Environmental Geology
Chapter Exam Questions
Course Introduction
Environmental Geology explores the interactions between humans and the geologic environment, focusing on how earth processes and materials influence and are influenced by human activity. The course examines natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, and volcanic eruptions, as well as issues of resource extraction, land use, water management, soil contamination, and waste disposal.
Students learn to analyze the impact of geological processes on society, assess risks associated with environmental change, and develop strategies for sustainable management of Earth's resources, employing case studies and real-world examples to illustrate key concepts and problem-solving techniques.
Recommended Textbook
GEOL 2nd Edition by Reed Wicander
Available Study Resources on Quizplus 18 Chapters
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/2288
2
Chapter 1: Understanding Earth: A Dynamic and Evolving Planet
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
89 Verified Questions
89 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45461
Sample Questions
Q1) How do metamorphic rocks form?
Answer: The alteration of existing rocks s a result of heat,pressure,and chemical activity.
Q2) What is the basic tenet of the theory of organic evolution? What is the mechanism for organic evolution called,and how does it work?
Answer: All living things are related and have descended with modification from organisms that lived in the past.The mechanism is called natural selection,which states that the organisms that are best adapted to their environment are the most likely to survive to reproduce,causing species to evolve with time.
Q3) At the moment of the Big Bang,both ____ and ____ were compressed into an infinitely small high-temperature and high-density state.
A)matter,energy
B)gravity,energy
C)nuclear power,matter
D)energy,matter
E)matter,weak nuclear forces
Answer: A
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 2: Plate Tectonics: A Unifying Theory
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45462
Sample Questions
Q1) At mid-oceanic ridges,hot magma rises from the ____________________ and forms new ____________________.
Answer: mantle,seafloor
Q2) The mechanism for plate movement is:
A)conduction of heat from the core.
B)friction created by tidal forces generated by the Moon.
C)conduction of heat within the mantle.
D)convection of heat within the mantle.
E)convection of heat within the core.
Answer: D
Q3) The 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami,the eruption of Mount Merapi in 2010 and the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 occurred at the same type of plate boundary.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) At divergent plate boundaries,plates are moving ____________________.At these locations,new ____________________ forms. Answer: apart,lithosphere
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: Minerals: The Building Blocks of Rocks
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45463
Sample Questions
Q1) The chemical formula of halite is NaCl.In simple terms,state how these atoms come together to form a solid mineral.
Answer: Sodium has only one electron in its outer shell,whereas chlorine has seven.Atoms want to have a full outer shell,so sodium gives its extra electron to chlorine,creating two ions: Sodium now has a positive charge and is Na ,and chlorine has a negative charge and is Cl-.This is called ionic bonding.
Q2) The atomic mass of an atom is defined as the sum of the number of its ____________________ plus ____________________.
Answer: protons,neutrons
Q3) An example of a material that has been both a resource and a reserve,depending on abundance,economic conditions,and mining technology,is:
A)platinum.
B)gold.
C)petroleum.
D)iron.
E)all of the above
Answer: E
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 5
Chapter 4: Igneous Rocks and Intrusive Igneous Activity
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45464
Sample Questions
Q1) What causes the volcanism at spreading ridges?
Q2) The discontinuous branch of Bowen's reaction series includes various compositions of plagioclase,from calcium-rich to sodium-rich.
A)True
B)False
Q3) What causes volcanism at a subduction zone,and how does Bowen's reaction series explain the composition of the magmas there?
Q4) Rapid cooling of magma results in a(n)____________________-grained texture called ____________________.
Q5) What phenomena does Bowen's reaction series help explain?
Q6) Igneous rocks formed by explosive volcanic activity have a texture that is termed: A)aphanitic.
B)porphyritic.
C)glassy.
D)phaneritic.
E)pyroclastic.
Q7) What are pegmatites,and how do they form?
Q8) How does mafic magma originate from ultramafic rock at a spreading ridge?
