Questions and Answers
What is sandstone primarily composed of?
Which plate boundary is least likely to be dangerous to humans?
Which of the following is evidence for continental drift?
According to the Wilson Cycle, what process is most likely to occur after a collision?
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What paradigm shift in geology changed the way geologists view the world?
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Which state is known to be the driest in the United States?
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What evidence did Galileo find that proved the Earth could not be the center of the universe?
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How do we determine the location of an earthquake?
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Why did Aristotelian empiricism fall out of favor as science advanced?
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In the scientific method, which step typically follows experimentation and sharing of results?
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Which of these scales is a qualitative measure of seismic shaking?
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What is required for liquefaction to occur during an earthquake?
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What distinguishes continental plates from oceanic plates?
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Which large chunk of geologic time is characterized by a lack of easily found fossils?
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Which of the following is NOT evidence Wegener used to construct the idea of Continental Drift?
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What type of seismic wave is most damaging?
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Which of these is NOT consistent with uniformitarianism?
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What features or processes are common in hot spots?
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Which tectonic setting places the asthenosphere farthest from the surface?
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An increase of one on the Richter scale is equivalent to an increase in actual energy released of:
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How did scientists first figure out that plates could sink into the interior of the planet?
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What feature is associated with crustal divergence?
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Why is science normally a slow process?
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As a rift forms on a continent, what feature can form next?
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What is an advantage of inductive reasoning compared to deductive reasoning?
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What does a water budget compare?
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Study Notes
Geology and Earth Science Concepts
- Sandstone is primarily composed of quartz, which contributes to its durability and common use in construction and art.
- Divergent boundaries, such as mid-ocean ridges, are generally less dangerous to humans compared to convergent and transform boundaries.
- Evidence for continental drift includes matching coastlines, showing how continents were once joined together.
- The Wilson Cycle suggests that rifting typically follows a collision of tectonic plates, leading to the formation of new ocean basins.
Historical Perspectives in Science
- The paradigm shift brought by plate tectonics transformed geological understanding, uniting various theories under one cohesive framework.
- Galileo discovered the phases of Venus and the moons of Jupiter, which contradicted the geocentric model of the universe.
Seismology
- The location of earthquakes is determined through triangulation, using data from multiple seismograph readings.
- The Mercalli scale measures seismic shaking qualitatively, based on observed effects rather than precise calculations.
- Surface waves are the most damaging type of seismic wave, causing the most destruction during an earthquake.
Geological Features and Processes
- Liquefaction during an earthquake requires saturated unconsolidated sediment, leading to potential ground failure.
- Continental plates differ from oceanic plates in that they are generally thicker but less dense, and tend to be more geologically complex.
- The Precambrian era is characterized by a scarcity of easily found fossils, making it a unique geological time frame for studies.
Scientific Method and Reasoning
- The step that typically follows experimentation in the scientific method is peer review, validating results before conclusions are drawn.
- Inductive reasoning allows for broader conclusions from specific observations, providing a more flexible approach than the rigid structure of deductive reasoning.
- The process of science is slow due to the time required for corroborating findings and filtering out misinformation.
Earth’s Physical Features
- Rift formations can eventually lead to the creation of ocean basins as tectonic activity pulls continents apart.
- Features associated with crustal divergence include ocean basins, illustrating the geological activity beneath the Earth's surface.
Tectonic Activity
- Hot spots are primarily characterized by volcanism, representing areas of intense geological activity not necessarily related to plate boundaries.
- The asthenosphere is found deepest below the Earth's surface at continental collisions, influencing tectonic plate motions.
Earthquake Measurement
- A single unit increase on the Richter scale represents a tenfold increase in amplitude and approximately 32 times more energy release.
- Scientists recognized that tectonic plates could sink into the Earth's interior through the study of deep earthquake locations near subduction zones.
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Description
Test your knowledge on geology with this quiz covering plate tectonics, rock types, and evidence for continental drift. Each question is designed to assess your understanding of fundamental geological concepts. See how well you know the Earth’s processes!
