Physical Universe
16th Edition
ISBN: 9780077862619
Author: KRAUSKOPF, Konrad B. (konrad Bates), Beiser, Arthur
Publisher: Mcgraw-hill Education,
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Textbook Question
Chapter 15, Problem 24MC
The earth’s crust
- a. has very nearly the same thickness everywhere
- b. varies irregularly in thickness
- c. is always thinnest under the continents
- d. is always thinnest under the oceans
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Check out a sample textbook solutionStudents have asked these similar questions
Which of the following is most responsible for the
formation of new crust ar the edge of a tectonic
plate?
A. mountain building at a continent-continent
convergent boundary
B. magma rising up from the mantle at a
divergent boundary
С.
two tectonic plates sliding past one another at
a transform boundary
D.
subduction of one oceanic plate under another
at a convergent boundary
5. The "iceberg analogy" for the isostatic equilibrium of the continental crust turns out to be quite
the relative density of icebergs versus seawater is close to the relative density of continental crust versus mantle.
Glacial ice is about 15% less dense than seawater; likewise continental crust is about 15% less dense than the
mantle. This leads to a simple rule that we can call the 1-to-8 rule: for every 1 unit of extra elevation for an
iceberg or a mountain belt, there need to be 8 units of total thickness. These iceberg examples illustrate the
idea:
an iceberg 3 meters
above sea level is
24 meters thick
an iceberg 1 meter
above sea level is
8 meters thick
an iceberg 2 meters
above sea level is
16 meters thick
3m
2m
water level
1m
>7m
14m
21m
For the following questions, apply the 1-to-8 rule, assuming continental crust in isostatic equilibrium.
a. Continental crust at sea level averages about 35 kilometers thick. (1 km = 0.6 miles.) Therefore,
in general, how thick must the crust…
13. How deep in the crust is 10 kbar? Lithostatic pressure within the crusts results from the
weight of the rocks above. Assume an average density of 2750 kg/m3. Use the equation
P=p*g*h or P/(p *g)=h 23kPa/m
P=pressure (e.g. kbar), p=density, g-gravity 9.8 m/s2, h= depth (m), 1 kbar=1,000 bars, 1
bar=100,000 Pa, 1 Pa=kg/(m*s2), 1 kbar =100,000,000 Pa, 1 km =1000 m. Give your answer in
kilometers.
Chapter 15 Solutions
Physical Universe
Ch. 15 - The most abundant element in the earths crust is...Ch. 15 - The second most abundant element is a. iron b....Ch. 15 - Minerals are a. silicon compounds b. common types...Ch. 15 - The tendency of certain minerals to split along...Ch. 15 - Feldspar is a. relatively rare in the earths crust...Ch. 15 - Quartz is a. a variety of feldspar b. a variety of...Ch. 15 - A mineral that is not a silicate is a. quartz b....Ch. 15 - The ferromagnesian minerals are usually a....Ch. 15 - Igneous rocks have been formed by a. cooling from...Ch. 15 - Rocks that have been altered by heat and pressure...
Ch. 15 - Most crustal rocks a. were formed from compacted...Ch. 15 - A general characteristic of rocks of volcanic...Ch. 15 - Foliation occurs in a. sedimentary rocks b....Ch. 15 - An example of a foliated rock is a. marble b....Ch. 15 - An example of a light-colored, coarse-grained...Ch. 15 - Limestone may be metamorphosed into a. marble b....Ch. 15 - Shale may be metamorphosed into a. marble b....Ch. 15 - Mica is present in a. marble b. chert c. basalt d....Ch. 15 - Fossils are most likely to be found in a. granite...Ch. 15 - Most earthquakes are caused by shifts of rocks...Ch. 15 - Regions in which earthquakes are frequent are also...Ch. 15 - Relative to an earthquake of magnitude 5 on the...Ch. 15 - Which one or more of the following statements...Ch. 15 - The earths crust a. has very nearly the same...Ch. 15 - The part of the earth with the greatest volume is...Ch. 15 - The radius of the earths core is roughly a. 110...Ch. 15 - The rocks of the mantle are believed to consist...Ch. 15 - Among the reasons why the earths core is believed...Ch. 15 - The chief source of the energy that powers...Ch. 15 - The earths magnetic field a. never changes b. has...Ch. 15 - If we travel around the earth, we would find that...Ch. 15 - A rock readily attacked by chemical weathering is...Ch. 15 - The principal agent of erosion is a. groundwater...Ch. 15 - Which of the following is not produced by rivers?...Ch. 15 - Glaciers produce which one or more of the...Ch. 15 - The last stage in the erosion of a river is the...Ch. 15 - Prob. 37MCCh. 15 - A fairly fast valley glacier might have a speed of...Ch. 15 - Most of the groundwater present in soil and...Ch. 15 - An aquifer is a. a river or stream on the surface...Ch. 15 - The largest amounts of sediment are deposited a....Ch. 15 - Minerals deposited by groundwater in rock fissures...Ch. 15 - Most caves are produced by the solvent action of...Ch. 15 - The chief constituent of volcanic gases is a....Ch. 15 - Prob. 45MCCh. 15 - The most common volcanic rock is a. granite b....Ch. 15 - Prob. 47MCCh. 15 - Active volcanoes are not found a. in the West...Ch. 15 - A batholith is a a. fissure from which groundwater...Ch. 15 - Arrange these elements in decreasing order of...Ch. 15 - Do silicon