Question 1

What type of weathering are you most likely to find occurring on the coast?
A) dissolution
B) thermal expansion
C) salt wedging
D) root wedging

Accepted Answer

Salt wedging is the most likely type of weathering to occur on the coast due to the presence of saltwater. The saltwater enters cracks in rocks and then evaporates, leaving behind salt crystals that expand and cause the rock to break apart.

Question 2

Hydration occurs when minerals
A) are dissolved into water.
B) are turned into rust.
C) absorb water and expand.
D) are removed by frost.

Accepted Answer

Hydration refers to the process of absorbing water and expanding. This is not related to the dissolution of minerals (A), formation of rust (B), or removal by frost (D).

Question 3

Salt water is the end product of this weathering process.
A) hydrolysis
B) dissolution
C) jointing
D) frost wedging

Accepted Answer

Dissolution is the process of rocks and minerals dissolving in water, which can then form salt water as an end product. Hydrolysis is the chemical breakdown of minerals by water, but doesn't necessarily result in salt water. Jointing and frost wedging are both physical weathering processes that also don't necessarily lead to the formation of salt water.

Question 4

What type of weathering are you most likely to find occurring in areas with cold climates?
A) hydrolysis
B) frost wedging
C) salt wedging
D) dissolution

Accepted Answer

In areas with cold climates, frost wedging is the most common type of weathering. This is because water seeps into cracks and crevices and freezes, causing it to expand and widen the cracks over time. This process is repeated throughout the colder months and can eventually cause rocks and boulders to break apart.

Question 5

Which of the following is a type of physical weathering?
A) thermal expansion
B) dissolution
C) oxidation
D) hydration

Accepted Answer

Thermal expansion is a type of physical weathering where rocks expand and contract with changes in temperature, leading to the development of cracks and fractures. Dissolution, oxidation, and hydration are chemical weathering processes.

Question 6

Which type of weathering process is happening to materials when they rust?
A) hydrolysis
B) hydration
C) oxidation
D) dissolution

Accepted Answer

Rusting is a chemical process where iron reacts with oxygen in the presence of water to form iron oxide (rust). This process is called oxidation, which is a type of chemical weathering. Hydrolysis involves the reaction of minerals with water molecules to form different minerals, hydration involves the absorption of water molecules into crystal structures, and dissolution involves the dissolving of minerals in water.

Question 7

Chemical weathering involves the breakdown of material due to
A) mechanical breakdown of rock.
B) baking in the hot sun.
C) interaction with ice.
D) interaction with water or air.

Accepted Answer

Chemical weathering is the breakdown of materials due to the interaction with water or air, which causes chemical reactions that break down the minerals in the rock or soil. This chemical reaction can cause the material to dissolve or change into a different substance, ultimately breaking down the material. Mechanical breakdown of rock is a physical process, whereas baking in the hot sun and interaction with ice are weathering processes that can cause other types of weathering, such as thermal expansion/contraction or freeze-thaw weathering respectively.

Question 8

Why does physical weathering speed up the processes of chemical weathering?
A) Physical weathering requires abundant water,as does chemical weathering.
B) Physical weathering produces more surface area for chemical weathering to attack.
C) Chemical weathering can occur only on small surfaces,not large ones.
D) Chemical weathering requires salt,which is provided by salt wedging.

Accepted Answer

Physical weathering breaks down larger rocks into smaller pieces, increasing the surface area available for chemical weathering to occur. Therefore, chemical weathering can occur more quickly and efficiently on the smaller particles produced by physical weathering.

Question 9

Weathering results in
A) larger,less-rounded pieces.
B) larger,more-rounded pieces.
C) smaller,less-rounded pieces.
D) smaller,more-rounded pieces.

Accepted Answer

Weathering breaks down rocks into smaller, more-rounded pieces through processes like abrasion and chemical decomposition.

Question 10

What type of weathering has produced the honeycomb-like features shown in the following photo? 
A) salt wedging
B) frost wedging
C) dissolution
D) hydration

Accepted Answer

The answer of What type of weathering has produced the...

Question 11

Dissolution occurs when minerals
A) are dissolved into water.
B) are turned into rust.
C) absorb water and expand.
D) are removed by frost.

Accepted Answer

Dissolution is the process by which minerals are dissolved into water, resulting in their separation from the solid rock or mineral they were originally a part of. This is a common process in erosion and weathering, where water is often the main force behind the breakdown of rocks and minerals. Rust formation (B) is a specific type of chemical reaction that occurs when iron or steel is exposed to oxygen and moisture, and is not necessarily related to dissolution. Expansion due to water absorption (C) can occur in some minerals, but this is not always related to dissolution. Removal by frost (D) refers to the process of freeze-thaw weathering where water that enters pores and crevices in rocks during precipitation freezes and expands, causing the rock to crack and break apart. While this is a form of weathering, it is distinct from dissolution.

