True-False 1 pt. each (Put answers on answer sheet):
1. Scientists develop theories from hypotheses.
2. Andisols, inceptisols, mollisols and a zilliion other -sols are all confusing terms referring to different types of soils.
3. Crater Lake, Oregon, is formed in a caldera.
4. Many reef building organisms deposit calcite and create limestone.
5. The geological time scale was devised BEFORE absolute dating using radioactivity was invented.
6. None of the rocks exposed in the Grand Canyon are younger than the Precambrian in age.
7. Carbon-14 can be used to date wood and other vegetable materials used by early Indians of the Americas.
8. Geologists assume that sedimentary rocks originally form in horizontal layers.
9. Fossilized trilobites have been found in rocks on the order of 2 billion years old?
10. The process by which continental plates move across the surface of the Earth is called continental subduction.
11. There are no Precambrian rocks exposed in the Grand Canyon.
12. Rock salt forms in evaporite deposits
13. Limestone can have an organic or an inorganic origin.
14. An unconformity is a gap in the rock record, generally caused by erosion.
15. Exfoliation is a type of chemical weathering.
16. Plants and animals DO NOT play a role in soil formation.
17. Clay minerals cannot be products of weathering.
18. Sedimentary particles generally become sorted as they are transported by wind or water.
19. The presence of marine fossils in the present day Grand Canyon area indicates that there was once an ocean there.
20. The "A" soil horizon contains accumulations of material that was once near the surface but has bee transported downwards by water.

Multiple Choice (circle correct letter on answer sheet) 2 points each:

1. What is the primary difference between weathering and erosion?a. Weathering is the breaking down of rocks by mechanical means; erosion occurs by chemical means.
b. Weathering is the breaking down of minerals; erosion is the breaking down of rocks.
c. Weathering is the breaking down of rocks; erosion is the transportation of rock fragments.
d. Weathering and erosion are synonymous and may be used interchangeably.
e. Weathering always involves acids, erosion rarely does.

2. Which of the following radioactive isotopes is most useful for dating relatively young archaeological artifacts?
a. Carbon-14
b. Radon-222
c. Uranium-238
d. Potassium-40
e. Rubidium-87

3. Mechanical weathering can:
a. change the internal composition of minerals.
b. transport rock and mineral fragments to different locations
c. convert particular minerals into more stable forms
d. change the size and shape of rock structures
e. cause small rock fragments to combine to form larger rocks


4. In the rock cycle, the process that changes a sedimentary rock into an igneous rock involves
a. magma
b. weathering
c. crystallization
d. metamorphism
e. erosion


5. On the largest scale, the geological time scale is divided into the Precambrian and Phanerozoic Eras. About what percent of Earth history is covered by the Phanerozoic Era?
a. 1%
b. 2%
c. 12%
d. 88%
e. 99%


6. Hydrolysis refers to:
a. the chemical combination of any mineral with water.
b. the oxidation of a mineral by reaction with O₂ or with any other acid
c. the removal of a mineral's oxygen ions by reaction with hydrogen
d. the substitution of hyrdrol in a mineral structure
e. water running downhill in a river valley


7. In general, chemical weathering would occur most rapidly in a:
a. cool, moist climate
b. cool, dry climate
c. warm, moist climate
d. warm, dry climate
e. a high alpine area


8. The primary reason pedalfers occur in the eastern United States while pedocals appear in the western United States is because:
a. the East has a more humid climate
b. eastern soils have had a longer time to develop
c. parent materials for the two differ
d. the topography differs
e. there is less agriculture in the east


9. Which of the following rock is NOT (in general) a type of detrital sedimentary rock
a. conglomerate
b. breccia
c. limestone
d. sandstone
e. mudstone


10. The reason that rocks or even footprints on the Moon do not weather is that:
a. the Moon has no atmosphere, and therefore no chemical weathering can occur
b. the temperatures on the Moon are so hot that all water is evaporated
c. the temperatures on the Moon are so cold that all water at the surface exists only as ice
d. the Moon's atmosphere is made exclusively of CO2 and is completely lacking in water
e. the Moon has no gravity


11. Using certain characteristics to arrange rock units or geologic events in chronological order is called:
a. concordant dating
b. absolute dating
c. relative dating
d. geometric dating
e. discordant dating


12. Determining a specific age for a geologic event, feature, or rock unit using quantitative date is called:
a. concordant dating
b. absolute dating
c. relative dating
d. geometric dating
e. heterosexual dating


13. A general phrase/word describing the transfer of rock and soil downslope under the influence of gravity is:
a. weathering
b. frost wedging
c. solifluction
d. talus depredation
e. mass wasting


