Rocks, Soil, and Fossils Quiz

Which type of rock is formed when magma cools and solidifies?

• Sedimentary rock

• Igneous rock

• Metamorphic rock

• Fossil rock

What is the main component of soil that comes from the breakdown of rocks?

• Sand

• Humus

• Clay

• Water

Fossils are most commonly found in which type of rock?

• Igneous rock

• Sedimentary rock

• Metamorphic rock

• Volcanic rock

Which process changes sediment into sedimentary rock?

• Melting

• Compaction and cementation

• Evaporation

• Erosion

What is the process called when rocks are broken down into smaller pieces by wind, water, or ice?

• Melting

• Weathering

• Fossilization

• Cementation

Which of the following best describes how a fossil is formed?

• An animal is frozen in ice

• An organism is buried by sediment and its remains are replaced by minerals over time

• An animal is burned by lava

• An organism is eaten by another animal

Which of the following is an example of a metamorphic rock?

• Granite

• Marble

• Sandstone

• Limestone

What is humus in soil made from?

• Broken pieces of rock

• Decayed plants and animals

• Water and air

• Minerals

Given a diagram showing layers of soil, identify which layer contains the most organic material.

• Bedrock

• Topsoil

• Subsoil

• Parent rock

If you find a fossil of a fish in a rock layer on a mountain, what can you infer about the area’s past environment?

• It was always a mountain

• It was once underwater

• It was a desert

• It was a forest