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Earth’s Crust and Interior

Total questions: 23

Worksheet time: 48mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

During which era did the initial opening of the

present-day Atlantic Ocean most likely occur

a)

A) Cenozoic

b)

B) Mesozoic

c)

C) Paleozoic

d)

D) Late Proterozoic

2.

Which landmass is moving northward with Australia as part of the same tectonic plate'?

a)

India

b)

Antarctica

c)

North America

d)

South America

3.

The dots on the map below show the present locations of living coral reefs. Site X indicates an area of fossil coral reefs preserved in rocks formed during the Jurassic Period

a)

The climate at site X during the Jurassic Period was colder than the present climate at site X.

b)

Site X was covered by warm ocean water during the Jurassic Period

c)

Site X has drifted southward since the Jurassic Period.

d)

The coral at site X evolved from ocean-dwelling animals into land dwelling animals after the Jurassic Period

4.

The diagrams below show our major types of fault motion occurring in Earth’s crust. Which type of fault motion best matches the general pattern of crustal movement at the San Andreas Fault

a)
b)
c)
d)
5.

The crust at the mid-ocean ridges is composed mainly of…

a)

granite

b)

shale

c)

basalt

d)

limestone

6.

How does the age of the ocean-floor bedrock change as the distance east or west of location D increases?

a)

The age decreases, because D is in an oceanic trench.

b)

Thé age decreases, because D is on a mid-oceanic ridge

c)

The age increases, because D is in an oceanic trench

d)

The age increases, because D is on a mid-oceanic ridge

7.

Mid-ocean ridges such as the East Pacific Rise and the Oceanic Ridge are best described as…

a)

mountains containing folded sedimentary rocks

b)

mountains containing fossils of present-day marine life

c)

sections of the ocean floor that contain the youngest oceanic crust

d)

sections of the ocean floor that are the remains of a submerged continent

8.

The occurrence of high-heat floors at the ridge center provides evidence of the…

a)

destruction of oceanic crust

b)

destruction of continental crust

c)

existence of ancestral mountains

d)

existence of rising mantle convection currents

9.

Which observation about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region provides the best evidence that the seafloor has been spreading for millions of years?

a)

A) The bedrock of the ridge and nearby seafloor is igneous rock.

b)

B) The ridge is the location of irregular volcanic eruptions.

c)

C) Several faults cut across the ridge and nearby seafloor.

d)

D) Seafloor bedrock is younger near the ridge and older farther away.

10.

The scale below shows the age of the sea-floor crust in relation to its distance from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.


Crust that originally formed at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is now 37 kilometers from the ridge. Approximately how long ago did this crust form?

a)

A) 1.8 million years ago

b)

B) 2.0 million years ago

c)

C) 3.0 million years ago

d)

D) 4.5 million years ago

11.

What usually causes tsunamis?

a)

A) hurricanes

b)

B) high-pressure weather systems

c)

C) undersea earthquakes

d)

D) the collision of ocean currents

12.

How does the oceanic crust compare to the continental crust?

a)

A) The oceanic crust is thinner and contains less basalt.

b)

B) The oceanic crust is thinner and contains more basalt.

c)

C) The oceanic crust is thicker and contains less basalt.

d)

D) The oceanic crust is thicker and contains more basalt

13.

Which two elements make up the greatest volume of the Earth's crust?

a)

A) silicon and potassium

b)

B) silicon and iron

c)

C) iron and nickel

d)

D) oxygen and potassium

14.

The earthquake beneath epicenter D occurred in which part of Earth’s interior?

a)

A) crust

b)

B) rigid mantle

c)

C) asthenosphere

d)

D) stiffer mantle

15.

A seismic station is recording the seismic waves produced by an earthquake that occurred 4200 kilometers away. Approximately how long after the arrival of the first P-wave will the first S-wave arrive?

a)

A) 1 min 05 sec

b)

B) 5 min 50 sec

c)

C) 7 min 20 sec

d)

D) 13 min 10 sec

16.

Whenever a subduction zone is formed a ______ is formed

a)

mountain

b)

rift

c)

volcano

d)

island arc

17.

What is the approximate thickness of zone C?

a)

A) 650 km

b)

B) 1600 km

c)

C) 2250 km

d)

D) 2900 km

18.

An earthquake occurred in Massena, New York. For

which two locations would the P-wave arrival times be approximately the same?

a)

A) Rochester and New York City

b)

B) Binghamton and Slide Mountain

c)

C) Utica and Watertown

d)

D) Watertown and Oswego

19.

If the wave front reached the Hawaiian Islands at 10:30 p.m., at approximately what time did the earthquake occur?

a)

A) 1:30 p.m.

b)

B) 5:30 p.m.

c)

C) 3:30 p.m.

d)

D) 4:30 p.m.

20.

A seismograph station records a travel time difference of 5.5 minutes between the P-waves and S-waves of an earthquake. How far is the seismic station from the epicenter of this earthquake?

a)

A) 1.5 × 103 km

b)

B) 2.0 × 103 km

c)

C) 3.0 × 103 km

d)

D) 4.0 × 103 km

21.

ccording to the cross section, which characteristic of seismic waves has enabled scientists to determine that the Moon has a layered interior?

a)

A) P-waves do not pass through liquid rock.

b)

B) P-waves travel slower than S-waves.

c)

C) Both P- pass

through different materials.

d)

D) Both P- and S-waves bend as they pass

through different materials

22.

Compared to continental crust, oceanic crust is…

a)

A) less dense, more mafic, and thinner

b)

B) less dense, more felsic, and thicker

c)

C) more dense, more mafic, and thinner

d)

D) more dense, more felsic, and thicker

23.

The thinnest section of Earth's crust is found beneath…

a)

A) oceans

b)

B) desert regions

c)

C) coastal plains

d)

D) mountain regions