Earth Science Test Bank Questions: Ch. 6
Each student needs to add 10 test questions to this document: three lower level MCQ, three
high level MCQs, one lower level short answer, one higher level short answer, one lower level
essay question, and one higher level essay question.
Lower-level MCQ
1. There are currently more than ___ active volcanoes around the world
a. 1,499
b. 1,400
c. 1,550
d. 1,500
2. What does the Volcano Explosivity Index (VEI) measure?
a. Measure volumes of magma
b. Measures volume of erupted material
c. Measures volcanoes on a scale of 1-8
d. Measures the volume of explosives from the volcano
3. What kind of volcano is typically 100km across, has broad and gentle slopes, and has
low-viscosity lava flows?
a. Stratovolcanoes
b. Cinder cone
c. Shield
d. Caldera
Higher-level MCQ
1. The Chugach Mountains in Alaska were initially formed by accretion along an oceanic
continental margin, leading to sediment buildup. What happened next to help form the
mountains?
a. Sinking oceanic plate pushes against sediment buildup, causing it to fold
against the continent
b. Compression occurs at oceanic continental plate boundaries, causing
deformation of the Earth’s crust
c. Two continental plates start moving toward each other and collide
d. A continental plate sinks under another, causing mountains to form
2. The Earth’s gravitational pull, around 9.8 m/s2, must be accounted for when determining
how tall a mountain can become. What would happen if the gravitation pull was greater
than this value?
a. They would grow taller
b. They would grow smaller
c. There would be no difference
d. They wouldn’t grow at all
3. You’re given a map of the world with convergent plate boundaries outlined. Using what
you know about volcanoes, deduce where you could find active volcanoes in relation to
the boundaries mapped.
, a. More active volcanoes would be located closer to the convergent boundary
b. Less active volcanoes would be located closer to the convergent boundary
c. More active volcanoes would be scattered around a convergent boundary
d. More active volcanoes would be located near the edges of a convergent
boundary
Lower-level short answer
1. Describe what silica is and what it’s composed of.
Higher-level short answer
1. Explain why mountains do not grow taller and cannot reach close to the calculated
maximum of 45 km.
Lower-level matching
1. Match the terms to the definitions provided in the word bank
a. Basaltic magma 1. 80% of all magma
b. Rhyolitic magma 2. Melting continental crust
c. Andesitic magma 3. Intermediate silica
Higher-level essay question
1. Imagine that you are studying a random sample of magma from a volcano. Deduce what
methods you would use to determine what kind of magma this is, including common
characteristics of various magma types. Compare and contrast to determine why or why
not the magma fits under a category.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1) Currently, more than _______ volcanoes around the world are classified as active.
a) 2,000
b) 200
c) 150
d) 1,500
2) What are the three common types of magma?
a) Basaltic, andesitic, and rhyolitic
b) Igneous, rhyolitic, and sedimentary
c) Andesitic, sedimentary, and basaltic
d) None of the above
3) What is the term used to describe limited melting, involving only some minerals?
a) Partial melting
b) Melting point
c) Medium melting
d) Half melting
, 4) Scientists are monitoring volcanic activity along the Ring of Fire. Given that this region
is defined by convergent plate boundaries, what geological events and processes would
you expect to observe, and how could these contribute to long-term landscape changes?
a) Minimal volcanic activity
b) Earthquakes
c) Gradual seafloor spreading
d) Frequent volcanic eruptions
5) Following Mount St. Helens' eruption, tephra of various sizes was released into the sky.
What are the effects on the environment and human activities of these different tephra
particle sizes?
a) While smaller particles would disperse across a larger area and impact agriculture
and air quality, larger tephra would have a more focused effect.
b) Similar harm would be done by both large and small tephra particles, mostly by
destroying plant life.
c) Since huge tephra particles settle quickly and have less of an influence on the
atmosphere, only smaller particles would be harmful to the environment.
d) While tiny tephra particles would remain afloat and could eventually contribute to
climate change, larger particles would settle more quickly.
6) How might the composition and layering of these volcanoes affect the dynamics of the
immediate eruptions as well as the long-term evolution of the volcanic landscape, given
the violent eruption style of stratovolcanoes near convergent plate boundaries?
a) A stable, predictable landscape is produced by the alternating layers of pyroclastic
flow deposits and lava flows, which support both slow lava dome production and
explosive eruptions.
b) The nature of stratovolcanoes results in periodic debris eruptions that have the
potential to drastically alter the surrounding landscape, but over time, their
stacking may aid in the volcano's stabilization.
c) Stratovolcanoes are more likely to collapse during eruptions because of the layers
of pyroclastic deposits and lava, which increases the likelihood of landslides and
long-term topographical alterations.
d) Stratovolcanoes are prone to rapid erosion, losing their cone-like structure and
leaving behind only slight topographical alterations because
True/False Questions:
7) Hotter magma flows more easily than cooler magma.
a) True
b) False
8) Acid rain is caused by pollution in the streams and rivers.
a) True
b) False
Short Answer:
Each student needs to add 10 test questions to this document: three lower level MCQ, three
high level MCQs, one lower level short answer, one higher level short answer, one lower level
essay question, and one higher level essay question.
