Geol 101: Physical Geology
EXAM 1
Fall 2002
Write your name out in full on the scantron form and fill in the corresponding ovals to spell out
your name. Also fill in your student ID number in the space provided. Do not include the
dash and do not leave any spaces. Make sure you have all 8 pages of the exam.
There are 55 questions. For each question, select the correct answer and fill in your choice
on the scantron form. You MUST use pencil on the scantron form!
1. The (1) _____ planets are mostly made up of the following two gases: (2) _____.
A. (1) terrestrial (2) Si and O
B. (1) terrestrial (2) H and He
C. (1) jovian (2) Si and O
D. (1) jovian (2) H and He
E. (1) outer (2) H and O
2. The terrestrial planets are geologically most similar to Earth and occur in the following
order in the solar system (starting with the one closest to the Sun):
A. Mercury – Mars – Earth – Venus
B. Mercury – Venus – Earth – Mars
C. Mercury – Venus– Mars– Earth
D. Mars – Mercury – Earth – Venus
E. Venus – Mercury – Earth – Mars
3. The formation of the sun and planets was complete by about ________ years ago.
A. 15 billion years ago
B. 4.6 billion years ago
C. 15 million years ago
D. 4.6 million years ago
E. 2,002 years ago
4. Which of the following choices shows Earth’s internal layers in their correct order from the
center towards the surface?
A. crust, mantle, core
B. core, crust, mantle
C. inner core, mantle, lithosphere, asthenosphere
D. inner core, outer core, lower mantle, asthenosphere, lithosphere
E. inner core, outer core, lower mantle, upper mantle, lithosphere
5. The lithosphere contains:
A. the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle
B. solid rock that behaves in a brittle manner
C. both continental crust and oceanic crust
D. the lowest density rocks of all the Earth’s internal layers
E. all of the above
6. Which of Earth’s internal layers has the consistency of salt-water taffy (soft and gooey)?
A. crust
B. lithosphere
C. asthenosphere
D. outer core
E. inner core
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7. The inner core is composed mostly of:
A. silicon and oxygen
B. silica and oxygen
C. hydrogen and helium
D. iron and nickel
E. nickels and dimes
8. The underlying theme of geology that “the present is the key to the past” is known as:
A. the principle of uniformity
B. the principle of uniformitism
C. the principle of uniformitarianism
D. the principle of sectarianism
E. the principle of secularism
9. In the Celsius temperature scale, water freezes at (1) ____°C and boils at (2)____°C.
A. (1) 0 (2) 100
B. (1) 100 (2) 0
C. (1) 1.8 (2) 32
D. (1) 32 (2) 212
E. the Celsius scale is not applicable to water
10. The smallest fundamental substance that you can break any compound down into using
either physical or chemical means (e.g. crushing or dissolving) is:
A. a proton
B. an element
C. a mineral
D. a nucleus
E. an electron
11. Which of the following statements about atoms is FALSE?
A. atoms are only about 10-10 m across
B. atoms are the smallest particles that uniquely identify an element
C. different atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons
D. the number of protons in atoms of the same element can vary
E. isotopes are just slight variations of atoms of the same element
12. In an atom, the particles with positive, negative, and neutral charges are respectively:
A. protons, neutrons, electrons
B. electrons, protons, neutrons
C. protons, electrons, neutrons
D. neutrons, electrons, protons
E. positrons, negatrons, neurons
13. An atom that loses electrons forms a/an (1) _______ whereas an atom that gains
electrons forms a/an (2) _______.
A. (1) cation (2) anion
B. (1) anion (2) cation
C. (1) ion (2) molecule
D. (1) molecule (2) anion
E. (1) anion (2) ion
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14. Sodium chloride is an ionic compound that we usually refer to as:
A. diamond
B. table salt
C. sugar
D. mica
E. graphite
15. The type of chemical bonding that forms very strong bonds (e.g. in diamond) is:
A. ionic
B. covalent
C. metallic
D. van der Waals
E. hydrogen
16. If all minerals MUST be inorganically formed crystalline solids, which of the following
substances cannot possibly be a mineral?
