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WorksheetsCalifornia Geology, Hazards and Resources
Total questions: 50
Worksheet time: 50mins
California’s resources and hazards are a result of the geologic history of our state.
True
False
California has no mineral resources.
True
False
Glaciers did not affect how the land looks in California.
True
False
Earthquakes are a hazard; water is a resource.
True
False
Lots of rain on the Coastal Ranges produce these hazards.
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Tsunamis
Landslides / Mudslides
Coastal Erosion
Coastal Cliffs are eaten away by the waves.
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Landslides / Mudslides
Tsunamis
Coastal Erosion
Hot magma underground allows us to generate electricity in California, using steam.
Oil and Natural Gas
Ore Deposits
Geothermal Energy
Volcanoes
Aqueducts
Gold, Silver and Platinum in the foothills and deserts of California put us on the map in the 1850s!
Oil and Natural Gas
Ore Deposits
Geothermal Energy
Aqueducts
Caused by underwater earthquakes.
Oil and Natural Gas
Ore Deposits
Volcanoes
Tsunamis
Man-made canals that move water from where we have it to where we need it.
Aqueducts
Tsunamis
Ore Deposits
Landslides / Mudslides
Caused by plate tectonic plate boundaries, these belch out poisonous gas and ash.
Tsunamis
Ore Deposits
Geothermal Energy
Volcanoes
Aqueducts
These resources are mostly present in the rich sediments of the Central valley, where tropical climates used to exist.
Aqueducts
Geothermal Energy
Ore Deposits
Oil and Natural Gas
Earthquakes are not a major problem in California.
True
False
The danger and damage from wildfires in California in recent years has
stayed the same.
increased.
decreased.
The capital of California is
Sacramento
San Diego
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Huntington Beach
The San Andreas Fault is a strike/slip fault. What kind of plate boundary is this?
Convergent
Divergent
Transform
“Basin and Range” geology has produced which feature in California?
San Gabriel River
Mt. Lassen
Death Valley
Yosemite
The primary purpose of the California aqueduct (the state water project) is to
provide flood control.
provide water for farms.
provide a waterway for the movement of boats up and down the state.
move water from the north to the south.
The reason there are volcanoes in Northern California is:
The San Andreas Fault
The subduction of the Juan de Fuca Plate
The Basin and Range System
Hot Spots
Which of the following is a hazard in California?
Oil
Gold
Water
Coastal Erosion
Where is Sacramento?
A
B
G
H
F
Where is Mt. Lassen?
A
B
C
D
H
Where is the Sierra Nevada Range?
B
C
D
H
E
Where is the Coastal Range?
C
D
G
F
E
Where is the Salton Sea?
B
G
H
F
E
Where is Huntington Beach?
A
B
G
F
E
Where is San Francisco?
A
G
E
F
H
Where is Death Valley?
A
B
E
F
H
What is the primary purpose of local water projects?
move water from the wet part of the state to the dry part of the state
move water from its source to the dry part of the state
provide flood control and irrigation for agriculture.
What is the primary purpose of state water projects?
move water from the wet part of the state to the dry part of the state
move water from its source to the dry part of the state
provide flood control and irrigation for agriculture.
What is the primary purpose of federal water projects?
move water from the wet part of the state to the dry part of the state
move water from its source to the dry part of the state
provide flood control and irrigation for agriculture.
Where are deserts located in California?
A
B
C
D
E
Where is Oil / Petroleum found in California?
A
B
C
D
E
Where is Natural Gas found in California?
A
B
C
D
E
Where is the highest concentration of gold mines in California?
A
B
C
D
E
What region in California receives the highest level of precipitation?
A
B
C
D
E
What is the primary use of water by humans in California?
Agriculture
Transportation
Urban
Recreation
How does hydroelectric power generation in California compare to other states?
It is the highest
It is higher than most
It is about average
It is lower than most
It is the lowest.
Which of these is a disadvantage of using biofuels?
They can be used in preexisting equipment like cars and airplanes.
They reduce fuel for forest fires and get rid of waste that would end up in landfills.
They use up methane gas, a greenhouse gas.
They produce carbon dioxide gas, a greenhouse gas
They reduce the need for fossil fuels
Where is the population density highest in California?
Along the central and southern coast.
In the middle
In the east
In the central valley
In the mountains
How many of the 20 deadliest fires in California the last 100 years have occured in the last 10 years?
(a)
How many of 20 most destructive fires in California have occured last year (2020)?
(a)
What is the most common cause of the most destructive wildfires?
Human related
Electrical
Lightning
Powerlines
Rekindling
How do earthquake hazard levels correlate with population density in California?
Most of the population live in areas with the lowest earthquake hazard.
Most of the population live in areas with the highest earthquake hazard.
There is no relationship between population density and earthquake hazard.
Hard Rock (red) transmits seismic waves fast and thus have less shaking.
Soft soil (yellow) transmits seismic waves slow and thus have more shaking.
What kind of shaking should we expect in Huntington Beach?
Strong shaking
Weak shaking
Moderate shaking
Which kind of valley is made by rivers?
V - Shaped
U - Shaped
W - Shaped
K - Shaped
Which kind of valley is made by glaciers?
V - Shaped
U - Shaped
W - Shaped
K - Shaped
Where is the incidence of landslides in California the highest?
The Central Valley
The Desert
The Coastal Range
The Sierra Nevada
How does the average age of dams in California (CA) compare with the rest of the United States (USA)?
They are younger
They are about the same
They are older
How does the average size of dams in California (CA) compare with the rest of the United States (USA)?
They are smaller
They are about the same
They are bigger
