Earth's Composition Quiz

What type of rock forms when lava cools?

• sedimentary

• igneous

• metamorphic

• transitional

The process by which rocks are broken down by water, wind, or ice is?

• mechanical weathering

• chemical weathering

• biological weathering

• structural weathering

Fossils and sedimentary rocks form under specific conditions, so their presence in certain locations provides evidence for?

• past environments

• stationary continents

• constant temperatures

• magnetic pole reversal

The diagram represents a cross-section of several rock layers containing fossils. Which of the following layers of rock is MOST LIKELY the youngest?

• dinosaurs

• amphibians

• fish

• trilobites

Throughout the rock cycle, many processes take place (weathering, sedimentation, melting). What happens to the total amount of material?

• it increases as its form changes

• it decreases as its form changes

• it fluctuates as its form changes

• it stays the same as its form changes

The outer layer of the Earth that contains both the crust and the upper mantle is called the?

• core

• hemisphere

• asthenosphere

• lithosphere

The primary cause of crustal movement is?

• conduction

• convection

• magnetism

• radiation

The basin and range topography of Nevada is recognized for?

• volcanoes and rivers

• valleys and mountains

• volcanoes and earthquakes

• valleys and earthquakes

The illustration shows layers found in the Grand Canyon. Scientists find these layers of rock useful for studying fossils. What type of rock is shown labeled in these layers?

• metamorphic

• igneous

• sedimentary

• transitional

Which property is the LEAST reliable for mineral identification?

• luster

• streak

• color

• hardness