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Unit 2 - Practice Quiz

GEO295

1 Which scientist is credited with proposing the theory of Continental Drift, the precursor to Plate Tectonics?

A. Harry Hess
B. Alfred Wegener
C. Arthur Holmes
D. J. Tuzo Wilson

2 The semi-molten layer of the mantle on which tectonic plates move is known as the:

A. Lithosphere
B. Mesosphere
C. Asthenosphere
D. Inner Core

3 Which type of plate boundary is characterized by plates sliding past each other horizontally?

A. Convergent boundary
B. Divergent boundary
C. Transform boundary
D. Subduction zone

4 The San Andreas Fault in California is an example of which type of plate margin?

A. Constructive margin
B. Destructive margin
C. Conservative margin
D. Collision margin

5 The formation of the Himalayas is primarily attributed to the collision between which two tectonic plates?

A. Nazca and South American
B. Pacific and North American
C. Indian and Eurasian
D. African and Arabian

6 What is the primary evidence used to support the theory of Sea-Floor Spreading?

A. Fossil distribution
B. Paleomagnetism (Magnetic striping)
C. Glacial striations
D. Coastline fit

7 A 'Benioff zone' is associated with which geological feature?

A. Mid-ocean ridges
B. Rift valleys
C. Subduction zones
D. Shield volcanoes

8 The concept of 'Isostasy' refers to:

A. The magnetic polarity of rocks
B. The gravitational equilibrium of the Earth's crust
C. The flow of lava
D. The cycle of erosion

9 According to the Geosynclinal Theory, the long, narrow, shallow water depressions where sediments accumulate are called:

A. Grabens
B. Geosynclines
C. Horsts
D. Cratons

10 Which of the following mountain systems was formed during the Alpine Orogeny?

A. The Appalachians
B. The Urals
C. The Alps
D. The Caledonian mountains

11 In the context of mountain building, what is a 'Nappe'?

A. A vertical fault
B. A large-scale recumbent fold that has been thrust forward
C. A type of volcanic intrusion
D. A basin formation

12 Block mountains, such as the Vosges in France, are primarily formed by:

A. Folding
B. Faulting
C. Volcanism
D. Erosion

13 Kober’s theory of mountain building focuses on the contraction of:

A. The ocean floor
B. The entire globe
C. Geosynclines
D. Continental shields

14 Which term describes a large-scale depression formed by the collapse of a volcano's magma chamber?

A. Crater
B. Caldera
C. Vent
D. Fissure

15 Lava with a high silica content causes explosive eruptions because it is:

A. Low viscosity
B. High viscosity
C. Very hot
D. Rich in iron

16 Which intrusive volcanic landform is a horizontal sheet of solidified magma usually intruded between sedimentary layers?

A. Dyke
B. Sill
C. Batholith
D. Laccolith

17 A massive, deep-seated intrusion of igneous rock, often forming the core of mountain ranges, is called a:

A. Batholith
B. Phacolith
C. Lopolith
D. Neck

18 The Hawaiian Islands are an example of what type of volcanism?

A. Subduction zone volcanism
B. Mid-ocean ridge volcanism
C. Hotspot volcanism
D. Continental rift volcanism

19 What is a 'Pyroclastic Flow'?

A. A slow-moving stream of basaltic lava
B. A fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter
C. A mudflow caused by volcanic melting of snow
D. A flow of groundwater heated by magma

