Minerals may provide clues to all except:
A. ages of rock.
B. how the rock formed.
C. the temperature and pressures experienced by the rock.
D. the reason for the changes in the magnetic field of the Earth.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following is the best geological definition of a mineral?
A. A material that is mined for its value.
B. A material that is necessary to sustain life.
C. A solid or liquid inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition.
D. A solid inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure.
ANSWER: 

Rocks are always made up of
A. minerals.
B. minerals plus other fragments.
C. fragments and the remains of older rocks.
D. minerals and sediment.
ANSWER: 

Physical properties of minerals include all but which set?
A. color, hardness, cleavage, luster
B. color, hardness, streak, luster
C. color, chemical properties, cleavage, streak
D. color, hardness, cleavage, streak
ANSWER: 

In any list of the very most abundant elements in the Earth's crust, which of the following should not be included?
A. aluminum
B. iron
C. silicon
D. carbon
ANSWER: 

The basic building block of most of the rock-forming minerals is
A. a calcium carbonate compound.
B. an iron compound.
C. the silica tetrahedron.
D. an iron-magnesium complex.
ANSWER: 

Ores are minerals which
A. are mostly silicates.
B. have commercial value.
C. are found only on the surface of the Earth.
D. yield high-grade diamond deposits.
ANSWER: 

If a mineral breaks along a well-defined plane, it is said to show
A. fracture.
B. cleavage.
C. weakness.
D. facets.
ANSWER: 

The hardness of a mineral is
A. directly related to the amount of iron or heavy metals it contains.
B. directly related to the amount of iron and carbon it contains.
C. directly related to the strength of the chemical bonds that hold it together.
D. related more to composition than bond strength.
ANSWER: 

Minerals are usually and most easily identified by
A. their physical properties.
B. their chemical make-up.
C. their chemical structure.
D. a knowledge of where they were found.
ANSWER: 

If you examined a volcanic rock and from chemical tests learned that its content of silica was over 60 percent of the total, which of the following would not be true?
A. It formed from a silica-rich lava.
B. It was probably part of a highly explosive eruption.
C. It was characteristic of an eruption from a continental volcano.
D. the lava came from a very fluid magma.
ANSWER: 

From a chemical analysis of the gases emitted during volcanic eruptions, it has been discovered that the most abundant gas is
A. hydrogen sulfide.
B. nitrogen.
C. water vapor.
D. carbon dioxide.
ANSWER: 

The large volcanoes that lie on convergent plate boundaries are
A. more explosive and called cinder cones.
B. more explosive and called composite volcanoes.
C. more explosive and called shield volcanoes.
D. usually composed of basalt and called composite volcanoes.
ANSWER: 

Most of the world's present submarine volcanic activity is located
A. on transform plate boundaries.
B. on the sea floor at divergent plate boundaries.
C. in volcanic island arcs.
D. in subduction zones at convergent plate boundaries.
ANSWER: 

Some of the Earth's tallest and most consistently active volcanoes occur far from any plate boundary. These are
A. shield volcanoes.
B. cinder cones.
C. composite volcanoes.
D. lava domes.
ANSWER: 

The volcanic rock derived from the melting of mantle material is
A. an andesite porphyry.
B. vesicular rhyolite.
C. plagioclase feldspar.
D. basalt.
ANSWER: 

Laboratory studies have shown that the melting of wet basalt under pressure can consistently produce
A. mantle-like rock.
B. pumice.
C. rhyolite.
D. andesite.
ANSWER: 

Choose the incorrect statement concerning lavas of low viscosity (very fluid lavas).
A. They are very hot.
B. They tend to form volcanoes with gentle slopes.
C. They produce glowing avalanches and lots of ash.
D. They have a high content of iron and magnesian minerals.
ANSWER: 

The main factor contributing to the relatively non-violent eruptions of Hawaiian volcanoes is the
A. absence of any cinder cone build-up.
B. high silica content of the lava.
C. low silica content of the lava.
D. cooling action of the Pacific Ocean on submarine magma.
ANSWER: 

