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Quizzes > Quizzes for Business > Environment

Geology Fundamentals Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

Challenge Yourself with Core Earth Science Topics

Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art depicting elements related to Geology Fundamentals Quiz

Ready to deepen your understanding of geology fundamentals? This rock types and earth science quiz offers a quick challenge for students and educators looking to test core concepts. Draw insights from the Geology Knowledge Assessment Quiz or broaden your horizons with the Geology and Geography Knowledge Quiz. All quizzes are fully customizable in our editor to suit your teaching or learning goals. Take the plunge and discover how well you've mastered the building blocks of earth science!

Which of the following is an example of an igneous rock?
Granite
Sandstone
Limestone
Shale
Igneous rocks form from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. Granite is a common plutonic igneous rock that crystallizes slowly beneath Earth's surface.
Which principle states that in undisturbed sedimentary layers, the oldest rocks are at the bottom?
Principle of Uniformitarianism
Principle of Superposition
Principle of Faunal Succession
Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships
The Principle of Superposition holds that in an undeformed sequence, each layer is younger than the one beneath it. This allows relative dating of sedimentary strata.
The rigid outer shell of the Earth that includes the crust and uppermost mantle is called the:
Mesosphere
Asthenosphere
Outer Core
Lithosphere
The lithosphere is the strong, rigid outer layer composed of the crust and the uppermost mantle. It overlies the weaker asthenosphere.
On the Mohs hardness scale, which mineral has a hardness of about 7 and can scratch glass?
Calcite
Halite
Gypsum
Quartz
Quartz has a Mohs hardness of 7, which is sufficient to scratch common glass (around 5.5). It is one of the hardest common rock-forming minerals.
At which type of plate boundary do two plates slide past one another horizontally?
Transform
Divergent
Hotspot
Convergent
Transform boundaries occur where tectonic plates grind past one another horizontally. The San Andreas Fault in California is a classic example.
Which two processes primarily contribute to the lithification of sedimentary rocks?
Metamorphism and melting
Crystallization and deformation
Weathering and erosion
Compaction and cementation
Lithification of sediments into sedimentary rock mainly involves compaction, which squeezes out pore space, and cementation, which binds grains together.
The principle of original horizontality implies that:
Layers are originally horizontal
Older layers lie above younger layers
Layers are originally deposited at an angle
Extrusive igneous rocks form horizontally
According to original horizontality, sediments settle out of a fluid under the influence of gravity in horizontal or nearly horizontal layers.
A disconformity in a stratigraphic sequence indicates:
Intrusion of igneous rock into older layers
Metamorphism of underlying strata
A gap in deposition between parallel layers
A gradual lateral change in sediment type
A disconformity is an unconformity between parallel layers of sedimentary rocks, indicating a period of erosion or non-deposition.
In geological maps, a syncline is characterized by:
Vertical layering with no fold axis
Youngest layers at its core and limbs diverging outward
Oldest layers at its core and limbs converging inward
Oldest layers at its core and limbs diverging outward
A syncline is a downfold in layered rocks where the limbs dip toward the fold axis, placing the youngest strata at the center with limbs diverging outward.
Which common mineral reacts vigorously with dilute hydrochloric acid?
Quartz
Feldspar
Pyrite
Calcite
Calcite effervesces (fizzes) when dilute HCl is applied because the acid reacts with the carbonate mineral to release carbon dioxide gas.
The driving force considered most significant in plate tectonics is:
Mantle convection currents
Solar radiation heating
Tidal forces
Gravitational sliding
Mantle convection involves the transfer of heat by circulation of mantle material, which exerts drag on the base of the tectonic plates and drives their motion.
The Moho discontinuity separates:
Crust and mantle
Mantle and outer core
Lithosphere and asthenosphere
Outer core and inner core
The Mohoroviĝić discontinuity (Moho) is the seismic boundary that distinguishes Earth's crust from the underlying mantle due to a change in wave velocity.
Faunal succession allows geologists to:
Determine absolute ages by decay rates
Measure rock hardness via scratch tests
Correlate rock layers using fossil content
Identify mineral cleavage patterns
The principle of faunal succession states that fossil organisms succeed one another in a definite and recognizable order, enabling correlation of strata across regions.
A normal fault is characterized by:
Hanging wall moving downward relative to footwall
Hanging wall moving upward relative to footwall
Vertical shift with no dip
Lateral movement of blocks past each other
In a normal fault, extensional stress causes the hanging wall to move down relative to the footwall, lengthening the crust.
The term that collectively describes the Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic eons is the:
Paleozoic
Precambrian
Cambrian
Quaternary
The Precambrian refers to all of geologic time before the Cambrian Period, spanning the Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic eons and comprising most of Earth's history.
A rock sample shows only 25% of its original parent isotope remaining. How many half-lives have passed?
3 half-lives
4 half-lives
2 half-lives
1 half-life
After one half-life 50% of the parent remains, after two half-lives that amount is halved again to 25%. Each half-life reduces the parent isotope by half.
Which metamorphic facies is indicative of high-pressure, low-temperature conditions typical of a subduction zone?
Greenschist facies
Amphibolite facies
Blueschist facies
Granulite facies
Blueschist facies develops under the high-pressure and relatively low-temperature conditions found in subduction zones, often containing the mineral glaucophane.
The Wilson cycle describes:
The carbon cycle between atmosphere and lithosphere
The cyclical opening and closing of ocean basins due to plate motions
The cycle of erosion and deposition in sedimentary basins
The daily tidal cycles in oceans
The Wilson cycle outlines the stages of continental rifting, ocean basin opening, subduction, and continental collision in a repeating cycle of supercontinent assembly and breakup.
The Great Oxidation Event, which led to a significant rise in atmospheric oxygen, occurred during which era?
Paleoproterozoic era
Paleozoic era
Neoproterozoic era
Mesozoic era
The Great Oxidation Event took place around 2.4 billion years ago in the Paleoproterozoic era, marking the first major increase in Earth's atmospheric oxygen.
Magnetostratigraphy in stratigraphic correlation relies on:
Variations in magnetic polarity recorded in rock strata
Differences in radiometric ages of volcanic ash layers
Changes in fossil assemblages over time
Fluctuations in sea level reflected in sediment thickness
Magnetostratigraphy uses the record of Earth's magnetic field reversals preserved in rocks to correlate and relatively date layers across different regions.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify the three primary rock types and their formation processes
  2. Apply principles of stratigraphy to interpret sedimentary layers
  3. Analyse geological maps to determine structural features
  4. Evaluate mineral properties based on physical and chemical tests
  5. Demonstrate understanding of plate tectonics and earth's dynamics
  6. Master the geological time scale and key earth history events

