Test Bank For Geology 101 Final. LATEST
UPDATED VERSION 2025 - 2026
What is molten rock beneath the Earth's surface called? - magma
What is the name for a basaltic lava flow that has a ropy folded surface? - pahoehoe
What is the eruption temperature of basaltic lava? - 1000-1200 °C
Which of the following rocks is formed from volcanic ash? - tuff
Solidified fragments of volcanic material ejected into the air are called - pyroclasts
Which of the following volcanic flows moves the most rapidly? - pyroclastic flows
Which of the following volcanic deposits is most likely to form from a mafic lava? - A)flood
basal
t
B)
pahoehoe
C) shield volcano
*D) all of the above*
What determines the slope of a cinder cone? - the maximum angle at which cinders remain stable
What type of volcano has the largest and most violent eruptions? - resurgent calderas
Huge mudflows made up of wet volcanic debris are called - lahars
Most of the world's active volcanoes are located around the edge of which ocean? - the Pacific
Ocea
n
In which of the following tectonic settings do most of the Earth's active volcanoes occur? -
convergent plate boundaries
What types of lavas are erupted at mid-ocean ridges? - basalts
What types of lavas are erupted at convergent plate boundaries? - A) andesites B)
basalts
,C) rhyolites
*D) all of the above*
What is the approximate distance from the surface to the center of the Earth? - 6400 km
How fast do P waves travel through granite? - 6 kilometers per second
Which of the following statements is true? - The S-wave shadow zone is larger than the P-wave
shadow
zone.
Where do P waves travel fastest? - in the lower mantle
46. Continental crust beneath mountains can be up to ___ kilometers thick - 70
The oceanic crust consists mostly of - mafic rocks
Which of the following statements about the Moho (Mohovoricic discontinuity) is false? - The
Moho marks the top of a partially molten layer.
Which of the following marks the boundary between the crust and the mantle? - an increase in P-
wave velocity and a change in rock type
Which of the following regions in the Earth consists primarily of olivine and pyroxene? - the
upper
mantle
Which of the following statements about the asthenosphere is false? - The asthenosphere is
stronger than the
lithosphere.
The boundary between the mantle and the core lies at a depth of approximately - 3000 kilometers
What causes the sharp increases in the velocity of S waves at 400 and 670 kilometers depth in
the mantle? - changes in the mineral structures
What element makes up most of the Earth's core? - iron
According to a recent hypothesis - from which boundary does mantle plumes that feed hot spots
originate?,the core-mantle
boundary
, Which of the following statements about the Earth's core is true? - The inner core is solid and the
outer core is
liquid.
Which of the following minerals is least stable at the Earth's surface? - olivine
Which of the following promotes chemical weathering? - thick soil
Which of the following statements about weathering is false? - The presence of soil slows down
weathering of the underlying
bedrock.
Which of the following minerals - present in a granite, is not altered by chemical
weathering?,quartz
Which of the following minerals is most likely to form a clay mineral during weathering? -
feldspar
Acids enhance chemical weathering. What is the most common natural acid on the Earth's
surface? - carbonic
acid
What happens to the potassium (K) in feldspar during chemical weathering? - It dissolves in
the
water.
Which of the following statements regarding carbon dioxide is true? - Chemical weathering
reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Which of the following is a form of chemical weathering? - dissolution
Which of the following will decrease the rate of chemical weathering of a rock at the Earth's
surface? - decreasing the temperature
Which of the following minerals is most susceptible to oxidation? - pyroxene
Physical weathering is greatest at - high latitudes
What determines the characteristics of a soil? - A) climate
B) type of bedrock
C) length of time the soil has had to develop
*D) all of the above*
UPDATED VERSION 2025 - 2026
What is molten rock beneath the Earth's surface called? - magma
What is the name for a basaltic lava flow that has a ropy folded surface? - pahoehoe
What is the eruption temperature of basaltic lava? - 1000-1200 °C
Which of the following rocks is formed from volcanic ash? - tuff
Solidified fragments of volcanic material ejected into the air are called - pyroclasts
Which of the following volcanic flows moves the most rapidly? - pyroclastic flows
Which of the following volcanic deposits is most likely to form from a mafic lava? - A)flood
basal
t
B)
pahoehoe
C) shield volcano
*D) all of the above*
What determines the slope of a cinder cone? - the maximum angle at which cinders remain stable
What type of volcano has the largest and most violent eruptions? - resurgent calderas
Huge mudflows made up of wet volcanic debris are called - lahars
Most of the world's active volcanoes are located around the edge of which ocean? - the Pacific
Ocea
n
In which of the following tectonic settings do most of the Earth's active volcanoes occur? -
convergent plate boundaries
What types of lavas are erupted at mid-ocean ridges? - basalts
What types of lavas are erupted at convergent plate boundaries? - A) andesites B)
basalts
,C) rhyolites
*D) all of the above*
What is the approximate distance from the surface to the center of the Earth? - 6400 km
How fast do P waves travel through granite? - 6 kilometers per second
Which of the following statements is true? - The S-wave shadow zone is larger than the P-wave
shadow
zone.
Where do P waves travel fastest? - in the lower mantle
46. Continental crust beneath mountains can be up to ___ kilometers thick - 70
The oceanic crust consists mostly of - mafic rocks
Which of the following statements about the Moho (Mohovoricic discontinuity) is false? - The
Moho marks the top of a partially molten layer.
Which of the following marks the boundary between the crust and the mantle? - an increase in P-
wave velocity and a change in rock type
Which of the following regions in the Earth consists primarily of olivine and pyroxene? - the
upper
mantle
Which of the following statements about the asthenosphere is false? - The asthenosphere is
stronger than the
lithosphere.
The boundary between the mantle and the core lies at a depth of approximately - 3000 kilometers
What causes the sharp increases in the velocity of S waves at 400 and 670 kilometers depth in
the mantle? - changes in the mineral structures
What element makes up most of the Earth's core? - iron
According to a recent hypothesis - from which boundary does mantle plumes that feed hot spots
originate?,the core-mantle
boundary
, Which of the following statements about the Earth's core is true? - The inner core is solid and the
outer core is
liquid.
Which of the following minerals is least stable at the Earth's surface? - olivine
Which of the following promotes chemical weathering? - thick soil
Which of the following statements about weathering is false? - The presence of soil slows down
weathering of the underlying
bedrock.
Which of the following minerals - present in a granite, is not altered by chemical
weathering?,quartz
Which of the following minerals is most likely to form a clay mineral during weathering? -
feldspar
Acids enhance chemical weathering. What is the most common natural acid on the Earth's
surface? - carbonic
acid
What happens to the potassium (K) in feldspar during chemical weathering? - It dissolves in
the
water.
Which of the following statements regarding carbon dioxide is true? - Chemical weathering
reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Which of the following is a form of chemical weathering? - dissolution
Which of the following will decrease the rate of chemical weathering of a rock at the Earth's
surface? - decreasing the temperature
Which of the following minerals is most susceptible to oxidation? - pyroxene
Physical weathering is greatest at - high latitudes
What determines the characteristics of a soil? - A) climate
B) type of bedrock
C) length of time the soil has had to develop
*D) all of the above*