If a volcano ejects a very high-silica content lava into a glacier, causing it to solidify almost immediately, the resulting rock is most likely to be
A. obsidian-like.
B. phenocrystic.
C. andesite.
D. basalt.
ANSWER: 

Choose the correct statement relating to eruptions on the ocean floor.
A. Very hot basaltic lavas pour out along convergent zones to form pillow lavas.
B. Very hot basaltic lavas pour out along convergent zones to form aa lavas.
C. Very hot basaltic lavas pour out along divergent zones to form aa lavas.
D. Very hot basaltic lavas pour out along divergent zones to form pillow lavas. 
ANSWER: 

Choose the correct response pertaining to the manner in which viscosity can influence the surface characteristics of lava.
A. Runny, fluid lava that forms a billowy surface is called aa lava.
B. A degassed lava with a higher viscosity and jagged surface is called pahoehoe lava.
C. A degassed lava with a lower viscosity and jagged surface is called aa lava.
D. Runny, fluid lava that forms a billowy surface is called pahoehoe lava.
ANSWER: 

Hot spots created by mantle plumes
A. usually found on divergent boundaries only; they erupt basaltic lavas and form shield volcanoes.
B. usually found on convergent boundaries only; they erupt basaltic lavas and form composite volcanoes.
C. found in the middle of plates; they erupt basaltic lavas and form shield volcanoes.
D. found in the middle of plates; they erupt andesitic lavas and form composite volcanoes.
ANSWER: 

The short range forecasting of volcanic eruptions is best accomplished by
A. ground deformation studies.
B. the seismic monitoring of earthquakes within the volcano.
C. studying the history of the volcano: what it has done in the past it will do in the future.
D. ground deformation studies and the seismic monitoring of earthquakes within the volcano.
ANSWER: 

Volcanoes are associated with
A. divergent boundaries,convergent boundaries and hot spots.
B. convergent boundaries only.
C. divergent boundaries and hot spots only.
D. convergent boundaries and hot spots only.
ANSWER: 

Magmas with higher viscosities tend to
A. be cooler and heavier.
B. be hotter and heavier.
C. flow faster and degas easily.
D. trap more gases which creates a greater potential for explosive activity.
ANSWER: 

Cinders are larger than fragments of ash because the
A. explosion that creates them is stronger.
B. explosion that creates them is weaker.
C. magma they are created from is more viscous (stickier).
D. magma they are created from is less viscous (stickier).
ANSWER: 

Which of the following is most likely to lower the melting point of rock?
A. High pressure on the rock.
B. The presence of a single mineral, such as quartz, in the rock.
C. A lack of water in the rock.
D. An abundance of pressurized water in the rock.
ANSWER: 

In the field, geologists can generally separate intrusive igneous rocks from volcanic rocks by their
A. different colors. 
B. different textures.
C. mineral content.
D. hardness.
ANSWER: 

Igneous rocks composed primarily of quartz and feldspar are most likely to be encountered in
A. divergent plate boundaries and oceanic ridges.
B. subduction zones.
C. continental mountain ranges.
D. hot spots and mantle plumes.
ANSWER: 

An igneous intrusion that resembles the filling in a layered cake is called a
A. stock.
B. sill.
C. dike.
D. batholith.
ANSWER: 

The coarse-grained texture characteristic of most intrusive rock is a result of
A. water dissolved in the melt.
B. long cooling times.
C. high pressures.
D. rapid cooling.
ANSWER: 

The Earth's interior heat is probably generated by the
A. original formation of the Earth, radioactive substances and its rotation.
B. tidal effects of the sun and moon and its rotation.
C. original formation of the Earth, radioactive substances and tidal effects of the sun and moon.
D. compression of gravity, rotation and radioactive substances.
ANSWER: 

