Geology Unit Pretest

1. Mid-ocean ridges are

A) found in all of Earth's ocean's.
B) located along the coast.
C) found only in the Pacific Ocean.
D) long deep-ocean trenches.

2. Most geologists think that the movement of Earth's plates is caused by

A) conduction.
B) convection currents.
C) Earth's magnetic field.
D) earthquakes.

3. A place where two plates slide past each other, moving in opposite directions, is known as a

A) rift valley.
B) convergent boundary.
C) divergent boundary.
D) transform boundary.

4. 4. Where can most earthquake epicenters and volcanoes be found?

A) At the equator
B) At plate boundaries
C) At the North Pole

5. What type of earthquake wave can travel through solids, liquids, and gases?

A) rift valley.
B) s waves
C) surface waves
D) p waves.

6. If geologists detect small earthquakes in an area near a volcano, what can they infer about the volcano?

A) It is extinct.
B) It is dormant.
C) It is a good source of energy.
D) It is probably ready to erupt.

7. Sedimentary rocks are _____.

A) formed from already existing rocks that are weathered and eroded
B) a type of foliated igneous rock
C) formed by great heat
D) formed below Earth’s surface as magma

8. What is the correct order of the Earth's layers (starting at the surface)?

A) outer core, mantle, inner core , crust
B) crust, outer core, mantle, inner core
C) mantle, core, crust, inner core
D) crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

9. Before lava reaches the surface, the molten material is called

A) volcanic ash.
B) magma.
C) fire.
D) rock.

10. The place where two plates collide or compress together is known as a

A) transform boundary.
B) rift valley.
C) divergent boundary.
D) convergent boundary.

11. The process by which the ocean floor sinks beneath a deep-ocean trench and back into the mantle is known as

A) continental drift.
B) convention.
C) subduction.
D) conduction.

12. During sea-floor spreading, molten material rises from the mantle and erupts

A) at the north and south poles.
B) along the edges of the coast.
C) along mid-ocean ridges.
D) along the edge of the continents.

13. The type of seismic waves that occur first are called

A) q waves.
B) p waves.
C) surface waves.
D) s waves.

14. A collision between two pieces of continental crust at a converging boundary forms

A) rifts.
B) mountains.
C) trenches.
D) valleys.

15. The geological theory that states that pieces of the Earth's lithosphere are in constant, slow motion is the theory of

A) subduction.
B) plate tectonics.
C) sea-floor spreading
D) boundary.

16. Geologists cannot yet predict earthquakes because

A) they don't know what an earthquake is.
B) they have too much data.
C) they can't be sure of when or where the stress will be released along the fault.
D) there are too many faults to monitor.

17. What is Pangaea?

A) the name of an ancient fossil.
B) the name of a scientist.
C) name of a continent.
D) the name of the supercontinent that is believed to have existed millions of years ago.

18. Earth's INNER core is

A) empty.
B) layer of hot magma.
C) a layer of cooled rock.
D) a dense ball of iron and nickel.

19. This type of rock is formed by the solidification of molten magma:

A) Igneous
B) Metamorphic
C) Sedimentary
D) Chemical

20. The plates move/float on top of the ________________

A) Asthenosphere
B) Mantle
C) Core
D) Crust

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