Multiple Choice (2 points each; 50 points total) -- Circle the BEST answer.

1. Sedimentary rocks are formed from loose sediments by
   1. compaction and cementation.
   2. erosion and deposition.
   3. wind and water.
   4. metamorphism.
2. Which sequence of rock names is correctly arranged in order of decreasing particle diameters?
   1. Conglomerate, shale, sandstone.
   2. Sedimentary breccia, shale, sandstone, claystone.
   3. Conglomerate, sandstone, claystone.
   4. Shale, siltstone, sandstone.
3. The sand grains in sandstone may be composed of
   1. quartz.
   2. mica.
   3. rock fragments.
   4. feldspar.
   5. all of the preceding.
4. A sequence of siltstone and shale layers contains numerous mud cracks and ripple marks. What environment of deposition is most likely for these rocks?
   1. Fast-moving stream.
   2. Tidal flat.
   3. Deep Marine.
   4. Beach with a strong surf.
5. If a geologist finds layers of limestone in a rock outcrop, he can reasonably hypothesize that the area had at some time in the past been
   1. covered by the ocean.
   2. near a volcano.
   3. glaciated.
   4. a desert region.
   5. along the flanks of an eroded mountain range.
6. What is the correct metamorphic sequence of increasingly coarser grain size?
   1. phyllite -> slate -> gneiss -> schist.
   2. slate -> phyllite -> schist -> gneiss.
   3. gneiss -> phyllite -> slate -> schist.
   4. schist -> gneiss -> phyllite -> slate.
   5. slate -> schist -> gneiss -> phyllite.
7. A gneiss differs from a granite mainly in that it
   1. is generally less coarse-grained.
   2. shows a distinct foliation.
   3. has a different mineral composition.
   4. has a different bulk chemical composition.
8. Which of the following rocks is the metamorphic product of limestone?
   1. Hornfels.
   2. Gneiss.
   3. Marble.
   4. Quartzite.
   5. Granite.
9. Slate is the metamorphic product of
   1. shale.
   2. sandstone.
   3. limestone.
   4. granite.
10. If a metamorphic rock, such as a gneiss, is heated so that it starts to melt
    1. the quartz, K-feldspar, and Na-rich plagioclase would start to melt first.
    2. the ferromagnesian minerals would start to melt first.
    3. all the minerals in the rock would start to melt at essentially the same temperature to form a magma of the same composition of the gneiss.
    4. Na-Ca plagioclase, biotite, and minerals like garnet would melt first, leaving a residue rich in felsic minerals.
11. The accumulation of calcium carbonate in a pedocal soil indicates that it formed in a
    1. warm climate, with high precipitation.
    2. warm climate, with low precipitation.
    3. cool, forested region.
    4. tropical climate.
12. The mineral most commonly produced by the chemical weathering of common rocks is
    1. olivine.
    2. calcite.
    3. clay.
    4. only smaller grains of the same minerals that the rock originally contained.
13. Which of the following minerals is not classed as an oxide of iron?
    1. Magnetite.
    2. Hematite.
    3. Illite.
    4. Limonite.
14. The most important factor in soil development is
    1. topography.
    2. climate.
    3. parent rock.
    4. time.
15. The most fertile soils tend to occur in rock material which is
    1. intensely weatherd.
    2. very weakly weathered.
    3. moderately weathered.
    4. not weathered at all.
16. Which of the following conditions promotes the plastic deformation of rocks, as opposed to brittle rupture?
    1. Stress builds up rapidly to a very high level.
    2. The rock is deformed at a relatively low temperature.
    3. Spaces between the grains contain little, if any, water.
    4. The rock is subjected to large confining pressure and high temperatures.
17. The Basin and Range Province of southwestern North America is characterized by a horst-graben geologic structure which is due to the application of ____________________ stress.
    1. compressional.
    2. tensional.
    3. shear.
    4. synclinal.
18. According to the elastic rebound theory, earthquakes are produced when
    1. the rocks on either side of a fault abruptly slip past each other after an extended period in which elastic strain is built up in these rocks.
    2. crustal plates bump into each other and then rebound following the collision.
    3. magma within the Earth abruptly begins to flow and elastically deforms the solid country rocks.
    4. abrupt movement on a fault causes the amount of elastic strain in the rocks on either side of the fault to build up.
19. On the San Andreas fault a major earthquake is most likely to occur
    1. along segments undergoing fault creep.
    2. along segments where the fault shows left-lateral movement.
    3. where the ground water is being withdrawn in large volumes.
    4. along locked sections which have not experienced movement for several decades.
20. The velocity at which seismic waves leave the focus of an earthquake does not depend on which of the following?
    1. The magnitude of the earthquake.
    2. The depth at which the earthquake occurs.
    3. The rigidity of the materials adjacent to the earthquake.
    4. The density of the materials adjacent to the earthquake.
21. The Earth's outer core is thought to be in the liquid state because
    1. S-waves do not pass through it.
    2. P-waves do not pass through it.
    3. neither P- or S-waves pass through it.
    4. both P- and S-waves slow down sharply as they pass through it.
22. The most significant changes of composition within the Earth's concentric layers is thought to occur at the
    1. crust-mantle boundary.
    2. base of the lithosphere.
    3. mantle-core boundary.
    4. boundary between the inner and outer core.
23. The mantle of the Earth is probably composed of
    1. silicates rich in iron and magnesium.
    2. an iron-nickel alloy.
    3. quartz and feldspar.
    4. basalt and graphite.
24. All other things being equal, an increase in pressure on the rocks through which they travel will cause P waves to
    1. travel faster.
    2. travel slower.
    3. rapidly die out.
    4. travel at the same velocity.
25. What is the cause of the Earth's main magnetic field?
    1. The remanent field.
    2. The permanent magnet in the Earth's core.
    3. Electric currents in the core.
    4. The interaction between the Earth's mantle and the Sun's magnetic field.
    5. Electric currents in the crust.