As magma cools, the first minerals to crystallize are
A. olivine and calcium plagioclase; the last are pyroxene and mica.
B. olivine and calcium plagioclase; the last are pyroxene and quartz.
C. olivine and calcium plagioclase; the last are potassium feldspar and quartz.
D. mica and sodium plagioclase; the last are potassium feldspar and quartz.
ANSWER: 

Magma generated at
A. divergent zones is basaltic; at subduction zones it is more andesitic.
B. divergent zones is andesitic; at subduction zones it is more dioritic.
C. divergent zones is dioritic; at subduction zones it is more andesitic.
D. the mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones is basaltic.
ANSWER: 

Intrusive rocks tend to cool
A. faster than extrusive rock eliminating the chance for large crystals to form.
B. slower than extrusive rock eliminating the change for larger crystals to form.
C. slower than extrusive rock which allows larger crystals to form.
D. faster than extrusive rock which allows larger crystals to form.
ANSWER: 

Choose the correct statement concerning exfoliation.
A. Exfoliation is a continuation of the process of pressure release that leads to the stripping away of layers of rock.
B. Exfoliation is created mainly by chemical weathering.
C. Exfoliation is created mainly from pressure release and chemical weathering.
D. Exfoliation is created from uplifting and chemical weathering. 
ANSWER: 

Mechanical weathering results in the
A. formation of new stable minerals.
B. removal of fragments of rock.
C. disintegration of rock without creating new minerals.
D. decomposition of silicates.
ANSWER: 

The property of water that is important in mechanical weathering is its ability to
A. dissolve many substances.
B. facilitate chemical changes.
C. expand as it is heated.
D. expand as it freezes.
ANSWER: 

The rate and amount of chemical weathering is controlled mainly by the
A. amount of water available and the temperature.
B. amount of water available and the type of rock.
C. amount of water available and the topography.
D. temperature and the type of rock. 
ANSWER: 

The minerals in granite that solidify at the highest temperatures are
A. immune to chemical weathering
B. the most stable on the Earth's surface.
C. more durable than the other minerals in granite
D. the most susceptible to decomposition.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following minerals does not weather into a new mineral?
A. quartz
B. feldspar
C. mica
D. pyroxene
ANSWER: 

Which of the following statements summarizes the relationship between mechanical and chemical weathering?
A. Mechanical weathering increases the rate of chemical weathering by increasing the surface area of exposed bedrock.
B. Mechanical weathering inhibits chemical weathering by reducing the volume of bedrock available for chemical weathering.
C. Mechanical weathering increases the rate of chemical weathering by helping to create the water and carbon dioxide used in chemical weathering.
D. Mechanical weathering has no effect on chemical weathering.
ANSWER: 

Which of the following is most common in chemical reactions involving the acidic decomposition of rock?
A. nitric acid
B. carbonic acid
C. calcinic acid
D. sulfuric acid
ANSWER: 

Minerals or substances that are the most stable under surface conditions are
A. quartz and plagioclase feldspar.
B. quartz, olivine and iron oxide.
C. quartz and iron oxide.
D. olivine, plagioclase feldspar and quartz.
ANSWER: 

If, on a rather gently sloping site, there were tilted fence posts and telephone poles and broken stone walls, you might infer that the
A. area was a lahar.
B. site was on a rockfall.
C. surface was the site of a prehistoric slump.
D. surface was undergoing creep.
ANSWER: 

The principle force that drives mass wasting is mainly
A. freezing and thawing.
B. angle of slope.
C. gravity.
D. surface runoff.
ANSWER: 

landslides (near the beach or surf) are common because
A. coasts are always along faults.
B. coastal rocks are usually soft slippery clays.
C. waves undercut the seacliffs.
D. rock layers always dip landward.
ANSWER: 

Of the following, the type of mass wasting that involves the least amount of soil water would be
A. creep.
B. mudflow.
C. slump.
D. solifluction.
ANSWER: 

