Quiz 1

Geology 117: The Oceans

Self-Administered Quizzes

Quiz No. 1 -- Covers Topics 1 - 5

These quizzes are meant ot give you an idea of the type of questions you can expect on the exams. THEY DO NOT COVER ALL OF THE MATERIAL- your class notes are your guide to the material covered.

Tip: Read ALL answers on multiple choice exams, and choose the BEST answer- sometimes the best choice will be "All of the above". If it is, other answers are incorrect because, although they are true, no single answer other than "All of the above" is the best choice.

1. The oceans are important to us because A. they help to regulate the climate of the earth B. they contain important economic resources C. they contain important geologicial features D. they contain valuable records of earth history E. all of the above

2. The British Challenger Expedition was: A. the first expedition fully dedicated to oceanographic research. B. the most recent attempt at placing a satellite in orbit to collect oceans data C. the expedition that first sailed all the way around the world D. the first ocean drilling voyage
3. Lithospheric plates glide over A. plastic molten mantle B. plastic asthenosphere C. rigid molten mantle D. rigid asthenosphere.
4. Latitude is A. Distance east or west of England B. Position in an east-west sense measured in degrees C. Number of kilometers north of the equator D. A way of describing how far north or south of the equator some point on the globe is
5. Which of the following is correct? A. The inner core of the earth is solid, whereas the outer core is liquid. B. Both the inner and outer core are solid. C. The inner core of the Earth is liquid, whereas the outer core is solid. D. The mantle is liquid, whereas the core is solid.
6. Which of the following is correct? A. More continental area is located in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. B. More continental area is located in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere. C. The two hemispheres have approximately equal amounts of continental area. D. None of the above is correct
7. Oceanic crust is A. thicker and less dense than continental crust B. thinner and less dense than continantal crust C. thicker and more dense than continental crust D. thinner and more dense than continental crust
8. Lithosphere is A. another term for the Earth' crust. B. the plate-like outer zone of the earth composed of crust and some underlying mantle C. the plate-like material on which the oceanic crust glides D. the lithic material that causes the continents to float at higher elevation than the ocean basins
9. Which of the following lines of evidence did Wegener use to justify his concept of continental drift? A. the occurrence of earthquakes. B. the occurrence of volcanoes C. the thickness of deep-sea sediments. D. the contrast in age of ocean basins and continents. E. the distribution of rocks, mountains, and fossils.

10. Longitude is given in degrees A. east and west of the Equator. B. north and south of the Equator C. east and west of the Prime Meridian. D. north and south of the Prime Meridian. E. None of these is correct; longitude is not measured in degrees.

11. On September 23 at noon, the sun stands nearly directly overhead at _______ latitude A. 23.5 degrees N B. 23.5 degrees S C. 0 degrees D. 66.5 degrees N E. 66.5 degrees S

12. The three major oceans are interconnected A. near the Equator across Central America. B. between Australia and New Guinea. C. through the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. D. across the Arctic Ocean. E. at the "Southern Ocean" around Antarctica.

13. The mean depth of the oceans is about A. 3,800 m. B. 3,800 km. C. 3,800 miles. D. 11,000 m. E. 11,000 miles.
14. _______________ was the first to name and describe the process of sea-floor spreading. A. Alfred Wegener B. Matthew F. Maury C. John Murray D. Eratosthenes E. Harry Hess


Answers: 1=E, 2.=A, 3=B, 4=D, 5=A, 6=A, 7=D, 8=B, 9=E, 10=C, 11=C, 12=E,13=A, 14=E