MSCI 112 FINAL QUESTIONS VERIFIED ANSWERS
Continents float high because they are - Answers - less dense than the mantle.
Earth exchanges __________ with the rest of the cosmos. - Answers - energy and
mass
Elevation of the ground surface is measured relative to - Answers - sea level
Geologic processes can take place of over times that last from - Answers - seconds to
billions of years
Given the current plate configuration we would expect the distance between which of
the following cites to increase? - Answers - New York and London
How old are the oldest rocks on the ocean floor? - Answers - 200 million years
How thick is the average lithosphere - Answers - 100 km
In which ocean are most of the world's convergent plate margins located? - Answers -
Pacific
Magnetic reversals of Earth's magnetic field are when - Answers - Earth's north and
south poles flip.
Mid-ocean ridges are also referred to as - Answers - spreading centers
Modern seafloor spreading rates range from - Answers - 2 to 15 centimeters per year.
New oceanic crust is created at - Answers - mid ocean ridges
Over time, the size of the inner core will __________ and the size of the outer core will
__________. - Answers - grow, shrink
seismic wave speed increases with - Answers - increasing density and decreasing
temperature.
The Appalachian Mountains formed from an ancient ____________ plate boundary. -
Answers - convergent
The asthenosphere is - Answers - hot and weak
The average density of continental crust is ________ g/cm3. - Answers - 2.8
,The lithosphere is composed of - Answers - the crust and upper mantle
The North American Plate is bounded by ______ plate boundaries. - Answers -
divergent, convergent, and transform
The P wave shadow extends from roughly ___ to roughly ____ distance from an
earthquake's focus. - Answers - 100°; 140°
The three major global geosystems are - Answers - climate system, geodynamo
system, and plate tectonic system.
The typical depth of ocean basins is - Answers - 4 to 5 km.
The width of seafloor isochrons is directly related to - Answers - spreading rate of sea
floor and the frequency of magnetic reversals.
What kind of plate boundary defines the eastern edge of the plate we live on in the
United States? - Answers - mid-ocean rift
What powers Earth's external heat engine? - Answers - solar energy
When a deep-sea trench is located next to a continent, where would you expect to find
active volcanoes? - Answers - on the continent side of the trench
Which of the following plates is moving the fastest - Answers - the Pacific Plate
Which of the following processes is responsible for the recording of the magnetic
reversals on the seafloor? - Answers - thermoremanent magnetism
Which of the following seismic waves will arrive at a seismograph first - Answers - P
Which of the following statements about Earth's core is TRUE? - Answers - The inner
core is solid and the outer core is liquid.
Which of the following minerals does not normally occur in andersite? - Answers -
olivine
What type of minerals are calcite and dolomite - Answers - carbonates
Chunks of rocks that break off from country rocks and fall into magmas are called -
Answers - xenoliths
Where would you expect to find the largest crystals in a lava flow? - Answers - near the
middle of the flow
What is the most common rock forming mineral? - Answers - silica
,The mineral property "cleavage" refers to the - Answers - splitting of a mineral along
planar surfaces.
Which of the following igneous bodies is a concordant intrusive rock? - Answers - sill
Which of the following igneous rocks has the same chemical composition as basalt? -
Answers - gabbro
During metamorphism pressure will ____ the rocks in the direction a force is applied
and ____ in the direction perpendicular to that same force. - Answers - flatten, elongate
Isotopes of an element have different numbers of - Answers - neutrons
How many of the oxygen atoms in the silicate tetrahedron are shared in framework
silicates? - Answers - 4
Metamorphic geologists often refer to the "P-T path" of a particular rock. What does the
"P-T" stand for? - Answers - pressure temperature
At what depth does low-grade metamorphism begin? - Answers - 6-10 km
Which of the following minerals is common in both felsic and mafic igneous rocks? -
Answers - plagioclase feldspar
What is the basic chemical formula for a sheet silicate? - Answers - Si2O5
Which of the following statements regarding the density of minerals is FALSE? -
Answers - Density increases with increasing temperature.