Question 12

Which letter corresponds to the regolith in the following picture? 
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D

Accepted Answer

The regolith is the layer of loose, fragmented material covering the solid rock beneath, and it appears to be indicated by layer B in the image. The other layers appear to be solid rock and sedimentary layers.

Question 13

The following is a picture of what type of phenomenon? 
A) jointing
B) exfoliation
C) chemical weathering
D) hydration

Accepted Answer

The answer of The following is a picture of what...

Question 14

Which of the following are NOT considered sediments?
A) fragments of shells
B) fragments of rock
C) cemented grains
D) precipitated crystals

Accepted Answer

Cemented grains are not considered sediments because once grains become cemented together, they form sedimentary rock, thus transitioning from being loose sediments to being part of a solid rock structure.

Question 15

Differential weathering occurs when
A) none of the layers weather at all.
B) layers of rock weather at the same rate.
C) layers of rock weather at different rates.
D) weathering occurs in the tropics.

Accepted Answer

Differential weathering occurs when layers of rock weather at different rates due to variations in their mineral composition or resistance to weathering. This can result in unique landforms such as hoodoos or rock formations with overhangs.

Question 16

The zone of leaching is the area in which
A) weathered bedrock forms a soil horizon.
B) organic matter gathers to create a soil horizon.
C) minerals are precipitated and added to soil.
D) minerals are dissolved and removed from soil.

Accepted Answer

The zone of leaching is the layer of soil where minerals are dissolved and removed from the soil. This occurs through the process of water percolating down through the soil, carrying minerals with it as it goes. As the water reaches the bedrock or another impermeable layer, it stops moving downward and begins to move laterally, creating a layer of soil in which the minerals have been leached out, leaving behind a less fertile layer.

Question 17

What type of weathering has altered the pyrite crystals in the picture?
A) jointing
B) hydration
C) dissolution
D) oxidation

Accepted Answer

Pyrite is an iron sulfide mineral that is easily oxidized in the presence of air and water. This process, known as oxidation, can result in the formation of rust-colored stains and altered pyrite crystals.

Question 18

Sediment formation is the result of __________ at the Earth's surface.
A) igneous activity
B) metamorphic activity
C) weathering
D) hydration

Accepted Answer

Sediment formation is the result of weathering at the Earth's surface, which is the physical and chemical breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments due to exposure to air, water, and other environmental factors. The resulting sediment can be transported and deposited in various locations, eventually contributing to the formation of sedimentary rocks. Igneous and metamorphic activities do not directly contribute to sediment formation, although they can indirectly influence the erosion and weathering processes that lead to sediment accumulation. Hydration is a chemical process that involves the addition of water to minerals, but it is not directly related to sediment formation.

Question 19

What type of weathering has created the onion-like layers in the rocks in the picture? 
A) jointing
B) hydration
C) dissolution
D) oxidation

Accepted Answer

The answer of What type of weathering has created the...

Question 20

Why does differential weathering occur?
A) Chemical weathering attacks some layers,and physical weathering attacks the others.
B) The cliffs formed by chemical weathering protect the rocks below.
C) Some types of rocks don't weather at all,thus producing cliffs.
D) Different minerals have different resistances to weathering.

Accepted Answer

Differential weathering occurs because different minerals have different resistances to weathering. This leads to some parts of a rock eroding faster than others, eventually creating unique shapes and formations such as cliffs, hoodoos and balanced rocks.

Quiz 25: a Surface Veneer: Sediments and Soils

What type of weathering are you most likely to find occurring on the coast?

Hydration occurs when minerals

Salt water is the end product of this weathering process.

What type of weathering are you most likely to find occurring in areas with cold climates?

Which of the following is a type of physical weathering?

Which type of weathering process is happening to materials when they rust?

Chemical weathering involves the breakdown of material due to

Why does physical weathering speed up the processes of chemical weathering?

Weathering results in

What type of weathering has produced the honeycomb-like features shown in the following photo?

Dissolution occurs when minerals

Which letter corresponds to the regolith in the following picture?

The following is a picture of what type of phenomenon?

Which of the following are NOT considered sediments?

Differential weathering occurs when

The zone of leaching is the area in which

What type of weathering has altered the pyrite crystals in the picture?

Sediment formation is the result of __________ at the Earth's surface.

What type of weathering has created the onion-like layers in the rocks in the picture?

Why does differential weathering occur?