ESS 101 ACTUAL TEST PAPER COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FULL
SOLUTION
●● The _____ mineral group is a major economic source lime for
cement.
Answer: carbonate
●● Meteorites that strike the earth are predominantly composed of
_____?
Answer: iron-nickel and silicate minerals
●● Why are P-waves completely absorbed as they enter the outer core?
Answer: none of the above answers are correct as P-waves are not
completely absorbed in the outer core
●● During differentiation of the earth, heat was generated from _____.
Answer: 1) kinetic energy of impacting planetesimals
2) compressional heating during condensation of planetesimals
3) radioactive heating
●● Why does the Yellowstone hotspot volcanism produce more
explosive volcanic eruptions than the Hawaiian hotspot volcanism?
, Answer: upwelling basaltic magma partially melts the overlying
continental crust producing viscous rhyolitic lava
●● Which of the following bond strength rankings are in the correct
order from weakest to strongest?
Answer: Van der Waal, ionic, covalent
●● How can we best explain the fact that the inner and outer cores are
both composed of metallic iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) yet the outer core is
liquid and the inner core solid?
Answer: the melting temperature for Fe-Ni is lower than the geothermal
gradient temperature in the outer core
●● What type of seismic wave shadow zone is shown on the image
above?
Answer: S-wave
●● How can one best explain the seismic wave properties shown in the
above diagram?
Answer: 1) refraction of seismic wave due to density changes
2) absorption of seismic waves due to phase change from solid to liquid
●● Which of the following answers is not a characteristic of a metal?
Answer: all metals are anions (negatively charged ions)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FULL
SOLUTION
●● The _____ mineral group is a major economic source lime for
cement.
Answer: carbonate
●● Meteorites that strike the earth are predominantly composed of
_____?
Answer: iron-nickel and silicate minerals
●● Why are P-waves completely absorbed as they enter the outer core?
Answer: none of the above answers are correct as P-waves are not
completely absorbed in the outer core
●● During differentiation of the earth, heat was generated from _____.
Answer: 1) kinetic energy of impacting planetesimals
2) compressional heating during condensation of planetesimals
3) radioactive heating
●● Why does the Yellowstone hotspot volcanism produce more
explosive volcanic eruptions than the Hawaiian hotspot volcanism?
, Answer: upwelling basaltic magma partially melts the overlying
continental crust producing viscous rhyolitic lava
●● Which of the following bond strength rankings are in the correct
order from weakest to strongest?
Answer: Van der Waal, ionic, covalent
●● How can we best explain the fact that the inner and outer cores are
both composed of metallic iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) yet the outer core is
liquid and the inner core solid?
Answer: the melting temperature for Fe-Ni is lower than the geothermal
gradient temperature in the outer core
●● What type of seismic wave shadow zone is shown on the image
above?
Answer: S-wave
●● How can one best explain the seismic wave properties shown in the
above diagram?
Answer: 1) refraction of seismic wave due to density changes
2) absorption of seismic waves due to phase change from solid to liquid
●● Which of the following answers is not a characteristic of a metal?
Answer: all metals are anions (negatively charged ions)
