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Quiz on Rocks and Minerals

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 20mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Minerals are composed of one or more ...

a)

colors.

b)

elements.

c)

rocks.

d)

structures.

2.

A crystal is always ...

a)

solid.

b)

a cube.

c)

liquid.

d)

valuable.

3.

A mineral is referred to as an ore as long as ...

a)

it's rare and valuable.

b)

it can be used for jewelry.

c)

it's profitable and useful.

d)

it's solid and natural.

4.

Crystals may be ...

a)

cubic.

b)

monoclinic.

c)

tetragonal.

d)

any of the above, or others.

5.

A person collecting minerals may want to include a sample of ...

a)

salt.

b)

sugar.

c)

coal.

d)

wood.

6.

The largest group of rock-forming minerals consists of the ...

a)

carbonates.

b)

oxides.

c)

halites.

d)

silicates.

7.

A salt crystal represents the _________ crystal system.

a)

orthorhombic

b)

isometric

c)

monoclinic

d)

tetragonal

8.

One of the softest minerals is _____________.

a)

talc

b)

quartz

c)

gold

d)

graphite

9.

All minerals are ...

a)

solids

b)

inorganic

c)

composed of a specific chemical makeup

d)

all of the above

10.

Titanium is ...

a)

nontoxic.

b)

durable.

c)

lightweight.

d)

all of the above.

11.

The formula for quartz is ...

a)

CaCO3

b)

SiO2

c)

NaCl

d)

NaAlSi3o8

12.

Sugar is not considered a mineral because it is ...

a)

inorganic.

b)

sweet.

c)

noncrystalline.

d)

organic.

13.

In order to form, crystals need ...

a)

enough room to grow

b)

enough time to grow

c)

proper temperatures

d)

all of the above

14.

Molten materials below the Earth's surface are called ...

a)

lava

b)

magma

c)

rocks

d)

none of the above

15.

The breaking of a mineral along a smooth, flat plane is called ...

a)

cleavage

b)

fracture

c)

streak

d)

a gem cut

16.

Luster describes ...

a)

the color of a mineral

b)

the way light reflects off a mineral's surface

c)

the density of a mineral

d)

how a mineral breaks

17.

Hardness describes ...

a)

a mineral's ability to withstand pressure

b)

the resistance of a mineral to being scratched

c)

a mineral's tendency to break

d)

how soft a mineral is

18.

One mineral with a distinct smell is ...

a)

iron

b)

gold

c)

halite

d)

sulfur

19.

The color of a powdered mineral on a piece of unglazed porcelain is called ...

a)

form

b)

luster

c)

streak

d)

cleavage

20.

Specific gravity is a(n) ...

a)

physical characteristic

b)

chemical property

c)

optical condition

d)

sensory anomaly

21.

The most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust is ...

a)

silicon

b)

iron

c)

oxygen

d)

aluminum

22.

A mineral that will react with hydrochloric acid is ...

a)

calcite

b)

gold

c)

quartz

d)

orthoclase

23.

The least useful physical property for identifying minerals is ...

a)

streak

b)

color

c)

density

d)

chemical composition

24.

Sapphires and rubies are ...

a)

semi-precious stones

b)

corundums

c)

carbonates

d)

relatively soft

25.

Magma that cools slowly forms ...

a)

clastic sedimentary rock

b)

intrusive igneous rock

c)

extrusive igneous rock

d)

foliated metamorphic rock

26.

A process not involved the rock cycle is ...

a)

erosion

b)

melting

c)

compaction

d)

identification

27.

Foliated rocks are distinguished by their ...

a)

flaking

b)

texture

c)

banding

d)

color

28.

Rocks formed during metamorphism do not depend upon ...

a)

pressure

b)

temperature

c)

the original rock's composition

d)

the Earths magnetic field

29.

While quartz is considered a mineral, granite is considered a(n) ...

a)

rock

b)

gem

c)

ore

d)

composite

30.

Metamorphic rocks are classified as either ...

a)

clastic or non-clastic

b)

foliated or non-foliated

c)

intrusive or extrusive

d)

chemical or organic

31.

At least in part, magma is produced as a result of ...

a)

the Earth's magnetic field

b)

radioactivity

c)

the Sun's gravitational influence

d)

none of the above

32.

Metamorphism can cause all of the following changes except ...

a)

a sudden melting of minerals

b)

an exchange of atoms

c)

an enlargement of mineral grains

d)

an alignment of mineral grains

33.

Today, coal is still used to produce ...

a)

electricity

b)

radioactive waste

c)

a fuel source

d)

limestone

34.

The rock cycle indicates that

a)

all rocks form as a result of compaction

b)

rocks change over time

c)

only heat can change rocks

d)

rocks are composed of minerals

35.

An example of a fine-grained igneous rock would include ...

a)

granite

b)

pegmatite

c)

quartz

d)

basalt

36.

Burning waste coal with _________ creates an alkaline ash that helps neutralize acid runoff.

a)

crushed limestone

b)

sulfur dioxide

c)

low-grade cements

d)

wood ash

37.

The crystals that form in slowly cooling magma are considered ...

a)

large

b)

colorful

c)

valuable

d)

ores

38.

The minerals mica, hornblende, feldspar, and quartz mix together to form the rock known as ...

a)

schist

b)

shale

c)

granite

d)

slate

39.

Of the rocks below, only ___________ is considered extrusive igneous.

a)

slate

b)

granite

c)

sandstone

d)

obsidian

40.

Which process below is not used to classify rocks?

a)

composition

b)

irradiation

c)

formation

d)

none of the above