Geology of the National Parks of the West: Lecture

Viewing Guide
The following questions will be on the quiz. You will be asked to choose the correct
response from multiple choice questions. One point awarded for each correct answer.
Use this completed form to assist you with taking the quiz.

The crew for this expedition consisted of Dr. Horrell, his wife, and _Pets(dog, cat,
birds)__

The expedition concentrated on examining the effects of ___Plate Tectonic

Processes___ on the landscape and geology of our national parks.

Complete this profound statement from Dr. Horrell: Nothing in geology makes
sense __except in light of plate tectonic theory_______.

Between 120 million and 20 million years ago, the western portion of North
America was experiencing a _Extensional__ phase.

The westward movement of North America between 120 million and 20 million
years ago resulted in the subduction of the __Farallon___ Plate.

The Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest National Parks resulted from (which
process) __Compressional Phase____ during this time period?

Logs from the Petrified Forest National Park, Araucarioxylon arizonicum, are
related to which modern tree? Pine Tree.

The Cascade Range resulted from volcanic activity associated with subduction of
the __Juan de Fuca___ Plate.

Which of these is not cited as an example of Cascade volcanism? (a short list is

given)

10 Wizard Island, in Crater Lake National Park, is what type of volcanic feature?
11 Vulcans Eye can be found in which national park? (a short list is given) lassen
Volcanic NP
12 The Sierra Nevada mountains are primarily composed of multiple intrusions of
__granite__ rock, emplaced into the continental lithosphere during subduction of

the Farallon Plate.

13 Which one of these national parks in California is not in the Sierra Nevada
mountain range? (a short list is given)
14 On this expedition, a small exposure of metamorphosed limestone (marble) was
found at the highest part of the Sierra Nevada mountains which was locally
known as Boyden Cavern. The scientific term for this remnant of rock that
overlies the Sierra Nevada Batholith (aka, igneous pluton) is a ___metamorphic
a______.
15 The Coastal mountain range of Northern California, which includes Redwood
National Park, formed by the tectonic process of ____.
16 Once the spreading center (ridge crest) for the Farallon Plate was subducted
beneath the western edge of North America, the western part of the US began a
phase of crustal __________.
17 The geological province that extends from the Guadalupe Mountains of Texas and
New Mexico to the Mojave Desert of California is known as the _____________
Province.
18 The Guadalupe Mountains are the remains of an ancient __reefs___.
19 The age of the rocks forming the Guadalupe Mountains is approximately ______
million years, corresponding to the Permian Period of the Paleozoic Era.
20 The Tularosa Basin of New Mexico is the site of the ___white sands_____. (a
national park or monument)
21 Yellowstone National Park and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument are
examples of __hot spots__. (a tectonic process)
22 The Snake River valley at Twin Falls, Idaho, cuts through a thick sequence of
___Lava___. (type of rock)
23 The yellow rock exposed around Yellowstone National Park is primarily what type
of rock? Basalt, ash RHy?
24 The Cathedral Group are mountain peaks belonging to the ___Grand Teton Peak,
___. (name of mountain range)

25 Dr. Horrell would recommend that you __go out and see__ the National Parks.