Question 1 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
A rock is best defined as:
Athe preserved remains of an organism
Ba single pure chemical element
Ca naturally occurring solid made of one or more minerals
Da manufactured building material
Explanation
Most rocks are mixtures of one or more minerals.
Question 2 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
The relative hardness of a mineral is measured using the:
ACelsius scale
BMohs hardness scale
CpH scale
DRichter scale
Explanation
The Mohs scale (1 = talc to 10 = diamond) ranks minerals by scratch resistance.
Question 3 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
Earth’s major layers, from the outside inward, are the:
Acore, mantle, and crust
Bmantle, crust, and core
Ccrust, mantle, and core
Dcrust, core, and mantle
Explanation
From surface to center: crust, then mantle, then core.
Question 4 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
A rock that forms from the cooling and solidification of molten magma or lava is classified as:
Asedimentary
Bigneous
Ca single mineral
Dmetamorphic
Explanation
Igneous rock forms when molten material (magma/lava) cools and solidifies.
Question 5 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
A crack or break in rock along which movement has taken place is called a:
Afault
Bdelta
Cmineral
Dcontour
Explanation
A fault is a fracture in rock along which the two sides have moved relative to each other.
Question 6 of 10
NYS 8A-8FEasy
A stream is able to erode and transport the largest, heaviest particles when its velocity is:
Ahigh (fast-moving)
Bzero (standing still)
Clow (slow-moving)
Ddecreasing to a stop
Explanation
Faster-moving water has more energy, so it can erode and carry larger, heavier sediment.
Question 7 of 10
NYS 8A-8FEasy
The fan-shaped or triangular deposit of sediment that forms where a river enters a quiet ocean or lake is a:
Asand dune
Bdelta
Cglacier
Dcanyon
Explanation
As a river loses speed entering still water, it drops sediment, building a delta.
Question 8 of 10
NYS 8A-8FEasy
The physical or chemical breakdown of rock into smaller pieces at Earth's surface is called:
Acondensation
Bsubduction
Cdeposition
Dweathering
Explanation
Weathering breaks rock down in place; it is distinct from erosion (the transport of the pieces).
Question 9 of 10
NYS 8A-8FMedium
The process by which weathered rock and sediment are picked up and transported by water, wind, or ice is:
Aerosion
Bcementation
Cweathering
Dcrystallization
Explanation
Erosion is the transport of sediment by an agent such as running water, wind, or glacial ice.
Question 10 of 10
NYS 8A-8FEasy
Increasing the steepness (slope) of the land will generally cause the rate of erosion to:
Astop completely
Bdecrease
Cstay exactly the same
Dincrease
Explanation
Steeper slopes give running water and gravity more energy, increasing erosion.