Deck 22: Minerals, rocks, and Volcanoes

Question 1

What is the hardness of talc on the Mohs scale?

A) 1
B) 4
C) 7
D) 10

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale?

A) Talc
B) Gypsum
C) Diamond
D) Quartz

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Any naturally occurring,inorganic,crystalline substance with a fairly definite chemical composition is called a(n)

A) element.
B) compound.
C) rock.
D) mineral.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The fundamental unit of the silicon-oxygen minerals is in the shape of a

A) cone.
B) tetrahedron.
C) cube.
D) sphere.

Question 5

Hardness is a comparative property that refers to the ability of a mineral to resist

A) fracturing.
B) cleaving.
C) scratching.
D) crushing.

Question 6

The two elements silicon and oxygen,taken together,make up about what percent of Earth's crust by mass?

A) 25%
B) 64%
C) 50%
D) 75%

Question 7

Rocks solidified from molten material above ground are classified as ______________ igneous rocks.

A) extrusive
B) intrusive
C) superior
D) inferior

Question 8

What is the hardness of diamond on the Mohs scale?

A) 1
B) 4
C) 7
D) 10

Question 9

One main type of feldspar that contains potassium is

A) quartz.
B) orthoclase.
C) plagioclase.
D) pyrite.

Question 10

Which of the following is the hardest mineral?

A) Quartz
B) Diamond
C) Talc
D) Gypsum

Question 11

The mineral that is most abundant in Earth's crust is

A) quartz.
B) feldspar.
C) calcite.
D) pyrite.

Question 12

What is the hardness of quartz on the Mohs scale?

A) 1
B) 4
C) 7
D) 10

Question 13

About what percent of Earth's surface is covered by land?

A) 70%
B) 10%
C) 50%
D) 30%

Question 14

What is the hardness of fluorite on the Mohs scale?

A) 1
B) 4
C) 7
D) 10

Question 15

The study of planet Earth is known as

A) mineralogy.
B) petrology.
C) geology.
D) paleontology.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is false?

A) The majority of surface rocks are igneous.
B) The study of rocks is called petrology.
C) Rocks are classified as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic.
D) Rocks are composed of one or more minerals.

Question 17

The study of minerals is called

A) paleontology.
B) geology.
C) mineralogy.
D) petrology.

Question 18

The element that is the second most abundant in Earth's crust is

A) oxygen.
B) iron.
C) nitrogen.
D) silicon.

Question 19

The element that is most abundant in Earth's crust is

A) silicon.
B) iron.
C) oxygen.
D) nitrogen.

Question 20

Which of the following is ranked 7 on the Mohs scale?

A) Talc
B) Gypsum
C) Diamond
D) Quartz

Question 21

The largest plutons are called ______________.

A) dikes
B) sills
C) batholiths
D) laccoliths

Question 22

The scientist ______________ is generally regarded as "the father of geology."

A) David Johnston
B) Friedrich Mohs
C) James Hutton
D) Henry Beston

Question 23

Rocks solidified from molten material below ground are classified as ______________ igneous rocks.

A) extrusive
B) intrusive
C) superior
D) inferior

Question 24

Rocks formed from consolidated sediment deposited in layers are known as _____________ rocks.

A) crystalized
B) foliated
C) igneous
D) sedimentary

Question 25

A general name for an intrusive igneous rock formation is ______________.

A) discordant
B) dike
C) concordant
D) pluton

Question 26

Laccoliths and sills are examples of ______________ plutons.

A) recordant
B) precordant
C) discordant
D) concordant

Question 27

A common scale for denoting a mineral's hardness is the

A) Ores scale.
B) Mohs scale.
C) Homs scale.
D) Ohms scale.

Question 28

Dikes are examples of ______________ plutons.

A) discordant
B) concordant
C) recordant
D) precordant

Question 29

Stalactites are

A) Rocks solidified from molten material below ground.
B) Consolidated sediment deposited in layers.
C) Dripstone formations that form on cavern floors.
D) Dripstone formations that form on cavern ceilings.

