MSCI 112 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Lithospheric plates are destroyed in: - Answers - subduction zones
The most common rock-forming minerals in the crust are: - Answers - silicates
Which of the following is NOT associated with divergent plate boundaries? - Answers -
Deep-sea trenches
Where would you expect to find the smallest crystals in a lava flow? - Answers - Near
the top surface of the flow
The North American Plate is bounded by _________ plate boundaries. - Answers -
convergent, divergent, and transform
Which of the following is commonly used to determine the age of seafloor samples
recovered by the deep-sea drilling project? - Answers - Foraminifera fossils
What drives plate tectonics? - Answers - Slab pull and ridge push and mantle
convection
The two most common elements in Earth's crust are: - Answers - oxygen and silicon
The Earth's lithosphere is broken up into approximately _______ large plates. - Answers
- 12
The Great Rift Valley of East Africa is an early-stage - Answers - divergent boundary
The main type of plate boundaries are (proper names only): - Answers - convergent,
transform, divergent
Rocks that form from the solidification of molten rock are called: - Answers - igneous
For a rock of a specific composition, which of the following statements is FALSE? -
Answers - - The amount of partial melt decreases with increasing temperature.
- The melting temperature increases with increasing water content.
Where is the best place to explore the mid-ocean ridge as it comes on land? - Answers
- Iceland
The width of seafloor isochrons is directly related to: - Answers - spreading rate.
, The thickest layer in the Earth is: - Answers - the Mesosphere
The largest igneous bodies that form at depth in Earth's crust are called: - Answers -
batholiths
Which of the following regions in Earth consists primarily of olivine and pyroxene? -
Answers - the upper mantle
The temperature at the center of Earth is approximately: - Answers - 5000°C
As we go deeper in Earth and the pressure increases we encounter minerals with: -
Answers - more compact crystal structures.
Which of the following statements is true? - Answers - S waves cannot transmit through
the outer core.
As seismic waves travel through Earth, they generally - Answers - curve upward due to
refraction.
Which layer in Earth does NOT transmit P waves? - Answers - P waves go through all
layers
What type of rock makes up most of the continents? - Answers - Granite
The process whereby minerals form by cooling from melt is called - Answers -
crystallization
A planet with a small S-wave shadow zone has - Answers - a small liquid core
The silica tetrahedron readily bonds with cations when available because - Answers - it
has a net negative charge.
Geologists have formulated a simple mathematical equation that can predict the depth
of oceans. According to their equation, on what does the water depth primarily depend?
- Answers - age of the seafloor
The P wave shadow extends from roughly _____ to roughly ______ distance from an
earthquake's focus. - Answers - 100°; 140°
Which of the following is NOT part of an ophiolite suite? - Answers - Granitic plutons
When carbonate minerals come in contact with hydrochloric acid (HCl) they often
appear to boil and release _____ gas. - Answers - CO2
Compared with the mantle beneath a mid-ocean ridge, the mantle above a subduction
zone - Answers - Contains more water and melts at a lower temperature.
ANSWERS
Lithospheric plates are destroyed in: - Answers - subduction zones
The most common rock-forming minerals in the crust are: - Answers - silicates
Which of the following is NOT associated with divergent plate boundaries? - Answers -
Deep-sea trenches
Where would you expect to find the smallest crystals in a lava flow? - Answers - Near
the top surface of the flow
The North American Plate is bounded by _________ plate boundaries. - Answers -
convergent, divergent, and transform
Which of the following is commonly used to determine the age of seafloor samples
recovered by the deep-sea drilling project? - Answers - Foraminifera fossils
What drives plate tectonics? - Answers - Slab pull and ridge push and mantle
convection
The two most common elements in Earth's crust are: - Answers - oxygen and silicon
The Earth's lithosphere is broken up into approximately _______ large plates. - Answers
- 12
The Great Rift Valley of East Africa is an early-stage - Answers - divergent boundary
The main type of plate boundaries are (proper names only): - Answers - convergent,
transform, divergent
Rocks that form from the solidification of molten rock are called: - Answers - igneous
For a rock of a specific composition, which of the following statements is FALSE? -
Answers - - The amount of partial melt decreases with increasing temperature.
- The melting temperature increases with increasing water content.
Where is the best place to explore the mid-ocean ridge as it comes on land? - Answers
- Iceland
The width of seafloor isochrons is directly related to: - Answers - spreading rate.
, The thickest layer in the Earth is: - Answers - the Mesosphere
The largest igneous bodies that form at depth in Earth's crust are called: - Answers -
batholiths
Which of the following regions in Earth consists primarily of olivine and pyroxene? -
Answers - the upper mantle
The temperature at the center of Earth is approximately: - Answers - 5000°C
As we go deeper in Earth and the pressure increases we encounter minerals with: -
Answers - more compact crystal structures.
Which of the following statements is true? - Answers - S waves cannot transmit through
the outer core.
As seismic waves travel through Earth, they generally - Answers - curve upward due to
refraction.
Which layer in Earth does NOT transmit P waves? - Answers - P waves go through all
layers
What type of rock makes up most of the continents? - Answers - Granite
The process whereby minerals form by cooling from melt is called - Answers -
crystallization
A planet with a small S-wave shadow zone has - Answers - a small liquid core
The silica tetrahedron readily bonds with cations when available because - Answers - it
has a net negative charge.
Geologists have formulated a simple mathematical equation that can predict the depth
of oceans. According to their equation, on what does the water depth primarily depend?
- Answers - age of the seafloor
The P wave shadow extends from roughly _____ to roughly ______ distance from an
earthquake's focus. - Answers - 100°; 140°
Which of the following is NOT part of an ophiolite suite? - Answers - Granitic plutons
When carbonate minerals come in contact with hydrochloric acid (HCl) they often
appear to boil and release _____ gas. - Answers - CO2
Compared with the mantle beneath a mid-ocean ridge, the mantle above a subduction
zone - Answers - Contains more water and melts at a lower temperature.
