ESS 101 Final Exam 2026/2027 | Complete
Practice Questions & Answers |
Certification Study Guide
The stress rate _______ the strain rate for elastic deformation.
- is greater than
- is less than
- is proportional to
- is variable compared to
- never changes relative to - correct answer-is proportional to
Why do earthquakes occur in the Pacific Northwest?
- near the surface within North American plate
- deep within the Juan de Fuca plate
- along the Cascadia subduction zone
- all of the above - correct answer-all of the above
According to Brian Atwater's research along the Washington coastline, the
recurrence interval of large Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes is ________.
- 3500 years
- 5000 years
- 10,000 years
, - 1,000,000 years
- none of the above - correct answer-none of the above (500 years)
How did geologist determine the exact day of offset on the Cascadia subduction
zone in 1700 AD?
- they counted tree rings of dead cedar trees
- they used radiocarbon dating of buried peat
- they had accurate tsunami logs from Japan that recorded this event
- they had accurate tsunami logs from native Americans that recorded this event
- there were no records of this event - correct answer-they had accurate tsunami
logs from Japan that recorded this event
The Great Lakes basin presently drains through the St. Lawrence River drainage.
Why will the Great Lakes basin eventually drain south through the Mississippi
River drainage?
- the northern Great Lakes area is still isostatically rising and will change the
drainage topography
- the southern Great Lakes area is still isostatically rising and will change the
drainage topography
- the northern Great Lakes area is still isostatically subsiding and will change the
drainage topography
- the southern Great Lakes area is still isostatically subsiding and will change the
drainage topography
- the Niagra escarpment is still tectonically active and is causing the northern
Great Lakes to uplift - correct answer-the southern Great Lakes area is still
isostatically rising and will change the drainage topography
Practice Questions & Answers |
Certification Study Guide
The stress rate _______ the strain rate for elastic deformation.
- is greater than
- is less than
- is proportional to
- is variable compared to
- never changes relative to - correct answer-is proportional to
Why do earthquakes occur in the Pacific Northwest?
- near the surface within North American plate
- deep within the Juan de Fuca plate
- along the Cascadia subduction zone
- all of the above - correct answer-all of the above
According to Brian Atwater's research along the Washington coastline, the
recurrence interval of large Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes is ________.
- 3500 years
- 5000 years
- 10,000 years
, - 1,000,000 years
- none of the above - correct answer-none of the above (500 years)
How did geologist determine the exact day of offset on the Cascadia subduction
zone in 1700 AD?
- they counted tree rings of dead cedar trees
- they used radiocarbon dating of buried peat
- they had accurate tsunami logs from Japan that recorded this event
- they had accurate tsunami logs from native Americans that recorded this event
- there were no records of this event - correct answer-they had accurate tsunami
logs from Japan that recorded this event
The Great Lakes basin presently drains through the St. Lawrence River drainage.
Why will the Great Lakes basin eventually drain south through the Mississippi
River drainage?
- the northern Great Lakes area is still isostatically rising and will change the
drainage topography
- the southern Great Lakes area is still isostatically rising and will change the
drainage topography
- the northern Great Lakes area is still isostatically subsiding and will change the
drainage topography
- the southern Great Lakes area is still isostatically subsiding and will change the
drainage topography
- the Niagra escarpment is still tectonically active and is causing the northern
Great Lakes to uplift - correct answer-the southern Great Lakes area is still
isostatically rising and will change the drainage topography
