Question 1 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
The relative hardness of a mineral is measured using the:
ACelsius scale
BRichter scale
CpH scale
DMohs hardness scale
Explanation
The Mohs scale (1 = talc to 10 = diamond) ranks minerals by scratch resistance.
Question 2 of 10
NYS 8A-8FEasy
The physical or chemical breakdown of rock into smaller pieces at Earth's surface is called:
Asubduction
Bcondensation
Cweathering
Ddeposition
Explanation
Weathering breaks rock down in place; it is distinct from erosion (the transport of the pieces).
Question 3 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 4 of 10
NYS 8A-8FEasy
Increasing the steepness (slope) of the land will generally cause the rate of erosion to:
Astop completely
Bincrease
Cstay exactly the same
Ddecrease
Explanation
Steeper slopes give running water and gravity more energy, increasing erosion.
Question 5 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
A crack or break in rock along which movement has taken place is called a:
Afault
Bmineral
Ccontour
Ddelta
Explanation
A fault is a fracture in rock along which the two sides have moved relative to each other.
Question 6 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
A rock is best defined as:
Aa manufactured building material
Ba naturally occurring solid made of one or more minerals
Cthe preserved remains of an organism
Da single pure chemical element
Explanation
Most rocks are mixtures of one or more minerals.
Question 7 of 10
NYS 8A-8FEasy
A stream is able to erode and transport the largest, heaviest particles when its velocity is:
Alow (slow-moving)
Bzero (standing still)
Cdecreasing to a stop
Dhigh (fast-moving)
Explanation
Faster-moving water has more energy, so it can erode and carry larger, heavier sediment.
Question 8 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
Earth’s major layers, from the outside inward, are the:
Acore, mantle, and crust
Bcrust, mantle, and core
Ccrust, core, and mantle
Dmantle, crust, and core
Explanation
From surface to center: crust, then mantle, then core.
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:
Aweathering
Bcrystallization
Cerosion
Dcementation
Explanation
Erosion is the transport of sediment by an agent such as running water, wind, or glacial ice.
Question 10 of 10
NYS 7A-7FEasy
A rock that forms from the cooling and solidification of molten magma or lava is classified as:
Aa single mineral
Bigneous
Csedimentary
Dmetamorphic
Explanation
Igneous rock forms when molten material (magma/lava) cools and solidifies.