Sedimentary Rock and Fossil Fuel Formation Assessment

It shows a layer of rock. Notice that there are seashell fossils in the rock. How might a scientist explain how this kind of rock formed?

• A.  Wind blew the seashells to the top of a hill, and the seashells became surrounded by rock.
• A.  The seashells were formed when fire melted the rock.
• A.  The seashells were formed when pressure changed rock to seashells.
• A.  Seashells at the bottom of the ocean were covered by layers and layers of sand and, after millions of years, became part of the rock.

What forms coal, oil, and gas?

• A.  Minerals trapped between layers of rock
• A.  Petroleum filling the space between rocks
• A.  Rock that has been heated and compacted
• A.  The buried remains of ancient living things

What processes form sedimentary rocks?

• A.  Heat and pressure
• A.  Pressure and cementation
• A.  Melting and cooling of magma
• A.  Metamorphism and erosion

Layers of sedimentary rock build up in much the same way as—

• A.  water flows through a pipe
• A.  layers are added to a sandwich
• A.  swings move back and forth
• A.  bicycle pedals move around in a circle

 A student knows that petroleum formed when plant remains were buried. The student thinks that to solve the energy crisis, plants can be buried so that they will change into more petroleum. What is wrong with this theory?

• A.  It takes millions of years for this change to occur.
• A.  There is not enough pressure underground anymore.
• A.  Petroleum formed from dead dinosaurs, not from plants, and there are no dinosaurs today.
• A.  The plants will be eaten by microbes.

A student made this diagram to share information about coal. coal  
  What is the best way to add information about how coal is formed?

• Add renewable resources to the diagram.
• Add pictures of fossils to each layer.
• Add arrows that are labeled 'heat' and 'pressure.'
• Add arrows labeled 'evaporation' and 'precipitation.