Geology for Non-Majors Exam Questions
Course Introduction
Geology for Non-Majors is an introductory course designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles of earth science, without requiring a background in the subject. The course covers topics such as the structure and composition of the Earth, plate tectonics, minerals and rocks, earth processes like earthquakes and volcanoes, and the impact of geological phenomena on the environment and human society. Through lectures, hands-on activities, and case studies, students will develop an appreciation for the dynamic nature of our planet and the relevance of geology to everyday life, resource management, and natural hazard mitigation.
Recommended Textbook
Earth Portrait of a Planet 5th Edition by Stephen Marshak
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
23 Chapters
1125 Verified Questions
1125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/1830 Page 2
Chapter 1: Cosmology and the Birth of Earth
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36385
Sample Questions
Q1) Differentiation of the core from the mantle early in Earth's history was possible because the planet was ____________ at the time.
A)very cold
B)very hot
C)very small
D)the only planet in the Solar System
Answer: B
Q2) Waves that are "blue shifted" have shorter wavelengths than those that are "red shifted."
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Which of the following is NOT a possible stage in a star's life and collapse?
A)protostar
B)supernova
C)gas giant
D)black hole
Answer: C
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
3
Chapter 2: Journey to the Center of the Earth
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36386
Sample Questions
Q1) The Moho ____________.
A)lies at uniform depth everywhere it is found in Earth
B)is found deeper underneath continents than under oceans
C)is found deeper underneath oceans than under continents
D)is found well below the crust/mantle boundary
Answer: B
Q2) Earth's magnetic field is generated by the ____________.
A)flow of the liquid inner core
B)flow of the liquid outer core
C)convective flow of the mantle
D)magnetic minerals within the crust
Answer: B
Q3) The most common minerals within Earth are ____________.
A)silicates
B)carbonates
C)oxides
D)hydroxides
Answer: A
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: Drifting Continents and Spreading Seas
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
51 Verified Questions
51 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36387
Sample Questions
Q1) Evidence for a united Pangaea comes from the fossil record of which type(s)of organisms?
A)plants
B)large terrestrial animals
C)freshwater animals
D)All of the above are correct.
Answer: D
Q2) Marine magnetic anomalies result from sea-floor spreading in conjunction with ____________.
A)global warming
B)magnetic storms on the surface of the Sun
C)magnetic polarity reversals
D)apparent wander of the magnetic poles
Answer: C
Q3) Wegener's evidence for a united Pangaea was so compelling that virtually all geologists agreed with the idea of continental drift during his lifetime.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 5
Chapter 4: The Way the Earth Works: Plate Tectonics
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
64 Verified Questions
64 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36388
Sample Questions
Q1) The volcanoes of the Cascades Mountains are related to melting of rock associated with a ____________ plate boundary.
A)convergent
B)divergent
C)transform
Q2) At a subduction zone,the overriding plate ____________.
A)is always composed of continental lithosphere
B)is always composed of oceanic lithosphere
C)may be composed of either oceanic or continental lithosphere
Q3) Deep oceanic trenches are features of ____________ plate boundaries.
A)convergent
B)divergent
C)transform
Q4) Broad,sediment-covered continental shelves are found along ____________.
A)active margins
B)passive margins
Q5) The rate of motion of a lithospheric plate with respect to a stationary hot spot is termed ____________.
A)relative plate velocity
B)absolute plate velocity
6
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 5: Patterns in Nature: Minerals
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
51 Verified Questions
51 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36389
Sample Questions
Q1) Diamond and graphite are both polymorphs of pure silicon.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The diamonds we see today do not display their natural crystal faces,but rather ____________,a typical engagement ring bearing 57 of them.
A)faces
B)facets
C)cleavage planes
D)facades
Q3) With regard to minerals,hardness refers to ____________.
A)the ability to resist breaking when being struck with a hammer
B)the ability to resist being scratched by other substances
C)the ability to resist chemical reactions with other substances
D)an absence of cleavage
Q4) Two types of bonds that depend upon polarity are ____________ and ____________.
A)hydrogen bonds;van der Waals bonds
B)ionic bonds;covalent bonds
C)hydrogen bonds;metallic bonds
D)ionic bonds;van der Waals bonds
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 7
Chapter 6: Up From the Inferno: Magma and Igneous Rock
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36390
Sample Questions
Q1) Volcanoes that do NOT occur along either present or emergent plate boundaries are associated with ____________.
