Earth Science Midterm

Rocks can be classified many different ways, including as igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. This classification is based on the

• use of the rocks.

• hardness of the rocks.

• origin of the rocks.

• size of the rocks.

In the rock cycle, an igneous rock forms from

• weathering and erosion

• cooling temperatures

• high pressure and heat

• compacted plant remains

A group of citizens want to have a statue built out of marble. They want to place it in a climate that has a slow rate of chemical weathering. In which type of climate would it be BEST to place the statue for the slowest rate of chemical weathering?

• cold and dry

• hot and humid

• hot and dry

• cold and humid

A group of students is taking a hike along a stream channel. One student picks up a rock from the stream and notices that the rock is very smooth and round. Which type of weathering MOST likely shaped the rock?

• exfoliation

• oxidation

• abrasion

• fracturing

Long shore currents are ocean waves that strike beaches at extremely small angles. In areas where long shore currents exist, what effect do they have on land areas?

• They move sand, creating sandbars.

• They build mountains.

• They create inland saltwater rivers.

• They cause earthquakes.

Which transition is MOST responsible for gaps in the fossil record?

• metamorphic rock to sedimentary rock

• metamorphic rock to igneous rock

• metamorphic rock to igneous rock

• sedimentary rock to metamorphic rock

Which of these gases in Earth’s atmosphere is MOST responsible for the chemical weathering of rock?

• oxygen

• argon

• hydrogen

• nitrogen

Where is the most likely area to experience a tsunami?

• Pacific Ocean

• Antarctic Ocean

• Atlantic Ocean

• Baltic Sea

What present-day areas were represented by Gondwanaland?

• South America, Africa, Australia

• Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia

• Europe, Africa, South America

• Asia, Austraila, Africa

Which layer of the earth is not involved in plate tectonics?

• crust

• mantle

• inner core

• lithosphere