Page 6
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 5: Volcanoes and Volcanism
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
89 Verified Questions
89 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45465
Sample Questions
Q1) How are cinder cones different from the other two major types of volcanoes?
Q2) Volcanoes were named for Vulcan,the Roman deity of fire. A)True B)False
Q3) Pahoehoe is lava erupted by Hawaiian volcanoes that has a(n)____________________ viscosity and a(n)____________________ appearance.
Q4) What produces columnar jointing in lava flows?
Q5) Why are there volcanoes on the west coast of North America but not on the east coast?
Q6) Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii is huge and has gentle slopes;Mount Rainier in Washington is tall,with much steeper slopes;and Paricutín in Mexico is smaller and has very steep slopes composed of loose pyroclastic material.What type of volcano does each one represent,and what kind of volcanic activity produced it?
Q7) How is volcanism destructive?
Q8) According to plate tectonic theory,why are there volcanoes in Hawaii?
Q9) Describe shield volcanoes.What are they built of? Where are they found?
Page 7
Q10) The type of volcano that is the most common in the two major volcanic belts on Earth is ____________________.
Q11) Why does most volcanism at spreading ridges go undetected?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 8
Chapter 6: Weathering, Soil, and Sedimentary Rocks
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45466
Sample Questions
Q1) The geologic history of an area can only be known if there were humans around to record the events.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What are some of the characteristics of sedimentary rocks that are used in determining the depositional environment represented by a facies?
Q3) Humus:
A)is the material always comprising the topmost soil horizon.
B)is dark,organic-rich material formed by bacterial decay.
C)is leaf-litter.
D)must include sediments.
E)none of the above
Q4) The actions of ____________________ and ____________________ are responsible for most soil erosion.
Q5) Briefly explain how dolostone is formed.
Q6) A vertical sequence of a(n)____________________ facies shows an offshore facies superposed on nearshore facies.
Q7) What are the four major types of coal,and which is the most valuable?
Q8) Briefly explain how exfoliation domes form.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 7: Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45467
Sample Questions
Q1) What are some uses of metamorphic rocks,such as marble,slate,sulfide ore,talc,graphite,and clay?
Q2) Divergent plate boundaries are characterized by:
A)hydrothermal alteration and contact metamorphism.
B)regional and contact metamorphism.
C)regional and dynamic metamorphism.
D)dynamic and contact metamorphism.
E)hydrothermal alteration and dynamic metamorphism.
Q3) How are metamorphic facies defined or recognized?
Q4) If metamorphic rock contains biotite,garnet,and staurolite,it is ____________________ grade.
Q5) Metamorphism is most common along ____________________ plate boundaries.
Q6) What are some examples of nonfoliated metamorphic rocks?
Q7) A rock with segregated light and dark bands,containing the minerals quartz,feldspar,hornblende,and mica,is a(n)____________________ gneiss.
Q8) What are index minerals,and what are they used for? Give an example of minerals that would be found in a low-grade,intermediate,and high-grade metamorphosed shale.
Page 10
Q9) What is a metamorphic facies?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 8: Earthquakes and Earths Interior
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45468
Sample Questions
Q1) Seismology has produced a great amount of information about:
A)the mechanisms of plate tectonics.
B)the physical and chemical state of Earth's interior.
C)the causes of mountain building.
D)earthquakes.
E)all of the above
Q2) The analyses of the alignment of the planets and moon are a scientifically accepted method used to predict earthquakes.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The minimum number of seismograph records needed to locate the epicenter of an earthquake is ____________________.
Q4) Describe what seismographs do and how they work.
Q5) The composition of the core is:
A)peridotite.
B)basalt.
C)granite.
D)iron.
E)iron and nickel metal.
Q6) Within which belt or zone do the majority of earthquakes occur?
Page 12
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 9: Deformation, Mountain Building, and the Continents
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45469
Sample Questions
Q1) The Appalachian Mountains are the result of a continental-continental plate collision. A)True
B)False
Q2) Describe the plate tectonics processes and associated stresses that have led to the formation of the Himalayas,the world's largest mountain range?
