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Physical Geology: Earth Characteristics; Rocks + Minerals

Total questions: 34

Worksheet time: 31mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following minerals is felsic?

a)

Quartz

b)

Graphite

c)

Olivine

d)

Diamond

e)

All minerals listed are felsic

2.

Geologists have classified rocks into three major groups of rocks which are:

a)

inorganic, organic and chemical rocks

b)

igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks

c)

metamorphic, chemical and non chemical rocks

d)

sedimentary, inorganic and igneous rocks

3.
The process by which igneous rocks are formed...
a)
heat and pressure deep underneath earth's surface
b)
melting and cooling of magma
c)
compaction and cementation of sediments
d)
recrystallization of minerals within water
4.
What is the most common Extrusive igneous rock?
a)
Granite
b)
Basalt
c)
Pumice
d)
Rhyolite
5.
_____ is an igneous rock made up of the minerals quartz, mica, feldspar, and hornblende.
a)
granite
b)
basalt
c)
pumice
d)
gneiss
6.
According to Bowen's Reaction Series, what mineral assemblage describes a mafic, igneous rock? 
a)
Quartz, K-spar, biotite, muscovite, some amphibole
b)
Quartz, some k-spar, so Na-rich plagioclase, some pyroxene, some amphibole
c)
Ca-rich plagioclase, some olivine, pyroxene, amphibole
d)
Mostly olivine, some pyroxene and amphibole, Ca-rich plagioclase
7.
According to BRS, the temperature range that one would most likely find a rock that contains olivine and a little bit of biotite, and no quartz would be:
a)
750-900 degrees
b)
900-1000 degrees
c)
1000-1100 degrees
d)
1100-1200 degrees
8.

Basalt forms _____________ and can be found ______________.

a)

From the solidification of quickly cooled rock; as oceanic crust

b)

From the re-melting of ultramafic rock in the upper mantle; all over the Earth as the ocean floor

c)

From the solidification of mafic minerals; beneath the oceans

d)

All answers are correct

9.

Granite forms:

a)

From the 'remelting' of basalt where only the lighter minerals (felsic) melt out

b)

From subducting oceanic crust

c)

From mostly felsic minerals that are extracted from mafic rock

d)

All answers are correct

10.
This rock was formed by smaller pieces of rock that settled at the bottom of a lake millions of years ago. What type of rock is this?
a)
Sedimentary
b)
Igneous
c)
Metamorphic
11.
The layers of sedimentary rock were found in this order beneath the ground.  Which layer formed first?
a)
Layer A
b)
Layer B
c)
Layer C
d)
Layer A, B, and C were formed at the same time.
12.
The diagram show layers of sedimentary rocks and examples of their fossils. Which layer contains the oldest fossils?
a)
 Layer 1
b)
Layer 2
c)
Layer 3
d)
Layer 4
13.

Any rock that forms from another rock as a result of changes in heat or pressure (or both) is a:

a)

chemical rock

b)

igneous rock

c)

sedimentary rock

d)

metamorphic rock

14.

You find a rock in which the grains are arranged in wavy, parallel bands of white and black crystals. What kind of rock have you probably found?

a)

igneous granite

b)

sedimentary sandstone

c)

metamorphic gneiss

d)

extrusive igneous rock basalt

15.

What is the correct sequence from oldest to youngest?

a)

G F H C A B D E

b)

A B D E C H F G

c)

A B C D E F G

d)

A B D E H C G F

e)

No answer shows the correct order

16.

A sample of rock has been radiometric dated to have a Parent:Daughter ratio of 1:3. How many half-lives have passed?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

17.

A sample of rock has been radiometric dated to have a Parent:Daughter ratio of 1:7. Each half-life is 1 million years. How old is the sample?

a)

1 million years old

b)

2 million years old

c)

3 million years old

d)

4 million years old

18.

When did the Great Ice Age occur? (*Full geologic time explanation)

a)

Phanerozoic eon, Cenozoic era, Quaternary period, Holocene epoch

b)

Precambrian eon, Cenozoic era, Quaternary period, Holocene epoch

c)

Phanerozoic eon, Mesozoic era, Quaternary period, Holocene epoch

d)

Phanerozoic eon, Cenozoic era, Quaternary period, Pleistocene epoch

19.
What is Pangaea?
a)
the name of a German scientist
b)
the name of the super-continent that existed millions of years ago
c)
another name for continental drift
d)
the name of an ancient fossil
20.

The geological theory of _______ states that pieces of Earth’s lithosphere are in constant, slow motion.

a)

subduction

b)

plate tectonics

c)

deep-ocean trenches

d)

sea-floor spreading

21.

What is the correct order (starting from the surface) of Earth’s layers?

a)

crust, outer core, inner core, mantle

b)

mantle, outer core, inner core, crust

c)

crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

d)

outer core, inner core, crust, mantle

22.

The mechanism that moves continents is based on heat energy moving by

a)

Radiation in the core

b)

Conduction in the lithosphere

c)

Convection in the Mantle (Earth's interior)

d)

None of these options is true

23.

A Plate Boundary where two plates move toward each other is called

a)

Convergent Boundary

b)

Divergent Boundary

c)

Transform Boundary

d)

Subduction

24.

Where are most divergent boundaries located?

a)

Along the middle of most ocean floors

b)

Along the margins of most continents

c)

Across the middle of many continents

d)

All the above options are correct

25.

Earth's plates meet at ____________.

a)

plate tectonics

b)

plate boundaries

c)

continental drift

d)

oceans

26.

Where would the oldest rock be found?

a)

L

b)

M

c)

N

d)

O

27.

The study of the Earth's magnetic record

a)

ridge push

b)

convection

c)

paleomagnetism

d)

subduction

28.

The formation of the Hawaiian Islands is associated with ____.

a)

A transform boundary drives volcanism in Hawaii

b)

The Pacific Plate moving over a fixed hot spot

c)

Convergent boundaries generate volcanism in Hawaii

d)

Divergent boundaries generate volcanism in Hawaii

29.
What are the three types of plate boundaries?
a)
Transform, Convergent, Divergent
b)
Apart, Together, Slide
c)
Slide, Pull away, Push together
30.

What is the fastest moving type of seismic wave?

a)

P-wave

b)

S-wave

c)

Surface waves

d)

All seismic waves travel at the same speed

31.

Which wave has the highest amplitude on a seismograph AND does the most structural damage?

a)

P Wave

b)

S Wave

c)

Surface Wave

32.
Which city is closest to the epicenter?  
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
33.
Which seismogram represents a city that is far from the epicenter of an earthquake?  
a)
New York, NY
b)
Nome, Alaska
c)
Guadalajara, Mexico
34.

Which of the following is TRUE?

a)

A shows the arrival of P-waves

b)

B shows the arrival of S-waves

c)

C shows the arrival of surface waves

d)

The picture is of a seismogram

e)

All answers are true