Chapter 12: Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanism

Orogenesis refers to

• the beginning of extensive faulting.

• a general term for a mountain-building episode that thickens continental crust.

• a general thinning of the crust.

• eroding away of surface material to expose a craton (continental shield).

The Andes of South America formed as a result of the Nazca plate subducting beneath the South American plate. This is an example of ________ collision.

• oceanic plate-continental plate

• oceanic plate-oceanic plate

• continental-plate-continental plate

• terrane-craton

The "Ring of Fire" is a volcanic island arc extending from the southwestern Pacific through Indonesia. The island arc formed as a result of ________ collision.

• oceanic plate-continental plate

• oceanic plate-oceanic plate

• continental-plate-continental plate

• terrane-craton

The Himalayas formed as a result of the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. This is an example of ________ collision.

• oceanic plate-continental plate

• oceanic plate-oceanic plate

• continental-plate-continental plate

• terrane-craton

An earthquake is best described as

• the point within the Earth where seismic waves originate.

• the sharp release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.

• the amount of stress rocks along plate boundaries experience.

• an effusive explosion of magma.

Under pressure, rocks can bend and deform, and then spring back to their initial shape after pressure is released. This is known as

• plate tectonics.

• continental drift.

• orogeny.

• the elastic-rebound theory.

The subsurface area where the motion of seismic waves is initiated along the fault plane is called the

• epicenter.

• Moho.

• focus, or hypocenter.

• Mercalli point.

The area at the surface directly above the subsurface location where seismic waves are initiated is termed the

• epicenter.

• fault area.

• focus, or hypocenter.

• Richter zone.

An instrument used to record vibrations in the crust is the

• land barometer.

• seismograph.

• tiltmeter.

• the Richter scale.

The ________ scale would use Roman numerals to qualitatively describe an earthquake based actual effects experienced at the exact time and location of the quake.

• Richter

• Modified Mercalli Intensity

• Beaufort

• Mohs