Question #26
A force that greatly deforms rocks is
A.
cleavage. B.
conduction. C.
deflation. D.
pressure.
Question #27
The crust or the lithosphere of the Earth
A.
is stable and uniformly stationary in one spot above the Earth's outer core. B.
floats on outer core rock. C.
is cemented to the Moho and does not move. D.
floats on the asthenosphere.
Question #28
Rifts form when
A.
two plates are forced apart. B.
rock beds fold downward. C.
a block between two normal faults slides downward. D.
a hanging wall slides over a foot wall.
Question #29
Isostasy in the Earth occurs because
A.
less dense rocks "float" on rocks which are more dense. B.
pressures of the mantle and crust are opposite, balancing forces. C.
thrust faults act vertically. D.
carbon dioxide is utilized in the formation of plant materials.
Question #30
Igneous rocks form from
A.
sedimentary rocks that cool. B.
metamorphic rock that cools. C.
magma or lava that cools. D.
Melting.
Question #31
Molten Rock that is on the surface of the Earth is called:
A.
magma B.
basalt C.
lava D.
obsidian
Question #32
Sedimentary Rocks are formed from
A.
tremendous heat and pressure over long periods of time. B.
cooling of magma underground. C.
the gluing together of pieces of weathered rock, sand and minerals. D.
the cooling of lava above ground.
Question #33
Metamorphic rocks are formed by
A.
tremendous heat and pressure over long periods of time. B.
cooling of magma underground. C.
the gluing together of pieces of weathered rock, sand and minerals. D.
the cooling of lava above ground.
Question #34
Extrusive Igneous rocks are formed by
A.
tremendous heat and pressure over long periods of time. B.
cooling of magma underground. C.
the gluing together of pieces of weathered rock, sand and minerals. D.
the cooling of lava above ground.
Question #35
Intrusive Igneous rocks are formed by
A.
tremendous heat and pressure over long periods of time. B.
cooling of magma underground. C.
the gluing together of pieces of weathered rock, sand and minerals. D.
the cooling of lava above ground.
Question #36
The driving force that is pulling the continents of Africa and South America apart is
A.
little mice running on a big wheel. B.
geo-thermal-tropism in the core of the earth. C.
convection currents in the asthenosphere. D.
earthquakes in the lower mantle.
This test was made with free online software from
Merex Corporation.
