Geo 1010 Midterm 1

The universe formed about __________ years ago, whereas the solar system formed about __________ years ago.

13\.7 billion; 4.5 billion

Differentiation of the layers early in the Earth’s history was possible because the planet was_______ at the time.

very hot and completely molten

Which of the following is the most abundant METAL element in crust?

Aluminum

The difference between the outer core and the inner core is that

the inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid

Which of the following is the densest layer of the Earth?

core

Why can the atmosphere stay in place and is not blowing away by the solar wind?

Because the magnetic field deflects most of the solar wind

Which of the following statements is correct?

The most abundant element in earth crust is oxygen.

Which of the following is TRUE?

The density of air and the air pressure decrease with increasing elevation.

The difference between the continental and oceanic crust is that _________.

the continental crust is thicker, older and less dense

The difference between the lithosphere and the asthenosphere is that _________.

the lithosphere lies above the asthenosphere and is brittle whereas the asthenosphere lies below the lithosphere and is ductile

A ________ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific observations.

theory

Examine the diagram below that shows a section of Earth's outer layers. Which location contains the oldest rocks that were originally formed at an oceanic ridge?

d

The seafloor magnetic pattern is best described as:

Parallel to and symmetric about ocean ridges

Tectonic plates move about as fast as

fingernails grow

An example of a divergent plate boundary is

the Mid-Atlantic ridge

An example of a result of continent-continent collision is

the Alps

Wegener's idea of continental drift was rejected by American geologists because

he could not conceive of a valid mechanism that would cause continents to shift positions

The age of the oceanic crust_______with increasing distance from a mid-ocean ridge

increases

Marine magnetic anomalies result from sea-floor spreading in conjunction with

magnetic polarity reversals

In the terminology of plate tectonics, an active continental margin is

a continental coastline that coincides with a plate boundary

Which of the following is a mineral?

Snowflake

On Mohs’ hardness scale, ordinary window glass has a hardness of about

5-6

The ability of a mineral to break down along a preferred planar plane is called_______.

Cleavage

Polymorphs are

minerals that have the same chemical composition but different structure

Which mineral reacts readily with hydrochloric acid to produce visible bubbles of carbon dioxide gas?

Calcite (CaCO3)

Which of the following minerals is formed by two-dimensional sheets silicon-oxygen tetrahedron structure?

Muscovite

Which of the following minerals is a silicate?

Plagioclase feldspar ((Ca, Na)AlSi3O8)

Which of the common minerals is a sulfide?

Pyrite (FeS2)

Which of the following minerals is an OXIDE?

Hematite (Fe2O3)

Which of the following minerals is formed by 3-D framework silicon-oxygen tetrahedron structure?

Quartz