A. table salt
B. ice
C. mica
D. quartz
E. coal
17. Which of the following statements about minerals is FALSE?
A. petroleum is not a mineral because it is both a liquid and is organic
B. water is not a mineral but ice is a mineral
C. all minerals have a characteristic organized internal atomic structure
D. all minerals must have more than one element in their chemical
formula
E. magma and lava are not minerals
18. The process whereby some of the atoms in a mineral are replaced by atoms with a similar
size and having similar bonding properties is called:
A. atomic manipulation
B. atomic coordination
C. atomic substitution
D. atomic abomination
E. atomic asphyxiation
19. The elements ____________ make up about 84% of all the atoms in the Earth’s crust.
A. oxygen and silicon
B. silicon and aluminum
C. calcium and sodium
D. hydrogen and helium
E. iron and oxygen
20. Which of the following physical characteristics of minerals refers to planes of weakness
inside the crystal structure along which a crystal can break?
A. color
B. luster
C. crystal shape
D. cleavage
E. hardness
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21. The softest known mineral is (1) _____ and the hardest known mineral is (2) ______.
A. (1) quartz (2) gypsum
B. (1) talc (2) quartz
C. (1) talc (2) diamond
D. (1) diamond (2) talc
E. (1) diamond (2) gypsum
22. The most abundant mineral family are the:
A. silicates
B. oxides
C. carbonates
D. sulfides
E. sulfates
23. The second most abundant mineral family are the:
A. silicates
B. oxides
C. carbonates
D. sulfides
E. sulfates
24. The silica anion contains (1) _______ arranged into a shape called a (2) _________.
A. (1) one silicon and one oxygen (2) silicate
B. (1) four silicons and one oxygen (2) silicate
C. (1) four silicons and four oxygens (2) tetrahedron
D. (1) one silicon and four oxygens (2) tetrahedron
E. (1) one silicon and four oxygens (2) pyramid
25. Which mineral is pure silica?
A. plagioclase
B. olivine
C. table salt
D. mica
E. quartz
26. The type of feldspar that contains either Ca or Na is called:
A. K-feldspar
B. plagioclase
C. calcite
D. olivine
E. granite
27. Two polymorphs or carbon are:
A. graphite and lead
B. graphite and pyrite
C. diamond and graphite
D. diamond and quartz
E. coal and chalk
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28. The amount of mineral resource in a rock is always greater than the amount of mineral
reserve because:
A. the mineral reserve is the only part of the resource that gets discovered
B. it is not always economically possible to extract all of a mineral
resource
C. the economic markets fluctuate
D. the mineral resource is constantly being depleted
E. mineral resources are much easier to find than mineral reserves
29. Molten rock inside the earth is called (1) _____ but on the surface it is called (2) _____.
A. (1) lava (2) magma
B. (1) lava (2) extrusive
C. (1) intrusive (3) magma
D. (1) magma (2) lava
E. (1) extrusive (2) intrusive
30. On average,
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the geothermal gradient inside the Earth is about:
1°C per kilometer
10°C per mile
25°C per kilometer
50°C per mile
100°C per kilometer
31. A mineral that is heated up and melts at 800°C in an oven at the Earth’s surface may
remain a solid at 800°C deep down in the Earth’s crust because:
A. there is less water present
B. oxygen in the atmosphere affects the melting temperature
C. the melting point is different at sea level than higher up
D. all minerals remain solid in the Earth’s crust
E. the melting temperature rises as pressure increases
32. After partial melting of a rock occurs in the Earth’s crust, the process whereby the melt
moves away from the remaining solid portion of the rock is called:
A. the squeegee effect
B. volcanic eruption
C. fractionation
D. magmatic differentiation
E. Bowen’s reaction series
33. The type of magma that contains the most silica is:
A. felsic
B. intermediate
C. mafic
D. ultramafic
E. it depends on the temperature
34. The viscosity of lava is a measure of:
A. the temperature when melting occurs
B. the speed it flows
C. the amount of silica present in the lava
D. the ability of the lava to resist flowing downhill
E. the amount of dissolved gas in the lava
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35. Which of the following types of lava has the lowest viscosity and therefore flows the
fastest?
A. felsic
B. intermediate
C. mafic
D. strawberry syrup
E. ketchup
36. Igneous rocks that form below the Earth's surface are called (1) ________ igneous rocks,
and the largest type of pluton they can form is called a (2) _______.