Q3) Most orogenesis takes place on oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundaries.
A)True
B)False
Q4) What is meant when rocks are said to be deformed (fractured or folded)?
Q5) The type of strain that occurs depends not only on the kind of stress applied,but also on the:
A)amount of pressure and degree of temperature.
B)rock type.
C)duration of the stress
D)A and C
E)A and B
Q6) What are the three types of stress,and how do they affect rocks?
Q7) What happens if a rock is strained beyond its elastic limit?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 10: Mass Wasting
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45470
Sample Questions
Q1) How does water content affect mass wasting?
Q2) All slopes are constantly adjusting to new conditions,which means they are in a state of ____________________.
Q3) Mudflows are particularly common in climates that are:
A)humid and warm.
B)temperate.
C)arid to semiarid
D)cool.
E)very rainy.
Q4) What are quick clays,and how do they cause damage?
Q5) Recognizing,preventing and controlling landslides is prohibitively expensive and so is rarely done.
A)True
B)False
Q6) How does a mudflow differ from a debris flow?
Q7) Creep occurs only on weathered or soil-covered surfaces of moderate slope. A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14
Q8) What is the most important step that can be taken to minimize or eliminate mass wasting or damage from it?
Chapter 11: Running Water
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45471
Sample Questions
Q1) Since levees can protect many areas during floods,why are they controversial?
Q2) Describe the evolution of valleys.
Q3) The average channel velocity increases downstream where the gradient is lower. A)True B)False
Q4) The lower limit to which the stream can erode is its ____________________.
Q5) What are some of the techniques used to try to control floods?
Q6) What causes a delta to form?
Q7) A change in base level leading to formation of stream terraces can come about by ____________________ of the land over which the stream flows,or a(n)____________________ of sea level.
Q8) What are the three types of beds characteristically exhibited by a prograding delta?
Q9) When infiltration capacity is exceeded and water begins to move rapidly downslope,a continuous film of water known as ____________________ flow develops.This type of flow can cause ____________________.
Q10) How is the discharge of a stream calculated?
Page 15
Q11) In addition to dams and levees,what are two other measures that may be taken to control flooding?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 12: Groundwater
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45472
Sample Questions
Q1) The zone of saturation extends to an indefinite depth.
A)True
B)False
Q2) An example of a rock/sediment type that could be an effective aquiclude is:
A)quartz sandstone.
B)fractured granite.
C)gravel.
D)shale.
E)graywacke.
Q3) What are the three major uses for groundwater?
Q4) In hilly country,the groundwater table's highest elevation occurs in stream valleys and around lakes.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Which of the following is most permeable?
A)sand
B)soil
C)gravel
D)silt
E)clay
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 16
Chapter 13: Glaciers and Glaciation
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45473
Sample Questions
Q1) Describe valley glaciers.
Q2) A glacial landform that forms at the head of glacial valleys or troughs is called a(n): A)horn.
B)esker.
C)kame.
D)arête.
E)cirque.
Q3) How does a terminal moraine differ from a recessional moraine?
Q4) Short-term climatic events,such as the Little Ice Age,may be caused by:
A)variations in solar energy.
B)large volcanic eruptions.
C)Milankovitch cycles.
D)variations in solar energy AND large volcanic eruptions.
E)No one really knows.
Q5) The process by which ice evaporates directly from the surface of a glacier is known as ____________________.
Q6) Under what conditions does a glacier advance?
Q7) What was the Little Ice Age? What caused the famines?
Q8) What are the zone of accumulation,zone of wastage,and firn limit?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 17
Chapter 14: The Work of Wind and Deserts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45474
Sample Questions
Q1) Deserts mostly occur at ____ latitudes.
