G202 MIDTERM: PHYSICAL
GEOGRAPHY AND EARTH SCIENCE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100%
VERIFIED. JUST RELEASED
1. Which of the following describes the ‘Wadati-Benioff zone’ in the context of plate
tectonics?
A. A zone of shallow-focus earthquakes along a mid-ocean ridge
B. The transition zone between the outer core and the lower mantle
C. A planar zone of seismicity corresponding to a subducting slab
D. The region where mantle plumes originate near the core-mantle boundary
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The Wadati-Benioff zone is a distinct area of seismic activity that
tracks the path of a subducting tectonic plate into the mantle.
2. In Bowen’s Reaction Series, which mineral is the first to crystallize from a cooling mafic
magma?
A. Olivine
B. Biotite
C. Quartz
,D. Muscovite
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Olivine crystallizes at the highest temperatures, making it the
first to form in the discontinuous branch of Bowen’s Reaction Series.
3. Which type of faulting is most likely to occur at a transform plate boundary?
A. Reverse faulting
B. Normal faulting
C. Strike-slip faulting
D. Thrust faulting
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Transform boundaries involve horizontal motion where plates
slide past each other, resulting in strike-slip faults like the San Andreas Fault.
4. What is the primary driver of thermohaline circulation in the global oceans?
A. Corriolis effect and surface winds
B. Lunar tidal forces
C. Density differences caused by temperature and salinity
D. Geothermal heating from the ocean floor
Answer: C
, Conceptual Explanation: Thermohaline circulation is driven by differences in water
density, which is controlled by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline).
5. The principle of ‘Isostasy’ explains which of the following phenomena?
A. The magnetic reversal of the Earth’s poles
B. The vertical adjustment of the lithosphere in response to loading or unloading
C. The lateral movement of continents over geological time
D. The process of mineral replacement in fossilization
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Isostasy refers to the gravitational equilibrium between the
Earth’s lithosphere and asthenosphere, such that the plates ‘float’ at elevations based on
their thickness and density.
6. Which of the following best describes an ‘Arête’?
A. A U-shaped valley carved by a glacier
B. A pyramid-shaped peak formed by headward erosion of cirques
C. A sharp, narrow ridge separating two glacial valleys or cirques
D. A long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An arête is a thin, crest-like ridge of rock which is typically
formed when two glaciers erode parallel U-shaped valleys.
GEOGRAPHY AND EARTH SCIENCE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100%
VERIFIED. JUST RELEASED
1. Which of the following describes the ‘Wadati-Benioff zone’ in the context of plate
tectonics?
A. A zone of shallow-focus earthquakes along a mid-ocean ridge
B. The transition zone between the outer core and the lower mantle
C. A planar zone of seismicity corresponding to a subducting slab
D. The region where mantle plumes originate near the core-mantle boundary
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The Wadati-Benioff zone is a distinct area of seismic activity that
tracks the path of a subducting tectonic plate into the mantle.
2. In Bowen’s Reaction Series, which mineral is the first to crystallize from a cooling mafic
magma?
A. Olivine
B. Biotite
C. Quartz
,D. Muscovite
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Olivine crystallizes at the highest temperatures, making it the
first to form in the discontinuous branch of Bowen’s Reaction Series.
3. Which type of faulting is most likely to occur at a transform plate boundary?
A. Reverse faulting
B. Normal faulting
C. Strike-slip faulting
D. Thrust faulting
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Transform boundaries involve horizontal motion where plates
slide past each other, resulting in strike-slip faults like the San Andreas Fault.
4. What is the primary driver of thermohaline circulation in the global oceans?
A. Corriolis effect and surface winds
B. Lunar tidal forces
C. Density differences caused by temperature and salinity
D. Geothermal heating from the ocean floor
Answer: C
, Conceptual Explanation: Thermohaline circulation is driven by differences in water
density, which is controlled by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline).
5. The principle of ‘Isostasy’ explains which of the following phenomena?
A. The magnetic reversal of the Earth’s poles
B. The vertical adjustment of the lithosphere in response to loading or unloading
C. The lateral movement of continents over geological time
D. The process of mineral replacement in fossilization
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Isostasy refers to the gravitational equilibrium between the
Earth’s lithosphere and asthenosphere, such that the plates ‘float’ at elevations based on
their thickness and density.
6. Which of the following best describes an ‘Arête’?
A. A U-shaped valley carved by a glacier
B. A pyramid-shaped peak formed by headward erosion of cirques
C. A sharp, narrow ridge separating two glacial valleys or cirques
D. A long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An arête is a thin, crest-like ridge of rock which is typically
formed when two glaciers erode parallel U-shaped valleys.
