Earthquakes, Volcanoes, & Storms Assessment

What is the primary cause of earthquakes?

• The sudden release of stored energy in rocks

• Volcanic eruptions

• Weather patterns

• Ocean currents

Which type of stress is most common at convergent plate boundaries?

• Tension

• Shear

• Compression

• Confining stress

What type of volcano has the widest base and gentlest slopes?

• Composite volcano

• Shield volcano

• Cinder cone

• Lava dome

During a thunderstorm, what causes thunder?

• The collision of warm and cold air masses

• Lightning heating and expanding air rapidly

• Wind patterns in storm clouds

• Precipitation falling through clouds

Which of these is required for a storm to be classified as a blizzard?

• Temperature below freezing

• Snow accumulation of 12 inches

• Winds greater than 56 kilometers per hour

• Storm duration of 24 hours

What type of fault occurs when rocks move horizontally past each other?

• Normal fault

• Reverse fault

• Strike-slip fault

• Thrust fault

What is the term for molten rock below Earth's surface?

• Lava

• Magma

• Pyroclast

• Basalt

Which storm formation requires warm ocean water to maintain strength?

• Blizzard

• Tornado

• Hurricane

• Thunderstorm

What is the eye of a hurricane?

• The area of heaviest rainfall

• The center of highest winds

• A calm, clear area at the center

• The area of lowest clouds

What creates a caldera?

• Gradual erosion of a volcano

• Collapse after magma chamber emptying

• Build-up of successive lava flows

• Wind erosion of volcanic ash