Question 30

Dripstone formations that form on cavern floors are called _____________.

A) stalactites
B) pool stones
C) stalagmites
D) sedimentary

Question 31

The saying "The present is the key to the past" is a simple way to state the basic geologic concept called ______________.

A) presentarianism
B) prepostanarism
C) uniformitarianism
D) formitarianism

Question 32

Intrusive igneous rock formations that lie more or less parallel to older formations are said to be ______________.

A) recordant
B) discordant
C) concordant
D) precordant

Question 33

The sedimentary rock known as ______________ consists of deposits of calcium carbonate (calcite).

A) coal
B) sandstone
C) limestone
D) lodestone

Question 34

The sedimentary rock known as ______________ consists of angular pebbles cemented together by silica,calcium carbonate,or iron oxide.

A) conglomerate
B) breccia
C) limestone
D) shale

Question 35

Silicates

A) are minerals.
B) contain silicon and oxygen.
C) consist of tetrahedra.
D) all of the above.

Question 36

Stalagmites are

A) Rocks solidified from molten material below ground.
B) Consolidated sediment deposited in layers.
C) Dripstone formations that form on cavern floors.
D) Dripstone formations that form on cavern ceilings.

Question 37

Dripstone formations that form on cavern ceilings are called _____________.

A) stalactites
B) stalagmites
C) quartz
D) feldspar

Question 38

The sedimentary rock known as ______________ consists of rounded pebbles cemented together by silica,calcium carbonate,or iron oxide.

A) conglomerate
B) breccia
C) limestone
D) shale

Question 39

The physical characteristic that is used to distinguish intrusive igneous rocks from extrusive igneous rocks is _____________.

A) silica content
B) hardness
C) color
D) grain size

Question 40

Intrusive igneous rock formations that cut more or less vertically across older formations are said to be ______________.

A) recordant
B) discordant
C) concordant
D) precordant

Question 41

Rocks are classified into three types on the basis of their

A) process of formation.
B) age.
C) geographic origin.
D) color.

Question 42

If iron floats in liquid mercury,then the specific gravity of iron is

A) less than that of mercury.
B) greater than that of mercury.
C) about equal to that of mercury.
D) in no way related to that of mercury.

Question 43

The most abundant rocks in Earth's crust are the

A) sulfides.
B) oxides.
C) carbonates.
D) silicates.

Question 44

Which mineral is a hard and brittle silica that shows conchoidal fracture?

A) Feldspar
B) Quartz
C) Calcite
D) Mica

Question 45

Orthoclase and plagioclase are the two main types of

A) silica.
B) feldspars.
C) calcite.
D) sulfides.

Question 46

James Hutton formulated the concept of

A) catastrophism.
B) superposition.
C) plate tectonics.
D) uniformitarianism.

Question 47

The term cleavage refers to the tendency of some minerals to

A) resist scratching.
B) break along definite smooth planes.
C) break into equal-sized halves.
D) scratch other minerals.

Question 48

The term hardness refers to the ability of a mineral to

A) resist scratching.
B) break along definite smooth planes.
C) break into equal-sized halves.
D) scratch other minerals.

Question 49

Which of the following is not one of the most common nonsilicate groups of minerals?

A) Sulfides
B) Oxides
C) Chlorides
D) Carbonates

Question 50

A mineral that has a vitreous luster looks

A) glassy.
B) metallic.
C) earthy.
D) pearly.

Question 51

Which of the following scientists is generally designated "the father of geology"?

A) Friedrich Mohs
B) James Hutton
C) Alfred Wegener
D) Edwin Hubble

Question 52

Which of the following is not generally used in mineral identification?

A) Size
B) Cleavage
C) Specific gravity
D) Color

Question 53

Another name applied to the grain size in a rock is

A) specific gravity.
B) porosity.
C) texture.
D) streak.

Question 54

The color of the powder of a mineral is known as the mineral's

A) index of refraction.
B) hardness.
C) specific gravity.
D) streak.

