Image: shutterstock
About This Quiz
Perhaps you think you know a lot about the history of North America: the Mexican War for independence, the French fur traders who explored the northern woods of Canada, the English colonists who left everything behind to start a new life on the other side of the globe. But all that is recent history, put in perspective. North America is a continent 700 million years in the making. It has a geologic history that precedes homo sapiens altogether, even the earliest peoples who crossed the land bridge from Asia.
Why is geological history important? Because when you think about it, nearly every outdoor landmark you've enjoyed as a traveler -- the lakes you've swum in or mountains you've climbed or skied -- are the result of geologic processes. From Mt. Denali to the Grand Canyon to Niagara Falls, the continent's most fantastic tourist destinations are the result of dynamic processes deep in the earth. That's not to mention the mineral resources that keep life on the surface going, like Canada's vast oil supplies or the gold in Western mines.
How much do you know about how geology has shaped the North American landscape? We'll help you find out with a 35-question quiz on the mountains, lakes, calderas and other natural phenomena that make North America what it is today!
The Continental Divide mainly divides North America in terms of ______.
altitude
quality of soil
politics
watersheds
The Continental Divide is where North America's waters stop flowing east toward the Atlantic and start running west to the Pacific. It extends from northern Canada all the way down the Rocky Mountains, to the U.S. state of New Mexico.
Advertisement
Is North America's Continental Divide the only one in the world?
yes
no
Central and South America have continental divides as well, essentially the extension of North America's. In fact, all continents except Antarctica have them.
Advertisement
Which of these rivers carved out the Grand Canyon?
the American
the Colorado
The Mississippi might be a better-known name in America, but it was the Colorado and its tributaries that created the Grand Canyon. It's truly amazing what water can do, given enough time!
the Mississippi
the Sacramento
Advertisement
What geologic feature (of which there are five) is (mostly) shared by Canada and the U.S.?
the Adirondack Mountains
the Great Lakes
Their names are Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior. Four of the five Great Lakes border both Canada and the United States (only Lake Michigan is solely in the U.S.).
Niagara Falls
the Yellowstone volcanoes
Advertisement
How much of the world's fresh water is contained in The Great Lakes?
less than 1 percent
2 percent
5 percent
more than 20 percent
It's hard to believe, but generally The Great Lakes contain about 21 percent of the world's fresh water (The percentage can fluctuate a bit due to weather conditions). Only Russia's Lake Baikal contains more, usually about 22 to 23 percent.
Advertisement
Which is the deepest and coldest of The Great Lakes?
Lake Michigan
Lake Ontario
Lake Superior
Lake Superior lives up to its name, being the largest of The Great Lakes in both volume and surface area. At its deepest point, it reaches 406 meters. Only Crater Lake in Oregon is deeper.
Lake Huron
Advertisement
True or false: The Great Lakes are connected.
true
Lakes tend to need inlets and outlets to remain healthy; they are less likely to thrive as a closed system. The Great Lakes are attached to each other through waterways, like St. Mary's River.
false
Advertisement
In which nation would you find the Altiplano?
Canada
Mexico
The Altiplano ("high plain") is a high plateau between the two Sierra Madre ranges, Occidental and Oriental. It is mostly desert, with some forestation.
United States
all of these
Advertisement
The North American Cordillera is known as the _______ of North America.
backbone
The North American Cordillera is the series of mountain ranges running down the western half of the continent, from northern Canada through Mexico. It is sometimes reduced to "the Rockies," but the Rockies are only a large part of it.
elevator
gateway
back door
Advertisement
Which mountain peak is the highest in North America?
Mt. Denali
Denali, in Alaska, was formerly known as Mt. McKinley. During the Obama administration, it was restored officially to the name that indigenous peoples called it.
Mt. Diablo
Green Mountain
Mt. Shasta
Advertisement
Which of these mountain ranges is in California?
the Adirondacks
the Tetons
the Ozarks
the Sierra Nevada
OK, a little bit of the Sierra Nevada is in Nevada. This is important, because it's where skiers and snowboarders go when they want to play the slot machines!
Advertisement
Where would you find the Basin and Range province?
Arizona
New Mexico
western Mexico
all of these
This large geographic region is mostly associated with western Mexico and the southwestern United States. However, it extends through Nevada to touch a little of Washington and Idaho. It's that big!
Advertisement
Where would you find the Snake River Basin?
America's Pacific Northwest region
The Snake River begins in Wyoming and travels west. It cuts through Idaho, Oregon, and finally merges with Washington's Columbia River, which carries its waters to the Pacific.
southern California
the Yukon
the Hudson Bay area
Advertisement
Yellowstone Caldera is the largest ________ in the United States.
unbroken rock
hot spring
tourist attraction
supervolcano
A caldera is a deep bowl-like depression left when a volcano erupts repeatedly. Just because Yellowstone Caldera's eruptions are over now, doesn't mean they're over forever. A future eruption could cover North America's skies with ash and play havoc with its environment.
Advertisement
The changes in Earth's surface overall, not just North America, occur in the crust and upper mantle. Jointly, they are known as the ________.
altosphere
lithosphere
"Lithosphere" comes from the Greek word for "rock." The asthenosphere is the part of the mantle just underneath the lithosphere.
asthenosphere
toposphere
Advertisement
The lithosphere is divided into tectonic _____.
bands
gorges
plates
As you'd expect, North American mostly rests on the North American plate. But the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, and Cocos plates also underlie small parts of it.
plains
Advertisement
On the Pacific Coast, the Farallon Plate gradually moved under the North American plate, a process known as _________.
abduction
adduction
induction
subduction
This happened millions of years ago, and created the North America Cordillera. The Farallon Plate, named for islands off the coast of Northern California, has since broken up, and its remnant pieces are known by other names.
Advertisement
Which U.S. state is known as "the Silver State" for its rich deposits of the precious metal?
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
Of late, this is a misnomer: gold mining is far more profitable in Nevada. But "Golden State" was already taken.
South Dakota
Advertisement
The North American plate underlies which country that isn't considered part of the North American continent?
Bermuda
Iceland
Nicaragua
both #1 and #2
Geology does not recognize political boundary-making. Bermuda, Iceland and part of western Russia are on the North American plate.
Advertisement
In which country would you find the Appalachians?
Canada
Mexico
United States
both #1 and #3
The Applachian Range encompasses several smaller mountain ranges. In Canada, this includes the Long Range Mountains and the Notre Dame range.
Advertisement
Canada's gold rush of the 1890s is better known as the __________ Gold Rush.
Klondike
It's also sometimes known as the Yukon Gold Rush. Many prospectors left emptyhanded and disillusioned, unable to wrest the precious metal from the Klondike's rough, perpetually cold terrain.
Albertan
Quebecois
Yellowknife
Advertisement
Canada is home to hundreds of ice masses that move under their own weight, better known as __________.
icebergs
glaciers
Not surprisingly, given its northern latitudes, Canada has a large number of glaciers. About nine of America's states are also home to glaciers.
snow islands
permafrosts
Advertisement
True or false: Mexico home to a few glaciers.
true
Mexico's glaciers are located on three of its tallest, coldest peaks. Those peaks are all in Mexico's southern volcanic belt.
false
Advertisement
In which country would you find the Great Basin?
Canada
Mexico
United States
all of them
only #2 and #3
The Great Basin is a region marked by its watersheds and its arid climate. It covers some of the western U.S. and Mexico's Baja California.
Advertisement
Which of these bodies of water is part of the Canadian Shield?
Lake Banff
Hudson Bay
The Canadian Shield is part of the larger North American Craton. It extends into the United States, but not as far as Crater Lake or Lake Tahoe.
Crater Lake
Lake Tahoe
Advertisement
How was Oregon's deep Crater Lake formed?
glacial movement
volcanic caldera
Crater Lake is the deepest in the U.S., formed when a volcano fell in on itself after multiple eruptions. Crater Lake's deepest point is nearly 3,000 feet.
meteor strike
it is man-made
Advertisement
Which mountain range would you find in Arkansas and Oklahoma?
the Alleghenies
the Adirondacks
the Ouachitas
The Ouachitas are not America's most imposing mountain range. The highest peak, Mount Magazine, stands less than 3,000 feet high.
the Cascades
Advertisement
Where in the United States should you move if you are afraid of earthquakes?
Arizona
Nevada
North Dakota
North Dakota has the lowest rate of earthquakes in the United States. However, it should be noted that no state is earthquake-free.
Washington
Advertisement
Which of these Canadian lakes is North America's deepest?
Great Bear Lake
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is in the Northwest Territories. You might know it from the Animal Planet series, "Ice Lake Rebels," about people who live there on houseboats.
Lake Manitoba
Lake Winnipeg
Advertisement
Canada has an abundance of oil; only _____ has more oil reserves.
Nigeria
Saudi Arabia
Venezuela
both #2 and #3
Canada is able to export more oil than it imports, thanks mostly to a geologic feature called the Athabasca Oil Sands. They are located in the province of Alberta.
Advertisement
The junction of the Pacific Plate and North American Plate is called the _____________.
Farallon Edge
Pacific Joint
San Andreas Fault
It's impossible to live in California for any length of time and not know about the San Andreas Fault. Predicting the next "Big One" (earthquake) is the state's unofficial pastime.
Trans-Alaskan Fault
Advertisement
Which state not generally known for earthquakes was struck by several large ones in the early 19th century?
Hawaii
Missouri
New Madrid, Missouri, suffered several largequakes in 1811 and 1812. This historical incident isn't as well-known as other natural disasters because the population there, at the time, was fairly low.
New Jersey
New York
Advertisement
Pococatepetl, Matlacueitl, and Pico de Orizaba are all Mexican __________.
lakes
river basins
meteor craters
volcanoes
These are all part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It runs across southern Mexico, from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico.
Advertisement
What is the name of the paleocontinent that immediately preceded the North American continent?
Columbia
Luna
Laurentia
This relatively-recent supercontinent is named for a Christian saint. It is also reflected in the name of the St. Lawrence River, shared by Canada and the United States.
Vulcania
Advertisement
Part of Laurentia still exists in the form of a stable lithospheric core called the North American _______.
Craton
The North American Craton is also called the Laurentia Craton. A craton is a large and stable part of the earth's lithosphere (the crust and mantle, combined).
Belt
Mesa
Table
Advertisement
You Got:
/35
shutterstock