Housing developer Jenkins wants to build a group of houses high on the slope of a hill. Three of the four actions which follow would reduce the effects of mass wasting, while the fourth would probably make matters worse. Which one should Jenkins not do?
A. Space the houses farther apart to avoid concentrating the buildings' weight in one place.
B. Remove vegetation from the areas immediately surrounding the homes.
C. Place drains under the debris layer to allow water escape.
D. Terrace the slope. 
ANSWER: 

Which of these four factors is generally least likely to contribute to the triggering of an earthflow?
A. The increased weight of vegetation.
B. Waves breaking along and undercutting shorelines.
C. Stream erosion occurring at the base of slopes
D. construction activities
ANSWER: 

Processes of mass wasting are difficult to classify because
A. they sometimes occur too fast for accurate observation.
B. no two are ever the same.
C. they are often transitional in nature; what begins as one form, ends as another.
D. they are always different in different areas.
ANSWER: 

Debris flows are
A. intermediate speed slips made up of vegetation, rock, and soil.
B. slow flows made up of silt, sand and boulders.
C. slow slides made up of high density, fluid-like materials.
D. the combination of silt, sand and boulders saturated with water creating a fluid-like mixture.
ANSWER: 

Creep and slumps are mitigated by
A. decreasing the slope while landslides are sometimes mitigated by removal of material.
B. removal of material while landslides are always mitigated by decreasing the slope.
C. using some sort of support at the bottom or toe while landslides are mitigated by trenching.
D. covering them with rock while landslides are always mitigated by decreasing the slope. 
ANSWER: 

Which of the following mass wasting processes is not properly grouped from slower to faster?
A. creep, slump, debris flow
B. creep, landslide, slump
C. slump, landslide, rock avalanche
D. slump, debris flow, rock avalanche
ANSWER: 

Shales are the most widespread sedimentary rock. This is related to the fact that
A. quartz is one of the most abundant minerals.
B. widespread evaporation of sea water results in shale deposits.
C. clays are the most widespread weathering product of the rock-forming minerals.
D. the minerals in shale settle out of water quickly and form thick deposits.
ANSWER: 

Sorting in sediments refers to the separation of particles by
A. grain size.
B. rounding.
C. mineral content.
D. origin or the environment in which it was deposited.
ANSWER: 

In the process of transporting sediment
A. larger clastic particles are deposited first.
B. smaller clastic particles are deposited first.
C. particles are deposited according to composition.
D. larger clastic particles are sometimes deposited first and at other times last. 
ANSWER: 

The two main mechanisms of lithification are
A. compaction and evaporation.
B. cementation and evaporation.
C. cementation and compaction.
D. cementation and chemical evaporation.
ANSWER: 

From what you observe standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, or viewing other layered rock formations, it is apparent that the structures most characteristic of sedimentary rocks are
A. fossil foot prints.
B. ripple marks.
C. mud cracks.
D. bedding planes.
ANSWER: 

The direction of water flow can be determined by
A. ripple marks and mud cracks.
B. ripple marks and scour and fill deposits.
C. cross-bedding and ripple marks.
D. cross-bedding and mud cracks.
ANSWER: 

Coarse, angular fragments in a sedimentary rock tells us that the fragments were
A. deposited by a large river.
B. deposited by the wind.
C. created by an earthquake.
D. not carried or moved very far.
ANSWER: 

Sedimentary structures are important to the geologist as indicators of the
A. age of the sediment.
B. water temperature.
C. minerals in the source area.
D. depositional environment.
ANSWER: 

In the following sequence of terms describing the origin of sedimentary rock, choose the correct order.
A. weathering, transportation, deposition, lithification
B. transportation, weathering, deposition, lithification
C. lithification, weathering, deposition, transportation
D. deposition, lithification, transportation, weathering
ANSWER: 

One of the most common types of sediment is called
A. clastic and is classified on the basis of composition.
B. chemical and is classified on the basis of how it was deposited.
C. chemical and is classified on the basis of composition.
D. clastic and is classified on the basis of size.
ANSWER: 
