Deck 2: Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Question 1

Magma that might have cooled slowly to produce a diorite is instead erupted at Earth's surface. It would chill rapidly and produce a(n)________.

A)rhyolite
B)andesite
C)basalt
D)granite

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Rocks that contain crystals that are roughly equal in size and can be identified with the unaided eye are said to exhibit a ________ texture.

A)fine-grained
B)coarse-grained
C)glassy
D)porphyritic

Answer 2

B

Question 3

To transform an igneous rock into a sedimentary rock, which of the following processes must take place?

A)melting and re-cooling, followed by crystallization
B)chemical reactions under conditions of elevated temperature or pressure
C)weathering, transport, deposition, and lithification
D)impact by a meteorite

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Detrital sedimentary rocks are classified and named principally on the basis of ________.

A)grain size
B)location
C)rock color
D)composition

Question 5

Consult the image that depicts Bowen's reaction series. What can be said of the temperature at which a granite crystallizes?

A)Granite crystallizes at temperatures of about 750° C.
B)Granite crystallizes at temperatures of about 900° C.
C)Granite crystallizes at temperatures of about 1200° C.
D)Nothing can be deduced from this chart about the crystallization temperature of any igneous rock.

Question 6

An igneous rock that cools rapidly is likely to have ________ crystals.

A)small
B)medium-sized
C)large
D)pink

Question 7

Which one of the following is an igneous rock?

A)limestone
B)rhyolite
C)slate
D)quartz

Question 8

What form of physical weathering is shown in this image?

A)frost wedging
B)sheeting
C)root wedging
D)hydrolysis

Question 9

Chemical weathering would be most effective ________.

A)in a warm, wet climate
B)in a cold, dry climate
C)in a warm, dry climate
D)deep beneath a mountain range

Question 10

A crystal of potassium feldspar (KAlSi₃O₈)will produce a variety of weathering products after it is weathered. Which of the following is NOT a product that results from the weathering of potassium feldspar?

A)silica
B)potassium ions
C)clay minerals
D)iron oxides

Question 11

Most rock outcrops (about 75% of the total)are ________.

A)igneous
B)sedimentary
C)metamorphic
D)fossil-bearing

Question 12

Which kind of rocks may contain fossils?

A)igneous
B)sedimentary
C)metamorphic
D)minerals

Question 13

Which one of the following is a metamorphic rock?

A)limestone
B)rhyolite
C)slate
D)quartz

Question 14

Examine the rock sample here. Did it form at the surface or below the surface, and how do you know?

A)It formed at the surface, because of its color (composition).
B)It formed at the surface, because of its texture (grain size).
C)It formed below the surface, because of its color (composition).
D)It formed below the surface, because of its texture (grain size).

Question 15

Three of the following statements about mechanical weathering are true. One is false. Which statement is incorrect?

A)Mechanical weathering does not affect metamorphic rocks.
B)Mechanical weathering produces smaller pieces.
C)Mechanical weathering does not change the rock's mineral composition.
D)Mechanical weathering adds to the effectiveness of chemical weathering.

Question 16

Which one of the following is a sedimentary rock?

A)limestone
B)rhyolite
C)slate
D)quartz

Question 17

Which igneous texture is characterized by two distinctively different crystal sizes?

A)fine-grained
B)coarse-grained
C)glassy
D)porphyritic

Question 18

In general, which of the statements below best describe what happens in terms of composition as crystallization proceeds down the Bowen's reaction series (shown in the figure)?

A)The early-formed silicates are enriched in iron and magnesium, resulting in such rocks as andesite and granite. As crystallization proceeds, the later-formed silicates are enriched in sodium, potassium, and silicon, resulting in peridotite and basalt.
B)The early-formed carbonates are enriched in calcium and carbonate, resulting in such rocks as limestone. As crystallization proceeds, the later-formed carbonates are enriched in fossils, resulting in fossiliferous limestone and coquina.
C)The early-formed silicates are enriched in iron and magnesium, resulting in such rocks as peridotite and basalt. As crystallization proceeds, the later-formed silicates are enriched in sodium, potassium, and silicon, resulting in andesite and granite.
D)The early-formed silicates are enriched in sodium, potassium, and silicon, resulting in such rocks as peridotite and basalt. As crystallization proceeds, the later-formed silicates are enriched in iron and magnesium, resulting in andesite and granite.

Question 19

An igneous rock that shows a vesicular texture ________.

A)contains many small holes, like Swiss cheese
B)must be extrusive
C)must be fine grained
D)all of the above

Question 20

Granite is ________.

A)what countertops are made of
B)coarse-grained and dominated by quartz and feldspar crystals
C)coarse-grained and dominated by olivine, pyroxene and plagioclase feldspar crystals
D)fine-grained and dominated by quartz and feldspar crystals

Question 21

Coal is a sedimentary rock that is made of organic matter.

Question 22

The parent rock of marble is sandstone.