A)continental rifts
B)mantle hot spots
C)mid-ocean ridges
D)subduction zones
Q2) As compared to mafic igneous rocks,all felsic igneous rocks ____________.
A)cool and solidify more quickly
B)cool and solidify more slowly
C)solidify at higher temperatures
D)solidify at lower temperatures
Q3) Important volatiles in magmas include ____________.
A)iron- and magnesium-rich minerals,such as olivine
B)potassium and aluminum
C)water and carbon dioxide
D)trinitrotoluene and nitroglycerin
Q4) Very early in Earth's history,it was so hot that the surface was likely entirely molten.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Pages of Earths Past: Sedimentary Rocks
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36391
Sample Questions
Q1) Compaction and cementation of grains occurs during ____________.
A)erosion
B)lithification
C)transport
D)weathering
Q2) As compared with metamorphism,diagenesis ____________.
A)means exactly the same thing
B)takes place at lower temperatures and pressures
C)takes place at higher temperatures and pressures
D)takes place at greater depths that are well within the mantle
Q3) Siltstone or mudstone containing marine fossils likely formed in a ___________ environment.
A)shallow-marine
B)deep-marine
C)marine-delta
D)coastal-beach
Q4) Cemented shells of marine organisms form which kind of sedimentary rock?
A)biochemical
B)clastic
C)organic
Page 9
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 8: Metamorphism: A Process of Change
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
53 Verified Questions
53 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36392
Sample Questions
Q1) All metamorphic rocks are formed within a fairly narrow range of temperature,approximately 400 to 600°C.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Metamorphism may be induced by ____________.
A)contact with a hot pluton
B)contact with hot groundwater
C)heat and pressure associated with deep burial
D)All of the above are correct.
Q3) Net chemical change in metamorphic rock induced by reaction with hot groundwater is termed ____________.
A)foliation
B)metasomatism
C)anachronism
Q4) The mineral assemblage within metamorphic rock is ____________.
A)always identical to that found within the protolith
B)dependent only on the mineral assemblage of the protolith
C)dependent only on the temperature and pressure of formation
D)dependent on both the mineral content of the protolith and the temperature and pressure of formation
Page 10
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 9: The Wrath of Vulcan: Volcanic Eruptions
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36393
Sample Questions
Q1) Pahoehoe ____________.
A)forms when basaltic lava flows cease flowing and solidify simultaneously
B)has a smoother texture than aa
C)is easier to walk on than aa is
D)All of the above are correct.
Q2) At continental rifts,vast bodies of basaltic lava flow forth from fissures,forming
A)flood basalts
B)pyroclastic flows
C)ash-fall tuffs
Q3) Hawaiian-style effusive eruptions are a greater threat to property than to human life.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Olympus Mons,the largest known volcano in the Universe,is an example of a
A)stratovolcano
B)cinder cone
C)shield volcano
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
11
Chapter 10: A Violent Pulse: Earthquakes
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36394
Sample Questions
Q1) Which type of earthquake has the highest velocity?
A)L-wave
B)P-wave
C)R-wave
D)S-wave
Q2) The point on Earth's surface directly above the point where an earthquake occurs is termed the ____________.
A)hypocenter (focus)
B)epicenter
C)eye of the fault
D)vertex
Q3) Earthquake waves that pass through the interior of Earth are termed
A)interior waves
B)R-waves
C)surface waves
D)body waves
Q4) Movement on a fault may occur without generating earthquakes.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 12
Deformation and Mountain Building
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36395
Sample Questions
Q1) Force per unit area is termed ____________. A)stress
B)strain
C)power
D)work
Q2) Nearly all of the present mountain ranges are the products of single orogenic events.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Earthquakes only occur ____________ the brittle/ductile transition depth. A)above B)below C)at or near
Q4) A body of rock to which a sudden,rapid stress has been applied is more likely to exhibit ____________ than is a body of rock subjected to a gradually applied stress. A)brittle behavior
B)ductile behavior
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 13
Chapter 12: Deep Time: How Old Is Old
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36396
Sample Questions
Q1) If the relative age of two formations (with respect to one another)is known,then the numerical ages for each formation can be inferred.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The principle of ____________ explains the occurrence of young rock within a newer igneous body.