Question 55

Rhombohedral cleavage is displayed by the mineral named

A) quartz.
B) fluorite.
C) calcite.
D) hematite.

Question 56

Which of the following is not one of the types into which rocks are classified?

A) Igneous
B) Orthoclase
C) Metamorphic
D) Sedimentary

Question 57

The brilliancy of a gem is a function of its

A) index of refraction.
B) index of reflection.
C) size.
D) luster.

Question 58

A cohesive aggregate of one or more minerals is called a

A) crystal.
B) gem.
C) silicate.
D) rock.

Question 59

The study of rocks is called

A) petrology.
B) mineralogy.
C) paleontology.
D) geology.

Question 60

The interrelationship among the processes that produce the three classes of rock is referred to as

A) the rock cycle.
B) the bedding principle.
C) the principle of cross-cutting relationships.
D) metamorphism.

Question 61

The deflection of one lithospheric plate beneath another plate with which it is colliding is called

A) subduction.
B) superposition.
C) cross-cutting.
D) plutonic movement.

Question 62

Rocks that formed from the cooling of molten material are classified as

A) discordant.
B) metamorphic.
C) sedimentary.
D) igneous.

Question 63

Beneath Earth's lithosphere is a semimolten layer known as the

A) divergent boundary.
B) asthenosphere.
C) batholith.
D) flood basalt.

Question 64

Which igneous rock has dark color (low silica content)and small grains (fine texture)?

A) Gabbro
B) Granite
C) Rhyolite
D) Basalt

Question 65

That each successive layer of sediments is deposited on top of the previous layer,and hence is younger than the lower layer,is a statement of the

A) theory of plate tectonics.
B) principle of superposition.
C) concept of uniformitarianism.
D) law of catastrophism.

Question 66

An example of igneous rock is

A) marble.
B) shale.
C) slate.
D) granite.

Question 67

Which igneous rock has light color (high silica content)and large grains (coarse texture)?

A) Gabbro
B) Granite
C) Rhyolite
D) Basalt

Question 68

Volcanoes that explode violently tend to have magmas of

A) high temperature and low silica content.
B) high temperature and high silica content.
C) low temperature and low silica content.
D) low temperature and high silica content.

Question 69

The most common rocks on Earth's surface are

A) discordant.
B) concordant.
C) metamorphic.
D) sedimentary.

Question 70

Which of the following statements is false?

A) Sills are discordant rock bodies.
B) Sills are formed from magma.
C) Sills are tabular in shape.
D) Sills consist of intrusive igneous rock.

Question 71

Which of the following statements is false?

A) Dikes are discordant rock bodies.
B) Dikes are formed from magma.
C) Dikes are tabular in shape.
D) Dikes consist of extrusive igneous rock.

Question 72

Igneous rock that formed below Earth's surface by solidification of magma is known as

A) extrusive rock.
B) intrusive rock.
C) metamorphic rock.
D) silicate rock.

Question 73

The Columbia Plateau in the northwestern United States is an example of a(n)

A) flood basalt.
B) batholith.
C) monolith.
D) sill.

Question 74

Molten rock material beneath Earth's surface is called

A) magma.
B) lava.
C) silica.
D) pluton.

Question 75

Which of the following is not an igneous rock?

A) Andesite
B) Granite
C) Gneiss
D) Basalt

Question 76

The existence of the Ring of Fire is best explained by the

A) theory of plate tectonics.
B) principle of superposition.
C) concept of uniformitarianism.
D) law of catastrophism.

Question 77

Igneous rock that formed on Earth's surface by solidification of lava is known as

A) extrusive rock.
B) intrusive rock.
C) metamorphic rock.
D) silicate rock.

Question 78

Molten rock material on Earth's surface is called

A) magma.
B) lava.
C) pluton.
D) silica.

Question 79

The most common rocks in Earth's crust are

A) sedimentary.
B) metamorphic.
C) igneous.
D) lava.

Question 80

The largest plutons are called

A) sills.
B) dikes.
C) laccoliths.
D) batholiths.