Question 23

A large proportion of feldspar sets arkose apart from regular sandstone.

Question 24

Mud cracks and ripple marks are common features of igneous rocks.

Question 25

All metamorphic rocks began as other rocks ("parent rocks")that were then subjected to elevated temperatures or pressures.

Question 26

Frying an egg is a non-geological example of contact metamorphism.

Question 27

In order to metamorphose, metamorphic rocks must melt.

Question 28

Regional metamorphism occurs during ________.

A)intrusion of magma
B)mountain building
C)sheeting of exposed plutons of granite
D)chemical weathering of limestone in caves

Question 29

Confining pressure produces foliated metamorphic rocks.

Question 30

This photo shows a conglomerate.

Question 31

Slate is a common nonfoliated metamorphic rock.

Question 32

The skeletal remains of plankton make up the sedimentary rock ________.

A)flint
B)breccia
C)travertine
D)chalk

Question 33

Given the right conditions any kind of rock can be transformed into any other kind of rock.

Question 34

Granite and gabbro have a similar ________.

Question 35

Compaction and cementation are the most common forms of lithification.

Question 36

Which of the following rock types represents the highest grade of metamorphism?

A)slate
B)phyllite
C)schist
D)gneiss

Question 37

Which rock type is most likely to have been deposited in a high- energy environment (such as a very turbulent stream)?

A)conglomerate
B)shale
C)chert
D)microcrystalline limestone

Question 38

Because of its rock cleavage, slate makes a better roofing material than rock gypsum.

Question 39

All varieties of limestone are dominated by the mineral calcite.

Question 40

Rusting is an example of mechanical weathering.

Question 41

Rock salt and rock gypsum are examples of ________ sedimentary rocks.

Question 42

Match the items in the first column with the correct descriptions in the second column.

A)Reactions that take place, often facilitated by water, to new produce products, mainly clay minerals, which are stable at Earth's surface.
B)The reaction of a substance (often a metal ion)with oxygen. Rust is an example.
C)The breaking of rock into smaller pieces.
D)When water freezes, it expands in volume. Water-filled cracks can be enlarged when this new ice exerts outward pressure on the walls of the fracture.
E)The expansion of rocks that formed under high confining pressure, once they are uplifted and exposed at Earth's surface producing fractures that are broadly curved and parallel to the land surface.
F)Pressure that is unequal in different directions, such as results from the convergence of tectonic plates (mountain-building)
G)A substance that forms when carbon dioxide in the air combines with water. It is an important agent of chemical weathering.
H)Pressure that is equal in every direction, such as results from the burial of sediments
1)Differential stress
2)Confining pressure
3)Frost wedging
4)Sheeting
5)Oxidation
6)Carbonic acid
7)Mechanical weathering
8)Chemical weathering

Question 43

When a granite pluton (formed deep underground)is uplifted and exposed at the surface, it may undergo sheeting to form a(n)________.

Question 44

In contact metamorphism, ________ is the dominant agent of change.

Question 45

The reason we see so much mud and sand along the shore of the land is that clay minerals and quartz are ________ at Earth's surface.

Question 46

Identify each photo with a material name. Explain the processes which would have to occur as each material is transformed (arrows)into other materials. Include a plausible "next step" to replace the big question mark at the end.

Question 47

Label each process or set of processes (lettered arrows)and Earth materials (numbered boxes).

Question 48

Before it can be sedimentary rock, sediment must be produced (weathered from pre-existing rocks), transported, deposited, and ________.

Question 49

Layers in sedimentary rocks are called ________.

Question 50

What is the source of energy that transforms igneous rocks into sedimentary rocks? What is the source of energy that transforms sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks? What is the source of energy that transforms metamorphic rocks into igneous rocks? Are these sources of energy internal or external? Explain.

Question 51

The rock ________ is a description of how one rock may be transformed into another kind of rock through various internal and external processes.

Question 52

Chemical sedimentary rocks form when ________ in solution precipitate out mineral matter.

Question 53

The difference between a breccia and a conglomerate is ________.

Question 54

________ is formed when carbon dioxide dissolves in rainwater, and this mildly reactive substance aids chemical weathering.

Question 55

A detrital sedimentary rock dominated by sand is a(n)________.

Question 56

Discuss how the following variables influence the rate of weathering: Mineral content, climate, and topography.

Question 57

Confining pressure results from ________ of rocks.

Question 58

Heat, confining pressure, differential stress, and ________ are four agents that drive metamorphic reactions.

Question 59

Obsidian is characterized by its ________ texture.

Question 60

How are the two main categories of weathering represented in this image that shows human-made objects?

Question 61

Consider the history of a single crystal of quartz. Describe how could this quartz grain could (a)form in a granite, (b)become incorporated into a sandstone, and (c)be transformed into a quartzite? Explain the processes which act on the quartz crystal and the transformations it experiences. Detail the processes which would take place along each portion of this journey.