Earth Science Minerals and Rocks Practice Test

Earth Science Minerals and Rocks Practice Test

1. Sudden dense movements of water that slice deep canyons along the ocean floor are called

(a) whale tail wake

(b) turbidity currents

(c) geological uniformity

(d) rapidity currents

2. The magnetic field strength or field intensity is the

(a) force applied to a magnetic pole at any point

(b) force of magma rising to the surface

(c) force of the Jedi warrior

(d) centripetal force of a spinning top

3. The chameleon type of rock is

(a) igneous rock

(b) protoplastic rock

(c) sedimentary rock

(d) metamorphic rock

4. The word metamorphic means to

(a) change form

(b) divide in half

(c) cook thoroughly

(d) stay the same

5. What is the main effect of weathering?

(a) the change of seasons

(b) wears away rocks

(c) wrinkles

(d) snow

6. Which of the following minerals is not commonly found in igneous rock?

(a) silica

(b) iron

(c) beryllium

(d) sodium

7. High-grade metamorphic rock is a result of

(a) high temperature and low pressure

(b) high temperature and high pressure

(c) low temperature and low pressure

(d) low temperature and high pressure

8. Shock metamorphism happens

(a) over millions of years

(b) in six months

(c) in an instant

(d) never happens

9. Metamorphism takes place in all of these places, except

(a) surface

(b) mantle

(c) atmosphere

(d) oceanic crust

10. A thermal gradient is defined as the

(a) heat measured from hot concrete

(b) amount of heat for magma to rise

(c) temperature needed to keep ice cream frozen

(d) rate of temperature increase compared to depth

11. Marble, quartzite, and hornfels are all examples of

(a) soft rock

(b) foliated rock

(c) rock and roll

(d) nonfoliated rock

12. When the organic parts of an organism are replaced by inorganic minerals, it is called

(a) crystallization

(b) petrification

(c) organization

(d) sedimentation

13. Which of the following is not a fossil?

(a) arrowhead

(b) trilobite

(c) Tyrannosaurus rex

(d) Triceratops

14. In sedimentary rock from ancient oceans, fossilized tunnels are left behind by

(a) soft-bodied worms

(b) buff, hard-bodied worms

(c) ancient miners

(d) tunnels are never found

15. The name felsic comes from a combination of the words

(a) felt and sing

(b) feldspar and sulfur

(c) feldspar and silica

(d) field ore and silica

16. Abyssal plain is an example of what kind of sedimentary environment?

(a) marine

(b) fissure

(c) science fiction

(d) mountainous

17. Igneous rock makes up what percentage of the top 10 miles of the Earth’s crust?

(a) 35%

(b) 55%

(c) 75%

(d) 95%

18. Which of the following is not a way that metamorphic rock forms?

(a) regional

(b) hydrothermal

(c) solar transformation

(d) contact

19. An amateur paleontologist can often find

(a) holes in their socks from all the walking

(b) ancient shark’s teeth, ammonites, and trilobites

(c) tube worm fossils

(d) the fossil bones of brachiosaurus

20. James Hutton thought that

(a) the Earth was flat

(b) hot magma made its way upward between layers of sedimentary rock

(c) water explained the changes between sedimentary rock layers

(d) he should have been a doctor like his mother wanted

21. According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, humans are categorized in the kingdom

(a) prokaryota

(b) animalia

(c) primates

(d) sapiens

22. What is the only difference between a geode and a nodule?

(a) a geode is solid inside and a nodule is hollow

(b) geodes only contain amethyst crystals

(c) a geode is hollow inside and a nodule is solid

(d) geodes are found inside meteorites

23. When the first known Iguanodon fossil skeleton was assembled, a huge claw was mistakenly put on its

(a) tail

(b) neck

(c) heel

(d) nose

24. A mineral that light shines only partially through and is cloudy is said to be

(a) translucent

(b) transparent

(c) opaque

(d) priceless

25. Mafic rock

(a) is seldom found on Earth

(b) contains high levels of magnesium and ferric minerals

(c) contains the same minerals as felsic rock

(d) contains high levels of manganese and sulfur

26. The cycle of heat and pressure that transforms existing rock is called

(a) thermogradient cycle

(b) solar cycle

(c) rock cycle

(d) unicycle

27. Polarity reversal happens when

(a) the core’s magnetic field flows in the same direction as the layers above it

(b) socks stick together coming out of the dryer

(c) polar bears are really irritated

(d) the North Pole’s location and the South Pole’s location switch places

28. A powdery stripe made when rubbing a sample across an unglazed surface is called a

(a) foundation

(b) streak

(c) flute

(d) habit

29. Talc, gypsum, calcite, fluorite, apatite, orthoclase, quartz, topaz, corundum, and diamond are standards on the

(a) Alvandi scale

(b) Fleming scale

(c) Mohs’ scale

(d) Gregg scale

30. A paleontologist is a scientist that studies

(a) light waves

(b) paint

(c) horses

(d) fossils

31. Allochromatic minerals are generally

(a) opaque

(b) colorless and transparent

(c) colorful and translucent

(d) of a hardness of 1

32. Perfect, distinct, indistinct, or none are types of

(a) cleavage

(b) habit

(c) luster

(d) transparency

33. Andesite is named after the volcanic

(a) Antarctic mountains

(b) Rocky mountains

(c) Himalayan mountains

(d) Andes mountains

34. When a plutonic magma pocket is rimmed by a contact ring of metamorphic rock, it is known as

(a) a volcanic vent

(b) an aureole

(c) a slipstream

(d) breccia

35. Malachite is commonly

(a) white

(b) pink

(c) deep blue

(d) dark green

36. Dull and waxy are two different types of

(a) luster

(b) habit

(c) geodes

(d) specific gravity

37. When the crystals push against each other and form a mass, it is called

(a) cleavage

(b) massive

(c) contact twinning

(d) rhombohedral formation

38. Cinnabar, molybdenite, pyrite, and galena are minerals in which mineral group?

(a) phosphate

(b) sulfide

(c) silicate

(d) carbonate

39. What is one of the best known and most frequently seen intrusive igneous rock types?

(a) granite

(b) sand

(c) sediment

(d) tundra

40. When igneous intrusion of magma heats up surrounding rock, it is called

(a) lithification

(b) sedimentary rock

(c) contact metamorphism

(d) index mineralization

Answers:

1. B

2. A

3. D

4. A

5. B

6. C

7. B

8. C

9. C

10. D

11. D

12. B

13. A

14. A

15. C

16. A

17. D

18. C

19. B

20. B

21. B

22. C

23. D

24. A

25. B

26. C

27. D

28. B

29. C

30. D

31. B

32. A

33. D

34. B

35. D

36. A

37. C

38. B

39. A

40. C