A)low
B)middle
C)high
D)low and middle
E)middle and high
Q2) Sandblasting in nature is caused by the process of saltation.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Dunes that form long ridges perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction in areas with abundant sand and little vegetation are ____________________ dunes.
Q4) What are the three main sources from which loess is derived?
Q5) Briefly explain how a rain-shadow desert forms.
Q6) Dunes that form long-parallel ridges of sand aligned generally parallel to the direction of the prevailing winds where sand supply is somewhat limited are ____________________ dunes.
Q7) Briefly explain why sand is moved by wind before clay and silt during wind erosion.
Q8) Explain the ways in which alluvial fans and deltas are similar.
Page 18
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 15: Oceans, Shorelines, and Shoreline Processes
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45475
Sample Questions
Q1) Define the photic and aphotic zones in the ocean.
Q2) A coast that is straight and has marine terraces is a(n):
A)depositional coast.
B)erosional coast.
C)submergent coast.
D)emergent coast.
E)none of the above
Q3) How do rip currents form,and what should you do if you are caught in one?
Q4) Vertical ocean circulation is the result of differences in what between adjacent water masses?
A)temperature
B)salinity
C)Coriolis effect
D)temperature and salinity
Q5) What are winter beaches and summer beaches? How can the same beach have two such different seasonal profiles?
Q6) Nearly all beach sand is quartz.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 19
Q7) Spits and baymouth bars are formed due to ____________________ currents.
Chapter 16: Geologic Time: Concepts and Principles
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45476
Sample Questions
Q1) An interval of geologic time not represented by strata in a particular area is a(n)____________________.
Q2) When radiometric dating is applied to metamorphic rocks,the date obtained is:
A)the date of final crystallization of the magma.
B)the date at which metamorphism began.
C)a minimum age for the parent rock.
D)the date at which metamorphism ceased.
E)a maximum age for the daughter rock.
Q3) Why are metamorphic rocks difficult to date accurately?
Q4) Different varieties of an atom that have a different number of neutrons in their nuclei are ____________________.
Q5) Ancient igneous intrusive,lunar samples,and some meteorites are dated by uranium-lead and thorium-lead series isotopes.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Prior to the discovery of radioactivity in the late ____________________ century,geologists were able to develop a(n)____________________ geologic time scale.
Q7) How does relative dating differ from absolute dating?
Page 20
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 17: Earth History
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45477
Sample Questions
Q1) What was the Sundance Sea?
Q2) The ____________________ orogeny that occurred in the Cordilleran mobile belt was caused by ____________________.
Q3) What was the tectonic evolution of western North America beginning with the Permian and through the Mesozoic?
Q4) The giant batholiths of the Sierra,Idaho,and Coast Range were emplaced during the:
A)Sevier orogeny.
B)Nevadan orogeny.
C)Sonoma orogeny.
D)Laramide orogeny.
E)Allegheny orogeny.
Q5) When and where did the Acadian orogeny occur?
Q6) Pleistocene glaciers covered about three times as much of Earth's surface as glaciers do now.
A)True
B)False
Q7) The breakup of Pangaea began during the ____________________ Period and continued through the ____________________ Period.
Page 21
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 18: Life History
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/45478
Sample Questions
Q1) Carboniferous age reefs differed from those of the Devonian in that they were much more massive than the older reef structures.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The oldest australopithecines were _________________________.
Q3) What is important to know about the evolution of invertebrate phyla?
Q4) Mammals attained a high degree of diversity and abundance during the Mesozoic. A)True
B)False
Q5) Describe the evolution of fish in the Paleozoic.
Q6) The ____________________ were characterized by a thickened dome-shaped skull.
Q7) The first Mesozoic mammals were very distinctive from their ancestral reptiles. A)True B)False
Q8) What are fossils?
Q9) Scientists know that birds began to evolve prior to the Cretaceous,due to the fossil known as ____________________.
Page 22
Q10) What were the characteristics of the first eukaryotic cells?
Q11) Homo sapiens clearly evolved from ____________________.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 23