Sedimentary rocks that were deposited in a marine environment occur at the peak of Mt. Everest. What do these rocks demonstrate?

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Sedimentary rocks that were deposited in a marine environment occur at the peak of Mt. Everest.  What do these rocks demonstrate?

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Question restatement: Sedimentary rocks that were deposited in a marine environment occur at the peak of Mt. Everest. What do these rocks demonstrate?

Option 1: 'Continental crust can be uplifted above sea level, especially along transform plate boundaries' This is not the best interpretation because large-scale high-altitude uplift, such as that forming Everest, is typically associated with convergent plate boundaries where continents collide, not transform boundaries where plates slide past one another. The key idea being tested is uplift at convergent margins, not transform motion.

Option 2: 'The law of superposition is valid' While the law of superposition is a fundamental principle in geology (younger rocks overlie older ones in a sequence), it does not by itself explain how marine sediments end up on a peak like Everest. The observation requires an explanation for how marine sediments rose to such altitudes, which goes beyond simply applying superposition.

Option 3: 'Large tsunamis occurred that were capable of transporting marine sediment far inland' This would require extraordinary tsunami activity depositing marine sediment far inland and at very high elevations. The standard interpretation of marine sediments on Everest is not that distant tsunamis carried the material; instead, plate tectonics and uplift explain the elevation of formerly marine rocks.

Option 4: 'Sea level was once much higher' While sea level changes can explain some exposure of marine deposits, having marine sediments on the very top of the world is better explained by vertical uplift of crust rather than a simple past sea-level change. The presence of marine rocks at Everest directly points to tectonic uplift rather than a historical sea level alone.

Option 5: 'Continental crust can be uplifted far above sea level, especially along convergent plate boundaries' This statement directly addresses the mechanism that explains why marine sedimentary rocks are found at the summit of Everest: long-term uplift of crust at convergent boundaries raises formerly underwater rocks to great elevations. It captures the core geologic process involved in producing high mountain belts composed of marine-derived rocks.

GEO 1030-090 Fall 2025 GEO 1030-090 Final Exam

Sedimentary rocks that were deposited in a marine environment occur at the peak of Mt. Everest. What do these rocks demonstrate?

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GEO 1030-090 Fall 2025 GEO 1030-090 Final Exam

Sedimentary rocks that were deposited in a marine environment occur at the peak of Mt. Everest. What do these rocks demonstrate?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

During subduction:

The process of fracturing and movement of the outer layers of the Earth is called _____.

Transform boundaries occur where ____.​

The angle of subduction of the down-going slab determines the surface profile of the earthquakes as seen in the image below. If the subduction angle was steeper (steeper subducting plate shown by yellow shade), how would the surface profile change?

What types of plate boundaries do not produce earthquakes?

What types of plate boundaries do not produce volcanoes?

Which type of plate boundary has the deepest earthquakes?

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Transform boundaries occur where ____.