Fluid-induced melting generates magmas in which of the following tectonic settings? -
Answers - subduction zones
For mineral identification purposes, which of the following is the least reliable physical
property? - Answers - color
A sample of marble has deformed brittlely during a laboratory experiment. If we wish our
next sample of marble to deform plastically rather than brittlely, we should conduct the
next experiment at - Answers - higher temperature and higher confining pressure.
If a mineral is allowed to grow without space impediments, then it will develop - Answers
- crystal faces
Which of the following is NOT a mineral in the strictest sense of the definition? -
Answers - ivory
, The main difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks is - Answers - where
they solidify.
The two most common elements in Earth's crust are - Answers - oxygen and silicon.
What will be the charge of an atom containing eight protons, nine neutrons, and 10
electrons? - Answers - -2 (protons minus electrons)
Which of the following BEST describes a rhyolite? - Answers - fine-grained igneous rock
rich in silica
Which of the following statements about feldspar is FALSE? - Answers - Feldspar is a
sheet silicate.
When cleaved, mica breaks through planes of - Answers - interlayer cations
What type of metamorphic rock are commonly used to make roof shingles because of
its ability to split easily into thin sheets along smooth, parallel surfaces? - Answers -
slate
Compared with the mantle beneath a mid-ocean ridge, the mantle above a subduction
zone contains - Answers - more water and melts at a lower temperature.
What metamorphic rock could also be considered a transitional rock between igneous
and metamorphic? - Answers - migmatite
Mantle plumes generate large volumes of ________ magmas - Answers - basaltic
Magma is, by definition, - Answers - molten rock below the surface.
During metamorphism, changes in the bulk composition of a rock occur primarily as a
result of - Answers - reaction with hydrothermal fluids.
Which of the following magma compositions will be produced by partial melting of the
upper mantle? - Answers - mafic
Which of the following rocks is a volcanic rock made up of lithified pyroclastic material? -
Answers - tuff
Which of the following statements about graphite and diamond is FALSE? - Answers -
Graphite and diamond have the same density.
What is the dominant type of bonding in minerals? - Answers - ionic bonding
What type of mineral is pyrite, also known as "fool's gold"? - Answers - sulfide
Continents float high because they are - Answers - less dense than the mantle.
Earth exchanges __________ with the rest of the cosmos. - Answers - energy and
mass
Elevation of the ground surface is measured relative to - Answers - sea level
Geologic processes can take place of over times that last from - Answers - seconds to
billions of years
Given the current plate configuration we would expect the distance between which of
the following cites to increase? - Answers - New York and London
How old are the oldest rocks on the ocean floor? - Answers - 200 million years
How thick is the average lithosphere - Answers - 100 km
In which ocean are most of the world's convergent plate margins located? - Answers -
Pacific
Magnetic reversals of Earth's magnetic field are when - Answers - Earth's north and
south poles flip.
Mid-ocean ridges are also referred to as - Answers - spreading centers
Modern seafloor spreading rates range from - Answers - 2 to 15 centimeters per year.
New oceanic crust is created at - Answers - mid ocean ridges
Over time, the size of the inner core will __________ and the size of the outer core will
__________. - Answers - grow, shrink
seismic wave speed increases with - Answers - increasing density and decreasing
temperature.
The Appalachian Mountains formed from an ancient ____________ plate boundary. -
Answers - convergent
The asthenosphere is - Answers - hot and weak
The average density of continental crust is ________ g/cm3. - Answers - 2.8
,The lithosphere is composed of - Answers - the crust and upper mantle
The North American Plate is bounded by ______ plate boundaries. - Answers -
divergent, convergent, and transform
The P wave shadow extends from roughly ___ to roughly ____ distance from an
earthquake's focus. - Answers - 100°; 140°
The three major global geosystems are - Answers - climate system, geodynamo
system, and plate tectonic system.
The typical depth of ocean basins is - Answers - 4 to 5 km.
The width of seafloor isochrons is directly related to - Answers - spreading rate of sea
floor and the frequency of magnetic reversals.