A. (1) volcanic (2) dike
B. (1) volcanic (2) batholith
C. (1) plutonic (2) dike
D. (1) plutonic (2) laccolith
E. (1) plutonic (2) batholith
37. The igneous
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
rock called pumice is able to float because it contains so many:
vesicles
phenocrysts
pyroclasts
groundmass
pillows
38. The general term for volcanic glass is:
A. pillow lava
B. volatiles
C. pyroclastics
D. obsidian
E. phenocrysts
39. According to
magma is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Bowens’ Reaction Series, the first mineral to crystallize out of mafic
quartz
muscovite mica
olivine
Ca-plagioclase
either olivine or Ca-plagioclase
40. In Bowens’ Reaction Series, the only mineral listed below that does not belong in the
discontinuous branch is:
A. quartz
B. biotite mica
C. olivine
D. pyroxene
E. amphibole
41. The type of volcanic hazard that involves a huge cloud of extremely hot tephra that
rushes down the slope of a volcano is called a:
A. lahar
B. tsunami
C. pyroclastic flow
D. debris avalanche
E. lava bomb
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42. The last time Earth experienced a prolonged period of flood basalt volcanism was 16
million years ago. What happened as a result of this event?
A. most of the species in the world went extinct
B. Siberia was completely covered in basalt
C. the Columbia River basalt was formed
D. Crater Lake formed in Oregon
E. the islands of Hawai’i were created
43. In the list below, choose the correct match of volcano and corresponding volcano type.
A. Kilaeua / stratovolcano
B. Mount St. Helens / stratovolcano
C. Mauna Loa / stratovolcano
D. Mayon / shield volcano
E. Mount Rainier / shield volcano
44. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of nonexplosive eruptions?
A. shield volcano
B. low-viscosity lava
C. fissure eruption
D. Plinian column
E. mafic lava
45. An explosive eruption that causes the top of a volcano to collapse into the underlying
empty magma chamber creates a large circular hole in the volcano called a:
A. crater
B. cinder cone
C. maar crater
D. lava dome
E. caldera
46. The world’s largest lava dome is:
A. Lassen Peak, California
B. Mount St. Helens, Washington
C. Craters of the Moon, Idaho
D. Yellowstone, Wyoming
E. Mauna Loa, Hawai’i
47. A volcano that has never erupted in historic times but which may still erupt one day is
said to be:
A. active
B. dormant
C. extinct
D. in remission
E. asleep
48. About how many potentially active volcanoes are there in the western United States?
A. 5
B. 10
C. 20
D. 50
E. 100
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49. Which Cascades range volcano has erupted 14-15 times in the past 4000 years?
A. Mount Mazama
B. Mount Rainier
C. Mount Hood
D. Mount St. Helens
E. Lassen Peak
50. Which of the following statements about the eruption of Mount St. Helens is FALSE?
A. Mount St. Helens erupted in May 1980
B. the eruption was triggered by a gigantic landslide on the side of the volcano
C. the eruption started off as a lateral blast and then formed a Plinian column
D. the eruption came as a complete surprise to volcanologists
E. prevailing winds carried ash eastwards across Washington and Idaho
BONUS QUESTIONS
51. Which of the following can be rearranged to spell the name of a mineral which dissolves
readily in diluted hydrochloric acid?
A. cami
B. ice talc
C. freds pal
D. i no vile
E. lite mood
52. Which of the following choices does not belong with the others?
A. mica
B. cleavage planes
C. van der Waals bonds
D. sheet silicates
E. polymorphs
53. Which of the following volcanic areas in the western USA have NOT erupted in the past
4000 years?
A. Mount St. Helens, Washington
B. Craters of the Moon, Idaho
C. Yellowstone, Wyoming
D. Mount Rainier, Washington
E. Mount Hood, Oregon
54. How is a gecko able to stick to a wall?
A. superglue
B. willpower
C. small hooks on their feet
D. van der Waals forces
E. covalent bonds
55. I have made sure that my name and student ID number are correctly filled in on the
scantron sheet and I will remember to hand in the scantron sheet and take the test
question sheet with me when I leave. I will check my grade on the Geol 101 website.
A. yes
B. no
C. eh?
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