Geological Features of the Rocky Mountains

What type of rock forms the basement of the continental crust in the American Rockies?

• Basalt

• Sedimentary rock

• Granite

• Limestone

Why is the formation of the southern Rockies considered a geological puzzle?

• They are made of sedimentary rock

• They are smaller than the Canadian Rockies

• They are located far from plate boundaries

• They are older than other mountain ranges

What caused the Pacific Ocean plate to subduct at a shallower angle?

• A decrease in volcanic activity

• An unusual geological event

• A change in ocean currents

• A shift in the Earth's magnetic field

How did the shallow subduction of the Pacific Ocean plate affect the North American plate?

• It caused volcanic eruptions

• It created a series of earthquakes

• It led to the formation of new oceanic crust

• It broke up the basement granite and pushed it upward

What geological feature is Red Rocks Park known for?

• Limestone caves

• Deep canyons

• Granite peaks and red slabs of rock

• Volcanic craters

What are the Flatirons at Red Rocks Park?

• Eroded limestone cliffs

• Glacial deposits

• Remnants of sedimentary rock layers

• Volcanic formations

In the demonstration, what do Veronica and Ian represent?

• Volcanic rocks

• Sedimentary layers

• 1.7 billion-year-old metamorphic rocks

• Oceanic crust

What happens to the sedimentary layers as the granite peaks uplift?

• They remain unchanged

• They transform into metamorphic rock

• They erode and are deposited into adjacent basins

• They become thicker

What is exposed as the core of the Rocky Mountains during the uplift?

• Granitic back

• Sedimentary rock

• Volcanic ash

• Limestone

What remains deeply buried beneath Denver according to the demonstration?

• Oceanic crust

• Granitic core

• Sedimentary layers

• Volcanic rock