Multiple Guess
1. 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

2. 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. They are both inorganic processes.

3. 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. very hot dry climate

4. Sedimentary rocks are important for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
a. they contain information about the Earth's geologic history
b. they contain most of our fossil fuels, coal, oil, and natural gas
c. they contain most of our precious gems, such as diamonds and emeralds
d. they contain most of our groundwater
e. they are sometimes used as building materials

5. Which of the following transport media generally results in the most well-sorted sediments?
a. wind
b. glaciers
c. rivers
d. landslides on land
e. undersea landslides

6. 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

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

8. Which of the following statements concerning the formation of coal is NOT true?
a. the environment of deposition for coal is usually a swamp
b. coal is composed primarily of the remains of microorganisms
c. coal forms from the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen
d. because of heat and pressure, organic matter changes from peat, to lignite, to bituminous coal, and finally into anthracite
coal
e. coal deposits have formed in many places around the world

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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 is younger than the sedimentary strata
b. the dike is older than the sedimentary strata
c. the dike is of Precambrian age
d. the dike and the sedimentary strata are the same age
e. the dike may be either younger or older than the sedimentary strata

12. 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

13. 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

14. Which of the following is, according to your book, "the most abundant chemical sedimentary rock?"
a. sandstone
b. evaporite
c. limestone
d. coquina
e. all of the above

15. 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. one half the value of the decay constant

16. All of the following radiometric dating methods are useful for rocks older than 100,000 years EXCEPT:
a. uranium-lead dating
b. potassium-argon dating
c. rubidium-strontium dating
d. carbon-14 dating
e. none of the above work for rocks older than 1000,000

17. When a shell or other structure is buried in sediment, then dissolved away, to produce a fossil, we call the fossil a
a. track
b. mold
c. carbonation
d. trace fossil
e. cast

18. How does mechanical weathering add to the effectiveness of chemical weathering?
a. mechanical weathering dissolves rock and mineral matter, thus making it more susceptible to acid attack
b. mechanical weathering dissolves rock and mineral matter, thus making it more susceptible to oxidation
c. mechanical weathering dissolves rock and mineral matter, thus making it more susceptible to hydrolysis
d. mechanical weathering breaks up rocks and minerals, thus providing more surface area for chemical reaction
e. mechanical weathering breaks up rocks and minerals, thus providing more surface area for erosion

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

20. According to the normal scientific method, which is the correct order?
a. testing==>theory==>hypothesis
b. theory==>hypothesis==>testing
c. theory==>testing==>hypothesis
d. hypothesis==>theory==>testing
e. hypothesis==>testing==>theory

Pet Peeve Question
Each of the following is either a mineral, an element, a sedimentary rock, an igneous rock, or a metamorphic rock. Circle the correct description.

21. arkose	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
22. granite	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
23. calcium	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
24. oxygen	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
25. sandstone	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
26. basalt	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
27. gneiss	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
28. coquina	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
29. silicon	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock
30. gypsum	element	mineral	sedimentary rock	igneous rock	metamorphic rock

Short Answer
31. Shale is said to be fissile. What is fissility? Why is it characteristic of shale, but not of most sandstone?
32. In areas, such as the Grand Canyon, layers are combined and given formation names. Different formations vary greatly in the kinds of rocks and minerals they contain. What is the reason for all the variation?
33. Why is quartz such a common constituent in detrital sedimentary rocks?
34. What are the differences between pedalfers and pedocals? What factors cause them to form in different parts of the world. Explain.
35. Suppose you find a sedimentary rock layer that is standing on end. What features might you look for to determine which side of the layer was on top at the time of deposition

Essay Questions (Use back of test pages and add your own paper if you have to - as many pages as you wish. Be neat, be cool, use verbs and nouns and grammar, etc.
36. I find sedimentary rocks boring. Most are only made of a small number of different minerals. I mean, you've got your sandstone (mostly quartz), your limestone (mostly calcite) and your shale (mostly clay). Boring. Why? Why so few minerals common in sedimentary rocks?
37. When you become a big time geologist and bop around the world and look at very old rocks (Precambrian) you will find that most are igneous or metamorphic, not sedimentary. Why?
Extra Credit
38. Books tell you the Earth is 4.6 billion years old. What's that mean? What happened 4.6 billion years ago?