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WorksheetsU2 L1 & 2 - HMH Txt Minerals & Rock Cycle
Total questions: 35
Worksheet time: 18mins
When a volcano erupts, ash can enter Earth’s atmosphere. Eventually, the ash falls back down to Earth’s surface. Which term describes the falling of volcanic ash to Earth’s surface?
deposition
erosion
subsidence
weathering
Earth has three main compositional layers, one of which is the mantle. Which answer describes the mantle?
the thin and solid outermost layer
the innermost layer of iron and nickel
the hot layer of rock between the crust and the core
the liquid layer that encloses a solid ball of iron and nickel
The asthenosphere is the part of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move. Which of these statements best describes a characteristic of the asthenosphere that allows the tectonic plates to move?
It is soft.
It is rigid.
It is permeable.
It is porous.
A plate boundary is a place where two tectonic plates meet. There are several types of tectonic plate boundaries. Which statement below shows the correct definition of a tectonic plate boundary?
At a divergent boundary, plates separate.
At a transform boundary, plates move apart.
At a convergent boundary, plates slide past each other.
At a divergent boundary, one plate sinks under another plate.
Tectonic plates can move toward each other and squeeze large blocks of rocks together, creating folded mountains. Which of the following terms describes a kind of fold in which the oldest rock layers are in the center of the fold?
syncline
anticline
symmetrical fold
asymmetrical fold
On December 26, 2004, a major tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean. The tsunami traveled from its point of origin to as far away as Africa—nearly 5,000 km. What was the cause of this tsunami?
an earthquake beneath the ocean
the impact of a large meteorite in the ocean
a sudden violent windstorm above the ocean water
a typhoon moving from the Indian Ocean toward India
Phong is examining samples of quartz, feldspar, and mica. What do all of these samples have in common?
They are metals.
They are pure elements.
They are silicate minerals.
They are nonsilicate minerals.
About 95 percent of Earth's crust is made up of silicate minerals. Which of the following best describes silicate minerals?
A. minerals containing silicon and oxygen
B. minerals containing only atoms of silicon
C. minerals containing only atoms of carbon
D. minerals containing carbon and hydrogen
Petrified wood is a type of fossil. It forms when a tree is buried and over time all of its tissues are replaced with quartz. Which evidence explains why petrified wood is classified as a mineral?
A. It is made up of nonliving crystals.
B. It originally came from a living thing.
C. It is a solid, not a liquid or a gas.
D. It is hard and cannot be cut with a saw.
Diamond is a valuable mineral that is made up of carbon atoms arranged in a repeating pattern. This repeating pattern gives diamonds their hardness. Which of these characteristics do diamonds share with all minerals?
A. extreme hardness
B. rarity and high cost
C. orderly crystal structure
D. made up of carbon atoms
Minerals that contain combinations of carbon and oxygen are examples of which type of mineral?
A. carbonate
B. halide
C. silicates
D. oxides
Obsidian is volcanic silicon dioxide glass that forms naturally when lava cools quickly. Because the lava cools so quickly, crystals do not have time to form. Which evidence explains why obsidian is not classified as a mineral?
A. It contains silicon dioxide.
B. It does not come from a living thing.
C. It does not have an orderly internal structure.
D. It formed from melted rock rather than from sediment.
Which of these phrases defines subsidence? Choose the letter of the best answer.
Earth’s crust rising
Earth’s crust sinking
Earth’s crust shifting sideways
Earth’s crust moving in any direction
Rift zones form at the border between tectonic plates. Which claim explains what must happen between tectonic plates to produce a rift zone? Choose the letter of the best answer.
Two oceanic plates move toward each other.
Two continental plates move toward each other.
An oceanic plate collides with a continental plate.
An oceanic plate moves away from another oceanic plate.
As a glacier moves along the ground, it transports rocks. These rocks pass over the ground and create scratches in the bedrock. Which claim correctly describes these processes? Choose the letter of the best answer.
The transport of rocks and scratching of the bedrock are both examples of erosion.
The transport of rocks and scratching of the bedrock are both examples of weathering.
The transport of rocks is an example of erosion, and the scratching of the bedrock is an example of weathering.
The transport of rocks is an example of weathering, and the scratching of the bedrock is an example of erosion.
Rainwater can break down rocks by dissolving minerals in the rocks. Acid rain is rainwater that is more acidic than normal rainwater. Acid rain can also dissolve the minerals in rocks faster than normal rainwater can. Which claim about acid rain is true? Choose the letter of the best answer.
Acid rain causes less erosion than normal rainwater does.
Acid rain causes more erosion than normal rainwater does.
Acid rain causes less weathering than normal rainwater does.
Acid rain causes more weathering than normal rainwater does.
Over a long period of time, igneous rock can change into sedimentary rock. Which claim explains what must happen to igneous rock before it can change into sedimentary rock? Choose the letter of the best answer.
It must be broken down into sediment.
It must melt and become magma.
Its minerals must be dissolved in water.
It must be exposed to high pressure and temperature.