A)baked contacts
B)cross-cutting relationships
C)original horizontality
D)inclusions
Q3) In an unweathered sample of detrital sedimentary rock,the ratio of an unstable isotope to its stable daughter isotope is 1/15.If no daughters were present at the time the rock cooled below closure temperature,and the half-life of the reaction is 50 million years,how old is the rock?
A)200 million years
B)400 million years
C)750 million years
D)None of the above are correct.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
14
Chapter 13: A Biography of Earth
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
57 Verified Questions
57 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36397
Sample Questions
Q1) The first terrestrial vertebrates (with an amphibian life cycle)are represented by fossils that are Late ____________ in age.
A)Cambrian
B)Devonian
C)Permian
D)Triassic
Q2) The Mesozoic Era is a time in Earth history when ____________.
A)the first abundant shelly organisms appear in the fossil record
B)Earth's interior was so hot that a solid outer crust,if present,was likely being extensively remelted
C)stable continental interiors,termed cratons,first formed
D)the dinosaurs appeared and came to dominate large-scale terrestrial life
Q3) When did the human genus,Homo,first appear on Earth?
A)200 million years ago
B)2.4 million years ago
C)100,000 years ago
D)10,000 years ago
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
15
Chapter 14: Squeezing Power From a Stone: Energy Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36398
Sample Questions
Q1) Most of the hydrocarbons within oil and natural gas are derived from the breakdown of organic matter from once-living ____________.
A)dinosaurs
B)plankton
C)terrestrial plants
D)mammals
Q2) U-235,the isotope of uranium commonly utilized in nuclear power plants,is
A)the most common of the naturally occurring isotopes of that element
B)heavier than the other well-known isotope of uranium
C)rare even in uranium oxide deposits,and thus usable reactor fuel must be enriched with respect to this isotope
Q3) Coalbed methane is a valuable energy source that has been utilized since the turn of the century.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Crude oil "floats" over natural gas in the pore space of a reservoir rock.
A)True
B)False
16
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 15: Riches in Rock: Mineral Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36399
Sample Questions
Q1) The high electrical conductivity associated with metallic bonds results from ____________.
A)the ability of outer electrons to move freely from atom to atom
B)their radioactive instability
C)the ability of nuclei to be discharged into the atmosphere
D)their relatively great atomic mass
Q2) Open pits on the surface of Earth,constructed to extract stone for building purposes,are called ____________.
A)open pit mines
B)underground mines
C)quarries
D)sedimentary deposits
Q3) Nonmetals extracted from metals during smelting are termed ____________.
A)slag
B)cull
C)sludge
D)spar
Q4) Open-pit mining utilizes ore that lies close to the ground surface.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 17
Chapter 16: Unsafe Ground: Landslides and Other Mass Movements
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36400
Sample Questions
Q1) Mass wasting always involves a sudden movement of material downslope.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The principle difference between a debris flow and a debris slide is the
A)shape of the path taken by the moving mass
B)grain size of the moving mass
C)debris flow contains abundant water,whereas the debris slide is dry
D)debris flow contains pyroclastic debris from a volcanic eruption
Q3) Which of the following factors decreases the risk of mass movement?
A)nearby earthquakes
B)excavation into the base of a hill
C)adding weight to the top of a hill
D)adding vegetation to the side of a hill
Q4) ____________occur(s)when a semicoherent mass of material moves downslope on a failure surface.
A)Avalanches
B)Slumps
C)Creep
D)Solifluction
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 18
Chapter 17: Streams and Floods: The Geology of Running Water
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
45 Verified Questions
45 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36401
Sample Questions
Q1) Which river is a threat to capture the flow of the Mississippi River through stream piracy?
A)Old Muddy River
B)New River
C)Atchafalaya River
D)Zydeco River
Q2) A meander that is cut off to become completely isolated from the main channel,but which retains water,is a(n)____________.
A)meander neck
B)cut bank
C)oxbow lake
D)abandoned meander
Q3) The base level of a tributary would become ____________ if a dam and reservoir were constructed where it flowed into a trunk stream.
A)lower
B)slower
C)faster
D)higher
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 19
Chapter 18: Restless Realm: Oceans and Coasts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
48 Verified Questions
48 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36402
Sample Questions
Q1) The deepest segments of the ocean floor are found ____________.
A)along mid-ocean ridges
B)in the geographic centers of abyssal plains
C)in trenches associated with passive margins
D)in trenches associated with subduction zones
Q2) Because of wave refraction,erosion along an irregular coastline is ____________.
