What event split Baja from mainland Mexico to form the Gulf of California? Select the one best answer.

Question

What event split Baja from mainland Mexico to form the Gulf of California?  Select the one best answer.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To approach this question, let's consider what event is most closely tied to the formation of the Gulf of California as Baja California separated from mainland Mexico.
Option 1: Subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate. This plate is located off the Pacific Northwest of North America and is not implicated in the Baja California–Gulf of California region, so this choice does not explain the formation there.
Option 2: Rupture of the San Andreas Fault in 1906. The San Andreas is a right-lateral transform boundary in California, far from the Baja California region, and its historical rupture would not account for the opening of the Gulf of California between Baja and the mainland.
Option 3: Collision of Cocos plate with North American plate. While interactions near western Mexico involving the Cocos plate influence regional tectonics, the Gulf of California’s opening is more directly associated with Baja California’s separation rather than a collision event along the Pacific margin; this option does not capture the specific mechanism for Baja’s detachment.
Option 4: Subduction of the Rivera triple junction. This phrasing is somewhat awkward, but it alludes to the tectonic processes around the Rivera plate (the microplate near the Pacific margin) and its interactions at a triple junction with adjacent plates; however, the wording “subduction of the Rivera triple junction” doesn’t precisely describe the mechanism that opened the Gulf.
Option 5: Jump of Rivera triple junction south. This option describes a relocation (a “jump”) of the Rivera triple junction toward the south, which is consistent with reconstructions showing the plate boundaries reorganizing in a way that pulled Baja California away from the mainland, allowing the Gulf of California to form through rifting and seafloor spreading.
Considering the geologic narrative, the Gulf of California’s formation is best explained by a tectonic boundary reorganization at the Rivera triple junction, effectively pulling Baja California away and initiating the basin opening. The idea of a southward movement (a “jump”) of the triple junction aligns with that mechanism and provides the event most directly linked to the separation needed.
In contrast, the other options describe unrelated or less direct processes (distant subduction, a far-field San Andreas rupture, or a general subduction note about the Cocos/Rivera region) that do not specifically account for Baja California separating to create the Gulf.
Therefore, the most plausible and targeted option is the one describing the southward jump of the Rivera triple junction, which best captures the tectonic rearrangement that opened the Gulf of California.

GEL 020 001 FQ 2025 Quiz for Lecture 10 (10/29)

What event split Baja from mainland Mexico to form the Gulf of California? Select the one best answer.

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

How would you describe the motion of the North American plate relative along the San Andreas fault, relative to the Pacific plate?

Subduction zones ____.

Place the following events in the geologic history of California in chronological order, with 1 being oldest and 5 youngest. 1: intrusion of 90% of the Sierran Batholith 2: formation of a passive margin 3: development of an Andean-type margin 4: terrane accretion 5: erosion to expose the batholith

Match the geologic province of California with its corresponding tectonic setting. 1: Sierran Batholith 2: Central Valley 3: Franciscan 4: Accreted terranes

Question at position 24 Which of the following DOES NOT provide evidence that continents move by plate tectonicsVolcanic hot spot tracksGPS measurements of plate motionSymmetric magnetic stripes on each side of mid ocean ridgesUsing seismic waves to determine that the Earth's outer core is liquid

Question at position 37 Which one statement below is not correct?Temperature and pressure both increase with increasing depth.One source of Earth’s internal heat is the decay of radioactive elements.Convection in the outer core is responsible for plate tectonics.Clear my selection

The movement of tectonic plates is driven by which of the following?

The following statement provides the best possible explanation as to why many high mountain ranges are found at some distance from plate boundaries, such as the Rocky Mountains of the western United States and Canada that are found some distance away from the San Andreas fault.

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler

GEL 020 001 FQ 2025 Quiz for Lecture 10 (10/29)

What event split Baja from mainland Mexico to form the Gulf of California? Select the one best answer.

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

How would you describe the motion of the North American plate relative along the San Andreas fault, relative to the Pacific plate?

Subduction zones ____.​

Place the following events in the geologic history of California in chronological order, with 1 being oldest and 5 youngest. 1: intrusion of 90% of the Sierran Batholith 2: formation of a passive margin 3: development of an Andean-type margin 4: terrane accretion 5: erosion to expose the batholith

Match the geologic province of California with its corresponding tectonic setting. 1: Sierran Batholith 2: Central Valley 3: Franciscan 4: Accreted terranes

Question at position 24 Which of the following DOES NOT provide evidence that continents move by plate tectonicsVolcanic hot spot tracksGPS measurements of plate motionSymmetric magnetic stripes on each side of mid ocean ridgesUsing seismic waves to determine that the Earth's outer core is liquid

Question at position 37 Which one statement below is not correct?Temperature and pressure both increase with increasing depth.One source of Earth’s internal heat is the decay of radioactive elements.Convection in the outer core is responsible for plate tectonics.Clear my selection

The movement of tectonic plates is driven by which of the following?

The following statement provides the best possible explanation as to why many high mountain ranges are found at some distance from plate boundaries, such as the Rocky Mountains of the western United States and Canada that are found some distance away from the San Andreas fault.

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Making Your Study Simpler

Subduction zones ____.