20 Which scale is used to measure the intensity of an earthquake based on observed effects and damage?

A. Richter Scale
B. Moment Magnitude Scale
C. Mercalli Scale
D. Mohs Scale

21 The point within the Earth where an earthquake rupture starts is called the:

A. Epicenter
B. Focus (Hypocenter)
C. Fault scarp
D. Shadow zone

22 Which seismic waves are the fastest and the first to arrive at a seismic station?

A. S-waves
B. L-waves
C. P-waves
D. Rayleigh waves

23 S-waves (Secondary waves) cannot travel through:

A. Solids
B. Liquids
C. Gases
D. The mantle

24 The 'Elastic Rebound Theory' explains the mechanism of:

A. Volcanic eruptions
B. Tsunami propagation
C. Earthquake generation
D. Mountain folding

25 Tsunamis are most commonly generated by:

A. Tides
B. Hurricanes
C. Vertical displacement of the ocean floor
D. Surface winds

26 In W.M. Davis's Cycle of Erosion, the three main factors controlling landscape development are:

A. Climate, Vegetation, Time
B. Structure, Process, Stage
C. Uplift, Erosion, Deposition
D. Rock type, Slope, Rainfall

27 The end product of the Davisian cycle of erosion is a low-lying surface called a:

A. Pediplain
B. Peneplain
C. Panplain
D. Etchplain

28 Which geomorphologist proposed the concept of 'Slope Replacement' and criticized Davis's time-dependent model?

A. Walther Penck
B. L.C. King
C. J.T. Hack
D. G.K. Gilbert

29 According to L.C. King, the dominant process in landscape evolution in semi-arid and arid regions is:

A. Down-wearing
B. Glacial scouring
C. Scarp retreat (Back-wearing)
D. Solution

30 A 'Monadnock' refers to:

A. A type of glacial deposit
B. An isolated hill of resistant rock on a peneplain
C. A river terrace
D. A volcanic vent

31 The concept of 'Dynamic Equilibrium' in landscape development was proposed by:

A. W.M. Davis
B. J.T. Hack
C. Alfred Wegener
D. Charles Lyell

32 What landform is formed by the coalescence of pediments according to L.C. King?

A. Peneplain
B. Pediplain
C. Floodplain
D. Delta

33 The term 'Primarumpf', referring to an initial convex uplifted surface, is associated with:

A. Davis
B. Penck
C. King
D. Hutton

34 Rejuvenation of a river cycle is often indicated by the presence of:

A. Deltas
B. Ox-bow lakes
C. Knickpoints and river terraces
D. Meanders

35 Which theory suggests that landscapes are formed by the stripping of deeply weathered saprolite?

A. Peneplanation
B. Etchplanation
C. Pediplanation
D. Glaciation

36 The 'Base Level of Erosion' concept was first introduced by:

A. J.W. Powell
B. W.M. Davis
C. G.K. Gilbert
D. A. Penck

37 An 'Inselberg' is most closely associated with which landscape cycle?

A. Glacial cycle
B. Karst cycle
C. Arid/Semi-arid cycle (Pediplanation)
D. Coastal cycle

38 Polycyclic or Multi-cyclic landscapes result from:

A. A single uninterrupted period of erosion
B. Multiple interruptions by uplift or climate change
C. Volcanic deposition only
D. Wind erosion

39 The term 'Panplain', suggesting a surface formed by lateral planation of rivers, was proposed by:

A. Crickmay
B. Davis
C. Penck
D. Strahler

40 Which drainage pattern is likely to form on a dome or volcanic cone?

A. Dendritic
B. Trellis
C. Radial
D. Rectangular

41 A 'Graben' is a feature associated with:

A. Compressional forces
B. Tensional forces
C. Shear forces
D. Glacial erosion

42 Which of the following is an example of an antecedent river?

A. A river that changes course frequently
B. A river that maintains its course despite the uplift of land across its path
C. A river that flows underground
D. A river formed after the landscape was uplifted

43 In the context of erosion surfaces, a 'Summit Accordance' often indicates:

A. Random erosion
B. A former extensive erosion surface (Peneplain) that has been dissected
C. Recent volcanic activity
D. Glacial deposition

44 What is the specific term for the boundary between the crust and the mantle?

A. Gutenberg Discontinuity
B. Mohorovicic Discontinuity (Moho)
C. Lehmann Discontinuity
D. Conrad Discontinuity

45 Lapilli and Volcanic Bombs are examples of:

A. Lava flows
B. Tephra / Pyroclasts
C. Intrusive rocks
D. Chemical precipitates

46 The 'Ring of Fire' is located around which ocean?

A. Atlantic Ocean
B. Indian Ocean
C. Pacific Ocean
D. Arctic Ocean

47 Which type of volcano has gentle slopes and is formed by low-viscosity basaltic lava?

A. Composite Cone
B. Shield Volcano
C. Cinder Cone
D. Lava Dome

48 In plate tectonics, what is a 'constructive margin'?

A. Where plates collide
B. Where plates slide past each other
C. Where plates move apart and new crust is formed
D. Where plates are destroyed

49 The term 'Denudation' includes:

A. Only weathering
B. Only erosion
C. Weathering, mass wasting, and erosion
D. Volcanism and earthquakes

50 Exfoliation domes are primarily the result of which weathering process?

A. Frost action
B. Pressure release (Unloading)
C. Carbonation
D. Oxidation