What kind of plate boundary defines the eastern edge of the plate we live on in the
United States? - Answers - mid-ocean rift
What powers Earth's external heat engine? - Answers - solar energy
When a deep-sea trench is located next to a continent, where would you expect to find
active volcanoes? - Answers - on the continent side of the trench
Which of the following plates is moving the fastest - Answers - the Pacific Plate
Which of the following processes is responsible for the recording of the magnetic
reversals on the seafloor? - Answers - thermoremanent magnetism
Which of the following seismic waves will arrive at a seismograph first - Answers - P
Which of the following statements about Earth's core is TRUE? - Answers - The inner
core is solid and the outer core is liquid.
Which of the following minerals does not normally occur in andersite? - Answers -
olivine
What type of minerals are calcite and dolomite - Answers - carbonates
Chunks of rocks that break off from country rocks and fall into magmas are called -
Answers - xenoliths
Where would you expect to find the largest crystals in a lava flow? - Answers - near the
middle of the flow
What is the most common rock forming mineral? - Answers - silica
,The mineral property "cleavage" refers to the - Answers - splitting of a mineral along
planar surfaces.
Which of the following igneous bodies is a concordant intrusive rock? - Answers - sill
Which of the following igneous rocks has the same chemical composition as basalt? -
Answers - gabbro
During metamorphism pressure will ____ the rocks in the direction a force is applied
and ____ in the direction perpendicular to that same force. - Answers - flatten, elongate
Isotopes of an element have different numbers of - Answers - neutrons
How many of the oxygen atoms in the silicate tetrahedron are shared in framework
silicates? - Answers - 4
Metamorphic geologists often refer to the "P-T path" of a particular rock. What does the
"P-T" stand for? - Answers - pressure temperature
At what depth does low-grade metamorphism begin? - Answers - 6-10 km
Which of the following minerals is common in both felsic and mafic igneous rocks? -
Answers - plagioclase feldspar
What is the basic chemical formula for a sheet silicate? - Answers - Si2O5
Which of the following statements regarding the density of minerals is FALSE? -
Answers - Density increases with increasing temperature.
Fluid-induced melting generates magmas in which of the following tectonic settings? -
Answers - subduction zones
For mineral identification purposes, which of the following is the least reliable physical
property? - Answers - color
A sample of marble has deformed brittlely during a laboratory experiment. If we wish our
next sample of marble to deform plastically rather than brittlely, we should conduct the
next experiment at - Answers - higher temperature and higher confining pressure.
If a mineral is allowed to grow without space impediments, then it will develop - Answers
- crystal faces
Which of the following is NOT a mineral in the strictest sense of the definition? -
Answers - ivory
, The main difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks is - Answers - where
they solidify.
The two most common elements in Earth's crust are - Answers - oxygen and silicon.
What will be the charge of an atom containing eight protons, nine neutrons, and 10
electrons? - Answers - -2 (protons minus electrons)
Which of the following BEST describes a rhyolite? - Answers - fine-grained igneous rock
rich in silica
Which of the following statements about feldspar is FALSE? - Answers - Feldspar is a
sheet silicate.
When cleaved, mica breaks through planes of - Answers - interlayer cations
What type of metamorphic rock are commonly used to make roof shingles because of
its ability to split easily into thin sheets along smooth, parallel surfaces? - Answers -
slate
Compared with the mantle beneath a mid-ocean ridge, the mantle above a subduction
zone contains - Answers - more water and melts at a lower temperature.
What metamorphic rock could also be considered a transitional rock between igneous
and metamorphic? - Answers - migmatite
Mantle plumes generate large volumes of ________ magmas - Answers - basaltic
Magma is, by definition, - Answers - molten rock below the surface.
During metamorphism, changes in the bulk composition of a rock occur primarily as a
result of - Answers - reaction with hydrothermal fluids.
Which of the following magma compositions will be produced by partial melting of the
upper mantle? - Answers - mafic
Which of the following rocks is a volcanic rock made up of lithified pyroclastic material? -
Answers - tuff
Which of the following statements about graphite and diamond is FALSE? - Answers -
Graphite and diamond have the same density.
What is the dominant type of bonding in minerals? - Answers - ionic bonding
What type of mineral is pyrite, also known as "fool's gold"? - Answers - sulfide
