Florida International University
Department of Earth Sciences
GLY 1010: Introduction to Earth Science
Practice Quiz (Not for credit)






1. Which of the following rock types will weather most slowly in a moderately rainy climate?
A.granite
B.basalt
C.limestone
D.halite


2. Which of the following minerals has a low solubility and therefore is least susceptible to chemical weathering?
A.calcite
B.plagioclase feldspar
C.quartz
D.pyroxene


3. Which of the following will decrease the rate of chemical weathering of a rock at the Earth's surface?
A.increasing the amount of acid in the rainwater
B.decreasing the temperature
C.breaking the rock into smaller pieces
D.increasing the amount of surrounding soil


4. Which of the following statements about weathering is false?
A.Rocks of different compositions weather at different rates.
B.Heat and heavy rainfall increase the rate of chemical weathering.
C.The presence of soil slows down weathering of the underlying bedrock.
D.The longer a rock is exposed at the surface, the more weathered it becomes.


5. Which of the following statements is false?
A.Soil is an important natural resource.
B.Soil may contain all of the following: fragments of bedrock, clay minerals, and organic matter.
C.Soil is a product of weathering.
D.Soil protects the underlying bedrock from further chemical weathering.


6. Which of the following statements regarding the weathering of feldspar to kaolinite is false?
A.Feldspar loses both potassium and silica.
B.Silica dissolves into a water solution.
C.Feldspar loses water during weathering.
D.A water solution acts as a solvent for the feldspar.


7. Chemical weathering is sped up by acids. The most common natural acid on the Earth's surface is ______.
A.nitric acid
B.hydrochloric acid
C.carbonic acid
D.sulfuric acid


8. The major source of aluminum metal, ______, is a clay-rich ore composed of aluminum hydroxide.
A.hematite
B.bauxite
C.kaolinite
D.montmorillonite


9. The deep red color of soils found in Georgia and other warm, humid regions is caused by ______.
A.iron oxides
B.clay minerals
C.quartz
D.feldspar


10. Which of the following minerals is most stable at the Earth's surface?
A.hematite
B.mica
C.olivine
D.pyroxene


11. Which of the following processes is not an example of chemical weathering?
A.dissolution of calcite
B.breakdown of feldspar to form kaolinite
C.splitting of a rock along a fracture
D.rusting of a nail


12. Which of the following statements about weathering in arid environments is true?
A.Physical weathering is more important than chemical weathering.
B.Physical weathering and chemical weathering are equally important.
C.Chemical weathering is more important than physical weathering.
D.Chemical weathering does not take place in arid environments.


13. The term for the organic matter in the Earth's topsoil is ___________.
A.regolith
B.leaf litter
C.humus
D.A-horizon


14. What soil horizon consists primarily of slightly altered, weathered bedrock?
A.the A-horizon
B.the B-horizon
C.the C-horizon
D.None of these consist primarily of slightly altered, weathered bedrock.


15. What is a laterite?
A.deep-red soil in which feldspar and other silicates have been completely altered
B.good agricultural soil containing abundant insoluble minerals such as quartz and clay minerals
C.soil rich in calcium from calcium carbonate, and low in organic matter
D.ancient soil preserved as rock in the geological record, sometimes over one billion years old


16. What type of soils form in moderate climates and contain insoluble minerals such as quartz, clay minerals, and iron alteration products?
A.laterites
B.pedocals
C.pedalfers
D.paleosols


17. What is the name for soils that are rich in calcium?
A.laterites
B.evaporites
C.pedocals
D.pedalfers



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