Cheat Sheet

  1. Understand the Three Rock Types - Familiarize yourself with igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, including how each forms and their unique characteristics. Think of them as Earth's wardrobe: igneous rocks are hot new arrivals, sedimentary layers are history books, and metamorphic rocks are makeover masterpieces. Three Rock Types - AMNH
  2. Master Steno's Principles of Stratigraphy - Learn the foundational rules such as superposition, original horizontality, and lateral continuity so you can stack up sedimentary layers like pancakes in the right order. These golden principles help you decode Earth's timeline and determine which layers are older or younger. Steno's Principles - Columbia University
  3. Analyze Geological Maps - Develop your treasure-hunter skills by reading geological maps, spotting symbols, color codes, faults, folds, and rock types. Maps are like hidden puzzles revealing Earth's secrets - learn to translate those squiggles into real terrain. How to Read a Geologic Map - USGS
  4. Evaluate Mineral Properties - Channel your inner detective by testing hardness with the Mohs scale, observing luster and streak color, and even dropping dilute acid to see fizzing reactions. These hands-on checks help you identify each mineral's fingerprint. Mineral Properties - Geology.com
  5. Grasp Plate Tectonics - Understand how Earth's lithospheric plates drift, collide, and slide past each other to spark earthquakes, build mountains, and fuel volcanoes. Picture the crust as a giant jigsaw puzzle constantly on the move beneath your feet. Plate Tectonics - National Geographic
  6. Learn the Geological Time Scale - Memorize Earth's timeline from eons down to epochs and the major events that shaped our planet. Use mnemonics like "Camels Often Sit Down Carefully; Perhaps Their Joints Creak" to rock your recall. Geologic Time Scale - Wikipedia
  7. Identify Unconformities - Spot breaks in the geological record - angular and nonconformities - that reveal missing chapters of erosion or non-deposition. These gaps are like clue cards hinting at dramatic Earth-shaping episodes. Unconformity - Wikipedia
  8. Understand Metamorphic Processes - Discover how heat, pressure, and chemical fluids transform existing rocks into new forms without melting them. Imagine limestone getting a spa treatment to become marble under Earth's pressure cooker. Metamorphic Rock - Wikipedia
  9. Apply the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships - Learn that any fault or intrusion slicing through rock layers must be younger than the layers it disrupts. If it cuts, it's the newbie in town - essential for building relative age histories. Cross-Cutting Relationships - GeologyIn
  10. Recognize the Law of Included Fragments - Understand that rock fragments (inclusions) enclosed in a host rock must be older than the surrounding material. Inclusions are like birthday candles revealing the age of the cake they're baked into. Law of Included Fragments - ForestryBloq
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