compounds make up less than a quarter,...Ch. 15 - What is the relationship between rocks and...Ch. 15 - What mineral is most abundant in the earths crust?...Ch. 15 - Both cleavage and crystal form are characteristic...Ch. 15 - Graphite consists of layers of carbon atoms in...Ch. 15 - In the silicate minerals each Si4+ ion is always...Ch. 15 - How could you distinguish calcite crystals from...Ch. 15 - Are the mineral grains in an igneous rock usually...Ch. 15 - Granite and rhyolite have similar compositions,...Ch. 15 - Diorite is an igneous rock that has hardened...Ch. 15 - Obsidian is a rock that resembles glass, in...Ch. 15 - In what way does calcite differ from almost all...Ch. 15 - Of what rock do coral reefs consist?Ch. 15 - What is the nature of chert and why is it so...Ch. 15 - What kind of rocks are most abundant in the earths...Ch. 15 - What happens to the density of a rock that...Ch. 15 - Why is gneiss the most abundant metamorphic rock?Ch. 15 - The mineral grains of many metamorphic rocks are...Ch. 15 - Shale is a sedimentary rock that consolidated from...Ch. 15 - (a) What is the origin of limestone? (b) What rock...Ch. 15 - Distinguish between the foliation of a metamorphic...Ch. 15 - Distinguish between quartz and quartzite.Ch. 15 - How could you distinguish (a) chert from obsidian;...Ch. 15 - How could you distinguish (a) granite from gabbro;...Ch. 15 - Name the following rocks: (a) a rock consisting of...Ch. 15 - Name the following rocks: (a) a fine-grained,...Ch. 15 - Prob. 28ECh. 15 - Each step on the Richter scale of earthquake...Ch. 15 - What can be said about an earthquake whose...Ch. 15 - Why is the mantle thought to be solid?Ch. 15 - (a) Distinguish between earthquake P and S waves....Ch. 15 - In what part of the earth does the rock motion...Ch. 15 - An earthquake occurs far from an observing station...Ch. 15 - How does the radius of the earths core compare...Ch. 15 - Where is the earths crust thinnest? Where is it...Ch. 15 - What evidence is there in favor of the idea that...Ch. 15 - What is the source of the energy that powers most...Ch. 15 - (a) Why is it believed that the earths outer core...Ch. 15 - Why does a compass needle in most places not point...Ch. 15 - Why is it unlikely that the earths magnetic field...Ch. 15 - Prob. 42ECh. 15 - Why are igneous and metamorphic rocks in general...Ch. 15 - Both marble and slate are metamorphic rocks. Would...Ch. 15 - In what way is the weathering of rock important to...Ch. 15 - Prob. 46ECh. 15 - Is there a limit to the depth to which streams can...Ch. 15 - Why are streams and rivers so effective as agents...Ch. 15 - Under what circumstances does a glacier form?Ch. 15 - Which is the more important agent of erosion...Ch. 15 - Prob. 51ECh. 15 - How is it possible for glaciers to wear down rocks...Ch. 15 - What is a water table? An aquifer?Ch. 15 - What is the immediate destination of most of the...Ch. 15 - What is the eventual site of deposition of most...Ch. 15 - Distinguish between an alluvial fan and a moraine.Ch. 15 - Why are clay minerals and quartz particles...Ch. 15 - In sand derived from the attack of waves on...Ch. 15 - What is the probable origin of the following...Ch. 15 - What characteristic landscape features do active...Ch. 15 - Prob. 61ECh. 15 - What factors determine the viscosity of a magma?...Ch. 15 - What is the cause of the holes found in many...Ch. 15 - Prob. 64ECh. 15 - (a) Why are metamorphic rocks often found near...Ch. 15 - Distinguish between a dike and a vein.
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Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- If we pushed the Earth closer to the Sun, it would develop a thick, CO2-rich atmosphere like Venus. All of that CO2 would come from the Earth's a. sea floor after the oceans evaporate b. mantle after the crust melts c. volcanic eruptions which would become more frequent d. polar regions after the ice caps meltarrow_forwardWhich of the following is the most related to plate tectonics activity? a climate b. volcanos and earthquakes c. wind and ocean currents d. glaciers and blizzardsarrow_forward12. Which part of the earth makes up about one-third of earth’s total mass and is mostly iron witha solid part and a part that acts like a liquid?A. mantle B. core C. crust D. asthenospherearrow_forward
- 11. Which part of the Earth is a hot, elastic semi-liquid layer that extends around the entire Earth?A. crust B. core C. mantle D. asthenospherearrow_forwardReview. The North American and European plates of the Earths crust are drifting apart with a relative speed of about 25 mm/yr. Take the speed as constant and find when the rift between them started to open, to reach a current width of 2.9 103 mi.arrow_forwardThe average elevation of Arabian peninsula (freeboard) is f=400 m. Considering that the oceanic crust is h=5 km of thickness and the sea average depth is D= 3700 m. (pc=2700 kg/m3, po=3000 kg/m3, pm=3300 kg/m3 pw=1000 kg/m3) What is the thickness H of the continental crust. B. If the Musandam has an average elevation of 800 m. How much is the thickness below Musandam considering stacking of sedimentary layers and not erosion.arrow_forward
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