Which of the following best explains why dark soils are generally fertile?

• They contain high humus and nutrient-rich parent material.

• They are usually shallow soils.

• They indicate the soil is poorly drained.

• They always form under acidic conditions.

Which statement best explains why the 16 nutrient elements are considered essential?

• Without them, plants cannot complete their life cycle.

• They can be substituted by other elements.

• They are always present in large quantities.

• They increase soil fertility.

Which soil separate is sticky and plastic when moist, and forms plate-like or flake-like particles?

• Loam

• Sand

• Clay

• Silt

The Textural Triangle is used to:

• Identify soil color

• Measure soil pH

• Determine soil texture class

• Estimate soil organic matter

Which statement about metamorphism is MOST accurate?

• Metamorphism melts rock into magma

• Metamorphism alters rock by heat and pressure without melting.

• Metamorphism only occurs at Earth’s surface.

• Metamorphism always creates sedimentary layers.

A mature soil on an old landscape has a thick solum, low base saturation, and acidic pH. Which factor most plausibly explains these properties?

• Recent deposition (young soil)

• Intensive liming in the past

• Parent material rich in carbonates

• Long time span allowing progressive leaching

Which statement about the rock cycle is most accurate?

• The cycle occurs only at Earth’s surface.

• Every rock passes through all stages of the cycle.

• Rocks transform through heat, pressure, weathering, and erosion, but not all rocks pass every stage.

• The cycle was first proposed in the 20th century.

Which of the following best describes the solum of a soil profile?

• A + B horizons

• A + B + C horizons

• Entire soil depth up to bedrock

• Only the A horizon

Which process set best describes sedimentary rock formation?

• Fragmentation → transport → deposition → cementation

• Weathering → metamorphism

• Melting → crystallization

• Recrystallization under heat/pressure only

Why do intrusive igneous rocks (like granite) usually have large, visible crystals?

• They are made of glassy material.

• They cool slowly underground, giving crystals time to grow.

• They form from lava at Earth’s surface.

• They are produced by metamorphism.