The Rock Cycle and Earth's Ancient Secrets Quiz

Which process is primarily responsible for the formation of sedimentary rocks?

• Cooling of magma

• Deposition, compaction, and cementation of sediment

• Heat and pressure transforming existing rock

• Melting of rocks in the Earth's mantle

Igneous rocks are formed by:

• Cooling and solidification of lava or magma

• High pressure on sedimentary rocks

• The accumulation of plant material in swamps

• The deposition of minerals from solution

What is the theory of plate tectonics?

• The theory that the Earth is cooling down, causing the surface to crack

• The theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle

• The theory that the continents are stationary and have never moved

• The theory that the Earth is expanding, causing continents to drift apart

Fossils are most likely to form in which type of rock?

• Igneous

• Metamorphic

• Sedimentary

• Basaltic

Which era is known as the "Age of Reptiles"?

• Paleozoic

• Mesozoic

• Cenozoic

• Precambrian

The process by which sedimentary rocks are formed from sediment is called:

• Metamorphism

• Lithification

• Subduction

• Extrusion

Which of the following is NOT a method of fossilization?

• Permineralization

• Amber entrapment

• Freezing

• Metamorphosis

The presence of which type of fossil is most useful in correlating rock layers of similar age across large distances?

• Trace fossils

• Index fossils

• Microfossils

• Body fossils

What is the significance of the boundary between the Precambrian and the Phanerozoic eons in the geological time scale?

• It marks the first appearance of complex life forms.

• It signifies the end of the dinosaurs.

• It indicates the beginning of the Ice Age.

• It represents the formation of the Earth's moon.

Magma that cools and solidifies beneath the Earth's surface forms which type of igneous rock?

• Extrusive

• Intrusive

• Metamorphic

• Sedimentary