Earth's Geological Cycles Flashcards
7 cards from real BMST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Earth's Geological Cycles flashcards as text
What drives deep ocean currents in the thermohaline circulation?
Answer: Differences in water temperature and salinity
Thermohaline circulation is driven by differences in water density caused by variations in temperature and salinity across the ocean.
Which rock type can be found at all three stages of the rock cycle as a starting material?
Answer: Any of the three rock types
The rock cycle is continuous — any existing rock type can be weathered, melted, or metamorphosed to form another type.
What is the name of the supercontinent that existed approximately 300 million years ago?
Answer: Pangaea
Pangaea was the supercontinent that existed roughly 300 million years ago before breaking apart into today's continents through plate tectonics.
During the hydrological cycle, what process describes water moving from plant leaves into the atmosphere?
Answer: Transpiration
Transpiration is the process by which plants release water vapor through their leaves into the atmosphere.
Which feature forms at a divergent boundary on the ocean floor?
Answer: Mid-ocean ridge
Mid-ocean ridges form at divergent boundaries where plates pull apart and magma rises to create new oceanic crust.
What is the process called when carbon dioxide dissolves into the ocean and forms carbonic acid?
Answer: Ocean acidification
Ocean acidification occurs when CO₂ dissolves in seawater to form carbonic acid, lowering the pH of the ocean.
Which of the following best describes the relationship between erosion and deposition in the rock cycle?
Answer: Erosion removes material; deposition lays it down elsewhere
Erosion transports weathered rock fragments away from their source, while deposition occurs when those fragments settle in a new location to form sediment.