Geology and Earth Resources

Question 1

The top sources of metal ore (mining operations) are

Accepted Answer

China, Australia, Russia, Canada, United States

Question 2

Fossil fuels are not actually made from dinosaurs because

Accepted Answer

dinosaurs would not have provided enough collective biomass., most fossil fuels are even older than most dinosaurs.

Question 3

Since 1872, mining laws have resulted in

Accepted Answer

externalization of clean-up cost and/or ongoing pollution., private profit from extraction on public lands.

Question 4

The recent trade war has brought attention to the Chinese monopoly on mining and processing of

Accepted Answer

rare earth minerals (for modern electronics).

Question 5

Mass wasting is a phenomenon caused by gravity, and associated with

Accepted Answer

landslides

Question 6

Which fossil fuel is made from deposition of phytoplankton in ancient ocean sediments?

Accepted Answer

oil, natural gas

Question 7

Which natural disaster is directly affected by climate change?

Accepted Answer

severe forest fires (and associated landslides), flooding (and associated landslides)

Question 8

The last time there was only a single supercontinent (Pangaea) was

Accepted Answer

250 million years ago

Question 9

The type of rock formed by layered deposition of particles (shells, sand, mud, etc.)

Accepted Answer

sedimentary

Question 10

What happens in the region where an oceanic plate slides under a continental plate?

Accepted Answer

subduction

Question 11

Which fossil fuel is made from buried ancient forests?

Accepted Answer

coal

Question 12

Why are continents above water? Continental crust is __?__ and __?__ than oceanic crust.

Accepted Answer

thicker; less dense

Question 13

The top consumers of metal are

Accepted Answer

United States, Japan, Europe

Question 14

The Trump administration removed ecological protections on one of the last wild salmon runs in Alaska

Accepted Answer

for mining exploration by a Canadian copper company., despite 80% of Bristol Bay residents being opposed to the project.

Question 15

High temperature and pressure can turn igneous or sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 16

The type of rock formed by solidification of magma (i.e., cooled lava).

Accepted Answer

igneous

Question 17

The junction of tectonic plates is associated with

Accepted Answer

formation of rift valleys, earthquakes (and resulting tsunamis), formation of volcanic islands, formation of mountain ranges

Question 18

The 2011 earthquake and resulting tsunami in Fukushima, Japan was a wake-up call for this industry.

Accepted Answer

nuclear power

Question 19

Coal extraction by mountaintop removal can result in

Accepted Answer

severe water pollution, deforestation and habitat loss

Question 20

The outer crust of the earth is made up of

Accepted Answer

solid tectonic plates of mixed composition

Question 21

2/3 of diamonds sold in the US are "blood diamonds" are so-called because

Accepted Answer

civil conflict in Africa is funded by extractive industries.

Question 22

Recent earthquakes in geologically unexpected areas have been attributed by scientists to

Accepted Answer

hydraulic fracturing for natural gas

Questions 22