Earth Unit Test

The processes involved in the rock cycle take place over millions of years. Which of the following describes a phase of the rock cycle that takes the longest to produce results?

• Rocks are eroded by wind and rain

• Eroded rocks travel by wind or moving water

• Rocks form layers of sediment and solidify into new rocks

• Rocks are pushed to Earth's surface by tectonic forces

The surface of the Earth is made of several tectonic plates that move at a very slow rate. What causes the plates to move?

• explosions within the Earth's mantle

• convection currents within the Earth's mantle

• expansion of the Earth's core pushing on the tectonic plates

• contraction of the Earth's core pulling on the tectonic plates

Many places, like the Grand Canyon are the result of a combination of processes that continue to shape Earth, like the water cycle and the rock cycle. Which of the following is responsible for the formation of the Grand Canyon?

• Too much rain soaking into the ground slows the rate of new rock formation

• Evaporation of water removes moisture from rock layers in the canyon walls.

• Large amounts of flowing water increase the rate of weathering and erosion.

• Decreased rainfall makes the rocks hard and brittle, so that they crumble into pebbles

Why is it most likely that fossils will be found in sedimentary rock rather than igneous or metamorphic rock?

• Molten sedimentary rock burns up living organisms and fossilizes them as it cools

• Animals can dig into sedimentary rock, and some are trapped inside and fossilize

• Sedimentary rock breaks apart most easily, so fossils inside are seen more often

• Animal remains can get trapped and fossilize as the layers of sedimentary rock form

Jason lives on a ranch in Wyoming. There is a large sedimentary rock outcrop on the ranch. He found one fossil embedded in the rock near the top of the outcrop and another embedded in the rock almost at the bottom of the outcrop. What do their positions tell him about the two fossils?

• The lower fossil is older than the upper fossil

• The upper fossil is older than the lower fossil

• The upper fossil must be that of a climbing animal

• The lower fossil must have washed down from the top

What would be the most effective way for a scientist to get an idea of the actual age of a rock?

• Measure the relative amounts of radioactive elements in it

• Judge its position in the rock face relative to that of other rocks

• Measure the amounts of different forms of carbon it contains

• Estimate how much of it has worn away since it formed originally

The tectonic plates that make up the surface of the Earth slowly move and interact with each other. Which of the following is NOT a result of tectonic plates moving on the surface of the Earth?

• earthquakes

• volcanoes

• mountain ranges

• erosion

  The diagram shows the layers of Earth, not drawn to scale.

Which correctly identifies the layers?

•   A-outer core, B-inner core, C-crust, D-mantle

•   A-Inner core,

  B-outer core, C-mantle, D-crust

•   A-mantle,

  B-inner core, C-outer core, D-crust

• A-crust, B-mantle,

  C-outer core, D-inner core

  Which of the following is the least dense of Earth’s layers?

•   crust

• mantle

• inner core

• outer core

   Earth is made of four layers, each with a different composition. Which of the following is true about one of the layers of Earth?

•   Density of the crust is greater than the density of the mantle.

•   Convection in the mantle results in movement of tectonic plates.

• Intense pressure from the layers above results in solid outer core.

• Movement of liquid metal in the inner core creates Earth’s magnetic field.