14. The half-life of a radioactive isotope refers to:
a. one-half of the total lifespan of a parent isotope
b. the time it takes for the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes to be 1:2 (half as many parent isotopes as daughter isotopes)
c. the time it takes for the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes to be 2:1 (twice as many parent isotopes as daughter isotopes)
d. the time it takes for half of the parent isotopes to decay to daughter isotopes
e. the time it takes for half of the daughter isotopes to decay to parent isotopes


15. Most sediments are:
a. detrital, resulting from solid particles precipitating from solution in water
b. detrital, composed of solid fragments of other rocks that have undergone mechanical weathering
c. chemical, resulting from precipitation from solution in water
d. chemical, resulting from organisms that have extracted the minerals from water
e. the products of recrystallization


16. Which of the following transport media generally results in the most well-sorted sediments?
a. glaciers
b. rivers
c. landslides
d. wind
e. all of the above


17. Which of the following transport media generally results in the most poorly sorted sediments?
a. wind
b. glaciers
c. rivers
d. ocean waves
e. all of the above


18. When you observe an outcrop of steeply dipping inclined sedimentary layers, what principle allows you to infer that the beds were tilted after they were deposited?
a. the principle of superposition
b. the principle of separation of church and state
c. the principle of original horizontality
d. the principle of gravity
e. the principle of cross cutting relationships


19. Much of the ground surface in eastern Washington and Oregon is covered by
a. flood basalts
b. granite
c. limestone
d. shale
e. fossilized reefs


20. Sedimentary structures such as graded bedding, cross-bedding, and ripple marks occur:
a. before both deposition and lithification
b. during or after deposition but before lithification
c. after lithification
d. during any of the above stages
e. during diagenesis


21. Detrital sedimentary rocks are composed predominately of:
a. silicate minerals
b. carbonate minerals
c. oxide minerals
d. sulfide and sulfate minerals
e. salts


22. A sandstone consisting of more than 25% feldspar and containing poorly sorted, angular grains is probably a(n):
a. quartz arenite
b. arkose
c. slate
d. graywacke
e. quartzite


23. Hawaiian volcanoes are good examples of
a. cinder cones
b. dikes
c. calderas
d. composite cones (stratovolcanoes)
e. shield volcanoes


24. The oldest rocks found on Earth are dated at about:
a. 4.6 zillion years
b. 4.6 billion years
c. 4.6 million years
d. 4.6 trillion years
e. 570 million years


25. According to the principle of cross-cutting relationships, if a dike is found cutting across sedimentary strata, the reasonable conclusion would be that:
a. the dike and the sedimentary strata are the same age
b. the dike is younger than the sedimentary strata
c. the dike is older than the sedimentary strata
d. the dike is of Precambrian age
e. the dike may be either younger or older than the sedimentary strata


26. What may account for the fact that we don't have a detailed time scale for the Precambrian?
a. Precambrian rocks are not found at the surface in most parts of the Earth
b. there are not many fossils associated with Precambrian rocks
c. many Precambrian rocks were affected by metamorphism
d. we just don't know lots of things about rocks that old
e. all of the above


27. Which type of rock is most likely to contain fossils?
a. igneous rocks
b. metamorphic rocks
c. sedimentary rocks
d. sandstone
e. all of the above


28. Which of the following rocks is composed primarily of clay?
a. shale
b. granite
c. sandstone
d. limestone
e. dolomite


29. The age of the oldest rocks exposed at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is:
a. Cenozoic
b. Mesozoic
c. Paleozoic
d. Precambrian
e. both a and d are correct answers


30. Which of the following factors effect the degree to which a volcanic eruption is violent?
a. gases dissolved in magma
b. composition of magma
c. the amount of water in magma
d. viscosity of magma
e. all of the above

Shortish Answer and Essay :


1. What soil type is found in a tropical rain forest? This soil is associated with luxuriant natural vegetation. What sort of agriculture is done there? How good is it for growing crops? Why is it good (or bad)?


2. When rocks are metamorphosed they undergo changes. However, when granite is metamorphosed the changes are minor compare to when basalt is metamorphosed. Why?


3. How was Crater Lake, Oregon, formed? What do we call such geological features? Name one other place where we can find one?

4. What does the term correlation mean? Why are fossils such useful tools in correlations?


5. The geological time scale is divided into many subunits that represent discrete periods of time. These include eons, eras, epochs, etc. However, there are many fewer subunits for the Precambrian than for the Phanerozoic. Explain the lack of a detailed time scale for the vast span of time known as the Precambrian.

6. Essay question (10 points): Geologists studying the Grand Canyon have figured out the ages of the various formations that are exposed there. How did they do that? How do they know, for instance, that the Kaibab Limestone is Permian? How do they know that the Zoroaster Granite is Precambrian? Etc.