Lower-level MCQ
1. There are currently more than ___ active volcanoes around the world
a. 1,499
b. 1,400
c. 1,550
d. 1,500
2. What does the Volcano Explosivity Index (VEI) measure?
a. Measure volumes of magma
b. Measures volume of erupted material
c. Measures volcanoes on a scale of 1-8
d. Measures the volume of explosives from the volcano
3. What kind of volcano is typically 100km across, has broad and gentle slopes, and has
low-viscosity lava flows?
a. Stratovolcanoes
b. Cinder cone
c. Shield
d. Caldera
Higher-level MCQ
1. The Chugach Mountains in Alaska were initially formed by accretion along an oceanic
continental margin, leading to sediment buildup. What happened next to help form the
mountains?
a. Sinking oceanic plate pushes against sediment buildup, causing it to fold
against the continent
b. Compression occurs at oceanic continental plate boundaries, causing
deformation of the Earth’s crust
c. Two continental plates start moving toward each other and collide
d. A continental plate sinks under another, causing mountains to form
2. The Earth’s gravitational pull, around 9.8 m/s2, must be accounted for when determining
how tall a mountain can become. What would happen if the gravitation pull was greater
than this value?
a. They would grow taller
b. They would grow smaller
c. There would be no difference
d. They wouldn’t grow at all
3. You’re given a map of the world with convergent plate boundaries outlined. Using what
you know about volcanoes, deduce where you could find active volcanoes in relation to
the boundaries mapped.
, a. More active volcanoes would be located closer to the convergent boundary
b. Less active volcanoes would be located closer to the convergent boundary
c. More active volcanoes would be scattered around a convergent boundary
d. More active volcanoes would be located near the edges of a convergent
boundary
Lower-level short answer
1. Describe what silica is and what it’s composed of.
Higher-level short answer
1. Explain why mountains do not grow taller and cannot reach close to the calculated
maximum of 45 km.
Lower-level matching
1. Match the terms to the definitions provided in the word bank
a. Basaltic magma 1. 80% of all magma
b. Rhyolitic magma 2. Melting continental crust
c. Andesitic magma 3. Intermediate silica
Higher-level essay question
1. Imagine that you are studying a random sample of magma from a volcano. Deduce what
methods you would use to determine what kind of magma this is, including common
characteristics of various magma types. Compare and contrast to determine why or why
not the magma fits under a category.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1) Currently, more than _______ volcanoes around the world are classified as active.
a) 2,000
b) 200
c) 150
d) 1,500
2) What are the three common types of magma?
a) Basaltic, andesitic, and rhyolitic
b) Igneous, rhyolitic, and sedimentary
c) Andesitic, sedimentary, and basaltic
d) None of the above
3) What is the term used to describe limited melting, involving only some minerals?
a) Partial melting
b) Melting point
c) Medium melting
d) Half melting
, 4) Scientists are monitoring volcanic activity along the Ring of Fire. Given that this region
is defined by convergent plate boundaries, what geological events and processes would
you expect to observe, and how could these contribute to long-term landscape changes?
a) Minimal volcanic activity
b) Earthquakes
c) Gradual seafloor spreading
d) Frequent volcanic eruptions
5) Following Mount St. Helens' eruption, tephra of various sizes was released into the sky.
What are the effects on the environment and human activities of these different tephra
particle sizes?
a) While smaller particles would disperse across a larger area and impact agriculture
and air quality, larger tephra would have a more focused effect.
b) Similar harm would be done by both large and small tephra particles, mostly by
destroying plant life.
c) Since huge tephra particles settle quickly and have less of an influence on the
atmosphere, only smaller particles would be harmful to the environment.
d) While tiny tephra particles would remain afloat and could eventually contribute to
climate change, larger particles would settle more quickly.
6) How might the composition and layering of these volcanoes affect the dynamics of the
immediate eruptions as well as the long-term evolution of the volcanic landscape, given
the violent eruption style of stratovolcanoes near convergent plate boundaries?
a) A stable, predictable landscape is produced by the alternating layers of pyroclastic
flow deposits and lava flows, which support both slow lava dome production and
explosive eruptions.
b) The nature of stratovolcanoes results in periodic debris eruptions that have the
potential to drastically alter the surrounding landscape, but over time, their
stacking may aid in the volcano's stabilization.
c) Stratovolcanoes are more likely to collapse during eruptions because of the layers
of pyroclastic deposits and lava, which increases the likelihood of landslides and
long-term topographical alterations.
d) Stratovolcanoes are prone to rapid erosion, losing their cone-like structure and
leaving behind only slight topographical alterations because
True/False Questions:
7) Hotter magma flows more easily than cooler magma.
a) True
b) False
8) Acid rain is caused by pollution in the streams and rivers.
a) True
b) False
Short Answer:
