Export your learner materials as an interactive game, a webpage, or FAQ style cheatsheet.
Unsaved Work Found!
It looks like you have unsaved work from a previous session. Would you like to restore it?
Total Categories: 5
The Sierra Nevada mountain range is located exclusively within the state of California.
Answer: False
The Sierra Nevada is primarily located within California, but a significant spur, the Carson Range, extends into Nevada.
The Sierra Nevada stretches approximately 400 miles from east to west.
Answer: False
The Sierra Nevada stretches approximately 400 miles from north to south, with an east-west width varying between 50 and 80 miles.
Mount Whitney is the highest point in the entire United States.
Answer: False
Mount Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States, but not the entire United States (Denali in Alaska is higher).
The Sierra Nevada contains only two national parks.
Answer: False
The Sierra Nevada encompasses three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon.
The Spanish name 'Sierra Nevada' translates to 'rocky mountain range'.
Answer: False
The Spanish name 'Sierra Nevada' translates to 'snowy mountain range,' with 'sierra' meaning 'jagged mountain range' and 'nevada' meaning 'snowy.'
The eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada is characterized by a gradual rise in elevation.
Answer: False
The eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada forms a steep escarpment, rising dramatically from the Great Basin.
The Sacramento River watershed drains the southern third of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.
Answer: False
The Sacramento River watershed drains the northern third of the western slope; the southern third is drained by the Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers.
Rivers on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
Answer: False
Rivers on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada flow into the endorheic Great Basin of eastern California and western Nevada.
The elevation of Sierra Nevada peaks generally decreases from north to south.
Answer: False
The elevation of Sierra Nevada peaks generally increases from north to south, reaching its highest points in the central and southern sections before decreasing further south.
Yosemite Valley and Kings Canyon are examples of glacially-scoured canyons on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada.
Answer: False
Yosemite Valley and Kings Canyon are glacially-scoured canyons located on the western side of the Sierra Nevada.
The Sierra Nevada snowpack is a primary source of water for Nevada.
Answer: False
The Sierra Nevada snowpack is a primary source of water for California, not Nevada.
The Sierra Nevada snowpack is a significant contributor to California's electric power generation.
Answer: True
The meltwater from the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a crucial resource for California, contributing significantly to electric power generation.
Which of the following is NOT a national park located within the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Yellowstone National Park
Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks are located within the Sierra Nevada; Yellowstone National Park is located primarily in Wyoming.
The name 'Sierra Nevada' is of Spanish origin. What do the components 'sierra' and 'nevada' mean, respectively?
Answer: Jagged mountain range, snowy
The Spanish name 'Sierra Nevada' translates to 'snowy mountain range,' with 'sierra' meaning 'jagged mountain range' and 'nevada' meaning 'snowy.'
How does the elevation of the Sierra Nevada generally change when moving from the western edge to the eastern crest?
Answer: It rises gradually from west to east, forming a steep eastern escarpment.
The elevation of the Sierra Nevada increases gradually from west to east, culminating in a steep eastern escarpment.
Which of the following river systems drains the southern third of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers
The Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers drain the southern third of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, flowing into the Tulare Lake basin.
What is the significance of the Sierra Nevada snowpack for California?
Answer: It is the primary source of water for agriculture and urban areas and contributes to power generation.
The Sierra Nevada snowpack serves as California's principal water source, supplying agriculture and urban centers, and is also vital for electric power generation.
Which of the following is the highest point in the contiguous United States and located within the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney, situated in the Sierra Nevada, is the highest peak in the contiguous United States.
Which of the following is the largest alpine lake in North America and is located within the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe, situated in the Sierra Nevada, is recognized as the largest alpine lake in North America.
The Sierra Nevada's western slope is drained by rivers that flow into the San Joaquin River watershed in its middle third. Which of the following is NOT listed as a tributary in this watershed?
Answer: American River
The American River is part of the Sacramento River watershed (northern third), not the San Joaquin River watershed (middle third) which includes the Mokelumne, Stanislaus, and Merced Rivers.
The Sierra Nevada's northern boundary is marked by the disappearance of its granitic bedrock under the volcanic rock of which mountain range?
Answer: The Cascade Range
The northern boundary of the Sierra Nevada is characterized by its granitic bedrock yielding to the Cenozoic volcanic rock of the Cascade Range.
The Sierra Nevada is bordered on the east by the Basin and Range Province and on the southeast by which desert?
Answer: Mojave Desert
The Sierra Nevada is bordered by the Basin and Range Province to the east and the Mojave Desert to the southeast.
Which of the following is NOT a glacially-scoured canyon found on the western side of the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Death Valley
Yosemite Valley, Kings Canyon, and Kern Canyon are glacially-scoured canyons on the western Sierra Nevada; Death Valley is a basin formed by tectonic activity and erosion.
The Sierra Nevada's western slope is drained by rivers that flow into the San Joaquin River watershed in its middle third. Which of the following is NOT listed as a tributary in this watershed?
Answer: American River
The American River is part of the Sacramento River watershed (northern third), not the San Joaquin River watershed (middle third) which includes the Mokelumne, Stanislaus, and Merced Rivers.
What is the approximate width of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, measured east-west?
Answer: 50 to 80 miles
The east-west width of the Sierra Nevada mountain range varies between approximately 50 miles (80 km) and 80 miles (130 km).
The Sierra Nevada began to uplift more than ten million years ago.
Answer: False
The geological uplift of the Sierra Nevada commenced less than five million years ago.
The Sierra Nevada batholith was formed by volcanic eruptions during the Cenozoic Era.
Answer: False
The Sierra Nevada batholith was formed by massive plutons rising deep underground during the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era.
During the Mesozoic Era, the Nevadan orogeny involved the collision of an island arc with the North American west coast.
Answer: True
The Nevadan orogeny, occurring in the Triassic and Jurassic periods of the Mesozoic Era, involved the collision of an island arc with the North American west coast.
In the Cenozoic Era, volcanic activity in Nevada led to rivers eroding the Sierra Nevada's granite bedrock.
Answer: False
In the Cenozoic Era, volcanic activity covered valleys with deposits, and rivers later began eroding these deposits, resuming incision that had been halted by the volcanism.
Glaciers played a role in shaping the Sierra Nevada by carving U-shaped canyons and exposing granite.
Answer: True
During the ice ages, glaciers carved U-shaped canyons and, through erosion, exposed the upper portions of the ancient plutons, revealing the granite formations.
The Sierra Nevada is primarily characterized by Mesozoic-era metamorphic rocks.
Answer: False
The Sierra Nevada is primarily characterized by Mesozoic-era igneous rock formations, particularly the Sierra Nevada batholith, although Paleozoic metamorphic rocks are also present.
The oldest rocks found in the Sierra Nevada are metasedimentary rocks from the Cambrian period.
Answer: True
The oldest rocks identified in the Sierra Nevada are metamorphic metasedimentary rocks dating back to the Cambrian period.
What is the primary geological process responsible for exposing the granite bedrock that characterizes the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Erosion caused by glaciers
Glacial erosion, in conjunction with river erosion, was the primary process responsible for exposing the granite bedrock that defines the Sierra Nevada's landscape.
What geological period is associated with the formation of the Sierra Nevada batholith through the subduction of an oceanic plate?
Answer: Mesozoic Era (specifically Cretaceous period)
The Sierra Nevada batholith formed during the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era due to the subduction of an oceanic plate beneath the North American Plate.
The Sierra Nevada batholith began forming during which geological period due to subduction?
Answer: Cretaceous period
The Sierra Nevada batholith began forming during the Cretaceous period as a result of oceanic plate subduction.
The Sierra Nevada batholith is composed of what type of rock formations?
Answer: Massive plutons of magma that cooled underground
The Sierra Nevada batholith is primarily composed of massive plutons, which are igneous rock bodies formed from magma that cooled deep beneath the surface.
What geological period saw the collision of an island arc with the west coast of North America, contributing to the shaping of the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Mesozoic Era (Triassic and Jurassic periods)
The Nevadan orogeny, a key event in the shaping of the Sierra Nevada, occurred during the Mesozoic Era, specifically the Triassic and Jurassic periods, involving the collision of an island arc.
The Sierra Nevada batholith was formed by plutons during the Cretaceous period due to the melting of which oceanic plate?
Answer: Farallon Plate
The Sierra Nevada batholith formed during the Cretaceous period from plutons generated by the melting of the Farallon Plate as it subducted beneath the North American Plate.
Orographic lift is the primary cause of precipitation on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada.
Answer: False
Orographic lift is the primary cause of precipitation on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, leading to a rain shadow effect on the eastern side.
The 'Sierra Rotor' is a wind phenomenon occurring on the western slopes of the range.
Answer: False
The 'Sierra Rotor' is a wind phenomenon characterized by horizontal atmospheric rotation occurring just east of the Sierra crest.
Mono winds are typically associated with moist, downslope air currents.
Answer: False
Mono winds are strong, dry downslope winds that primarily affect the western slopes, most common from late fall to spring.
The 'Nevada Triangle' is a region known for a low number of airplane crashes.
Answer: False
The 'Nevada Triangle' is an area within the Sierra Nevada region known for a high number of airplane crashes, attributed to complex weather and terrain.
The eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada is generally warmer and drier than the western slope due to the rain shadow effect.
Answer: True
The rain shadow effect created by the Sierra Nevada causes the eastern slope to be significantly warmer and drier than the western slope.
The Sierra Nevada's rain shadow effect contributes to the aridity of the Great Basin.
Answer: True
The rain shadow effect created by the Sierra Nevada significantly reduces precipitation on its eastern side, contributing to the arid climate of the Great Basin.
The 'Nevada Triangle' is named after the Bermuda Triangle due to its high number of aviation incidents.
Answer: True
The 'Nevada Triangle' is an area in the Sierra Nevada region known for a high number of aircraft crashes, drawing a parallel to the Bermuda Triangle.
What meteorological phenomenon causes the significant snowfall and precipitation on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Orographic lift
Orographic lift is the meteorological phenomenon responsible for forcing moist air upward, causing it to cool and release precipitation on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
The 'Nevada Triangle' is an area within the Sierra Nevada region known for a high number of airplane crashes. What is the primary reason cited for these incidents?
Answer: Complex weather and atmospheric conditions due to terrain
The 'Nevada Triangle' is associated with a high number of airplane crashes attributed to complex weather patterns and terrain-induced atmospheric conditions.
The Sierra Nevada's influence on the climate of the Great Basin is primarily due to:
Answer: The creation of a rain shadow effect.
The Sierra Nevada creates a significant rain shadow effect on its eastern side, which is the primary reason for the arid climate of the Great Basin.
The Sierra Nevada is divided into biotic zones. Which factor causes these zones to be situated at higher elevations on the east side compared to the west side?
Answer: The rain shadow effect making the east side warmer and drier.
The rain shadow effect creates warmer and drier conditions on the eastern slope, causing biotic zones to occur at higher elevations compared to the western slope.
What is the 'Sierra Rotor' phenomenon?
Answer: The horizontal rotation of the atmosphere just east of the Sierra crest.
The 'Sierra Rotor' is a meteorological phenomenon characterized by the horizontal rotation of the atmosphere situated just east of the Sierra crest.
What is the primary characteristic of Mono winds?
Answer: They are strong, dry downslope winds common in late fall to spring.
Mono winds are characterized as strong, dry downslope winds that predominantly affect the western slopes, typically occurring from late fall through spring.
What is the primary reason cited for the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada being warmer and drier than the western slope?
Answer: The rain shadow effect.
The rain shadow effect, caused by the Sierra Nevada blocking moisture-laden winds from the Pacific, results in the eastern slope being warmer and drier.
What is the significance of the 'Nevada Triangle' in relation to aviation?
Answer: It is an area with a notable number of aircraft crashes.
The 'Nevada Triangle' is recognized for its association with a significant number of aircraft crashes, attributed to challenging atmospheric and terrain conditions.
What is the significance of the Sierra Nevada's elevation and rain shadow effect on its eastern slope?
Answer: It makes the eastern slope warmer and drier, influencing biotic zones.
The combination of elevation and the rain shadow effect renders the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada warmer and drier, significantly influencing its biotic zones.
Pedro Font first applied the name 'Sierra Nevada' to the range in 1776.
Answer: True
While Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo used the name for a Pacific Coast Range in 1542, Pedro Font's map in 1776 applied the name to the range currently known as the Sierra Nevada.
Photographer Ansel Adams strongly supported the use of the plural form 'Sierras' for the mountain range.
Answer: False
Ansel Adams considered the use of the plural 'Sierras' to be a 'linguistic, Californian, and mountaineering sin.'
The Martis people were indigenous to the southern Sierra Nevada region.
Answer: False
The Martis people were indigenous to the north-central region of the Sierra Nevada.
Jedediah Smith was the first European American to see Lake Tahoe in 1844.
Answer: False
Lieutenant John C. Frémont, accompanied by Kit Carson, was the first European American to see Lake Tahoe in 1844; Jedediah Smith explored the region earlier but did not report seeing Lake Tahoe.
The California Gold Rush began in 1848 near Coloma in the western foothills.
Answer: True
The California Gold Rush commenced in 1848 at Sutter's Mill near Coloma, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
Hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush primarily involved using high-pressure water jets on gravel beds.
Answer: True
Hydraulic mining employed high-pressure water jets directed at gravel beds to extract gold, a method that caused significant environmental disruption.
The Gold Rush led to the displacement of Native Americans and increased conflicts over land.
Answer: True
The influx of prospectors during the Gold Rush resulted in the displacement of Native American populations and heightened conflicts over ancestral lands.
The thorough exploration and mapping of the Sierra Nevada concluded with USGS maps published around 1900.
Answer: False
The comprehensive exploration and mapping of the Sierra Nevada concluded around 1912 with the publication of USGS maps.
The California Geological Survey, led by Josiah Whitney, played a role in exploring the Sierra Nevada.
Answer: True
The California Geological Survey, under the leadership of Josiah Whitney, conducted significant explorations of the Sierra Nevada.
Early logging in the Sierra Nevada primarily used advanced machinery and was focused on imported lumber.
Answer: False
Early logging in the Sierra Nevada utilized hand tools and ox-teams, with a greater reliance on imported lumber before the demand from mining spurred local industry growth.
The Timber and Stone Act of 1878 facilitated the consolidation of old-growth timber tracts by joint-stock companies.
Answer: True
The Timber and Stone Act of 1878 enabled individuals to claim timber tracts, which were often subsequently consolidated by companies.
What was the primary impact of the California Gold Rush on Native American populations in the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: It resulted in displacement from traditional lands and increased conflict.
The Gold Rush led to the displacement of Native Americans from their lands and resulted in increased conflicts as they attempted to defend their territories.
Which explorer is credited with being the first European American to see Lake Tahoe in 1844?
Answer: Lieutenant John C. Frémont
Lieutenant John C. Frémont, accompanied by Kit Carson, is credited as the first European American to observe Lake Tahoe in 1844.
What were the environmental consequences of hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush?
Answer: It caused significant erosion, washing gravel and pollutants into streams.
Hydraulic mining resulted in substantial erosion, leading to the deposition of gravel and pollutants into rivers and streams, causing significant environmental damage.
The Timber and Stone Act of 1878 primarily benefited which industry in the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Logging
The Timber and Stone Act of 1878 facilitated the acquisition and consolidation of timber tracts, primarily benefiting the logging industry.
What were the early logging practices in the Sierra Nevada like before the demand from the mining industry spurred growth?
Answer: Primarily imported lumber with limited local use of hand tools.
Early logging in the Sierra Nevada relied on hand tools and imported lumber, with local operations being limited before the mining boom increased demand.
The Martis people, an early indigenous group, inhabited which region of the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: The north-central Sierra Nevada
The Martis people, an early indigenous group, inhabited the north-central region of the Sierra Nevada.
What was the primary method used in hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush that caused significant environmental damage?
Answer: Using high-pressure water jets on gravel beds.
Hydraulic mining employed high-pressure water jets directed at gravel beds, a method that resulted in significant environmental damage due to erosion and sediment transport.
What was the purpose of the Timber and Stone Act of 1878 in relation to the Sierra Nevada's timber resources?
Answer: To allow individuals to claim and consolidate timber tracts.
The Timber and Stone Act of 1878 was intended to permit individuals to claim and consolidate timber-rich lands, significantly impacting the logging industry.
John Muir successfully lobbied for the protection of Yosemite National Park and against the logging of giant sequoias.
Answer: True
John Muir was a pivotal conservationist whose lobbying efforts led to the protection of Yosemite National Park and the preservation of giant sequoias.
The Hetch Hetchy Valley dam proposal was approved without significant debate.
Answer: False
The Hetch Hetchy Valley dam proposal sparked a decade-long debate involving conservationists and ultimately led to the passage of the Raker Act in 1913.
Contemporary conservation challenges in the Sierra Nevada include a decrease in large wildfires.
Answer: False
Contemporary conservation challenges include an increase in large wildfires, potentially linked to climate change and historical forest management practices.
John Muir's conservation efforts focused on protecting the Sierra Nevada's forests from overgrazing and logging.
Answer: True
John Muir's conservation advocacy centered on protecting the Sierra Nevada's forests from detrimental practices such as overgrazing by sheep and logging.
Overgrazing in the Sierra Nevada has no significant ecological impact.
Answer: False
Overgrazing in the Sierra Nevada can negatively impact ecological processes, including hydrology and vegetation cover.
Recent increases in large wildfires in the Sierra Nevada are not linked to climate change.
Answer: False
Studies suggest that human-induced climate change may be contributing to the recent increase in large wildfires within the Sierra Nevada.
The John Muir Trail is a 211-mile hiking path from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney.
Answer: True
The John Muir Trail is a 211-mile hiking path that traverses the Sierra crest, extending from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney.
Proposals for trans-Sierra highways in the 1920s were generally supported by the Forest Service and the Sierra Club.
Answer: False
Proposals for trans-Sierra highways in the 1920s faced opposition from the Forest Service and the Sierra Club, who advocated for preserving the wilderness.
The Wilderness Act of 1964 had a significant impact on the Sierra Nevada by authorizing extensive new highway construction.
Answer: False
The Wilderness Act of 1964 designated portions of the Sierra Nevada as primitive areas, protecting them from development and wheeled vehicle use, rather than authorizing highway construction.
Which prominent conservationist is credited with lobbying against the overgrazing of sheep and the logging of giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: John Muir
John Muir was a key figure in conservation efforts, actively campaigning against the overgrazing of sheep and the logging of giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada.
The Wilderness Act of 1964 had a significant impact on the Sierra Nevada by:
Answer: Designating portions as primitive areas, protecting backcountry from development.
The Wilderness Act of 1964 designated parts of the Sierra Nevada as wilderness, safeguarding them from development and ensuring the preservation of their natural state.
The debate over building a dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley ultimately resulted in:
Answer: The construction of the dam being approved by the Raker Act.
Following a prolonged debate, the Raker Act was passed, authorizing the construction of the dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley.
What is the significance of the John Muir Trail?
Answer: It is a 211-mile hiking trail through the Sierra crest.
The John Muir Trail is a significant 211-mile hiking trail that traverses the crest of the Sierra Nevada.
Which of the following is NOT a contemporary conservation challenge facing the Sierra Nevada?
Answer: Reduced grazing in wilderness areas.
While logging and increased wildfires are noted challenges, reduced grazing is not presented as a contemporary conservation challenge; rather, the impacts of grazing are highlighted.