A)even along the length of the coast
B)greatest along headlands
C)greatest in bays
Q3) When the sea level rises,the ocean may invade a river valley,producing a nearshore body of water of mixed and variable salinity termed a(n)____________.
A)atoll
B)lagoon
C)estuary
D)jetty
Q4) Along beaches,groins have ____________.
A)solved the problem of beach drift
B)increased erosion rates immediately up current from the groin
C)increased erosion rates immediately down current from the groin
D)increased depositional rates immediately down current from the groin
Page 20
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 19: A Hidden Reserve: Groundwater
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
45 Verified Questions
45 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36403
Sample Questions
Q1) In unfractured rock and sediment,water molecules usually take a ____________.
A)straight path
B)wandering path
C)circular path
Q2) The majority of large cave and karst systems have resulted from ____________ etching into ____________.
A)carbonic acid;limestone
B)ascorbic acid;dolostone
C)phosphoric acid;shale
D)sea water;rock salt
Q3) Most dissolution of bedrock to form caves takes place ____________.
A)above the water table
B)just below the water table
C)greater than 10 m below the water table
Q4) If groundwater is clear,it can be assumed that it is drinkable.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Freshwater lakes are always discharge areas.
A)True
B)False
21
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 20: An Envelope of Gas: Earths Atmosphere and Climate
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36404
Sample Questions
Q1) Hurricane Katrina became so powerful in part because it traveled over the Gulf of Mexico's Loop Current,which was unusually warm.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Most atmospheric ozone occurs in which layer of Earth's atmosphere?
A)mesosphere
B)stratosphere
C)thermosphere
D)troposphere
Q3) As an air mass rises,it generally experiences ____________.
A)an increase in pressure
B)a decrease in pressure
C)no change in pressure
Q4) The boundary between two bodies of air with differing characteristics (such as temperature,pressure,relative humidity)is termed a ____________.
A)contact
B)front
C)unconformity
D)Gruber surface
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 22
Chapter 21: Dry Settings: the Geology of Deserts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36405
Sample Questions
Q1) The most expansive hot deserts on Earth occur in the ____________.
A)tropics,at or near the equator
B)subtropics,between 20° and 30° north or south of the equator
C)temperate zone,between 30° and 50° north or south of the equator
Q2) Which of the following are adaptations of plants that help them survive in deserts?
A)a thick waxy outer coating and needle-like leaves
B)shallow,expansive root systems that can uptake infiltrated water over a broad area
C)succulence (tissues that retain moisture for a long period of time)
D)All of the above are correct.
Q3) The Gobi of Mongolia is a desert primarily because it is located ____________.
A)in the subtropics
B)in a polar region
C)near the center of a large continent
D)next to a cold ocean current
Q4) In most deserts,the scarcity of rainfall means that the majority of physical weathering and erosion is accomplished by the wind.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 23
Chapter 22: Amazing Ice: Glaciers and Ice Ages
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36406
Sample Questions
Q1) A lake that forms within a bowl-shaped depression formed by a mountain glacier is termed a(n)____________.
A)arête
B)cirque
C)horn
D)tarn
Q2) A bowl-shaped depression formed by a mountain glacier is termed a(n)____________.
A)arête
B)cirque
C)horn
D)tarn
Q3) Sediments deposited directly by glaciers as they melt are characterized by ____________.
A)uniformly coarse grain size
B)uniformly fine grain size
C)an absence of sorting
D)graded bedding
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 24
Chapter 23: Global Change in the Earth System
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36407
Sample Questions
Q1) Oxygen-18 and oxygen-16 are useful in studying the geologic past,including gathering information about past climate,because ____________.
A)ozone formation and decay depends upon the ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16
B)both water and calcite contain oxygen
C)ice and plankton skeletons are often found in layers that geologists can age-date
D)B and C are both correct.
Q2) Why do ocean water and sea ice have very different effects on air temperatures?
A)Ocean water reflects solar energy much more effectively than sea ice.
B)Ocean water absorbs solar energy much more effectively than sea ice.
Q3) A runaway greenhouse effect is an example of what kind of feedback mechanism?
A)positive
B)negative
Q4) In the last few decades,global warming has been most strongly affecting the climate and wildlife of ____________ regions.
A)equatorial
B)temperate
C)polar
D)deep-sea
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 25