Question 1

Which of the following is NOT involved in turning some sediment into sedimentary rock?

Accepted Answer

A)  burial 
B)  compaction 
C)  cementation 
D)  metamorphism 
E)  all of these are involved 
A)  burial 
B)  compaction 
C)  cementation 
D)  metamorphism 
E)  all of these are involved

Question 2

A soft, very fine-grained limestone formed via the accumulation of the calcium carbonate remains of microorganisms is known as:

Accepted Answer

A)  chalk 
B)  gypsum 
C)  chert 
D)  dolostone 
A)  chalk 
B)  gypsum 
C)  chert 
D)  dolostone

Question 3

These sandstone beds are interlayered with dark marine shales. What is the most likely environment in which the sandstone formed?

Accepted Answer

A)  sand dunes 
B)  river 
C)  beach next to a sea 
D)  deep-water turbidity currents 
A)  sand dunes 
B)  river 
C)  beach next to a sea 
D)  deep-water turbidity currents

Question 4

Which of the following units was most likely deposited along an ancient mountain front?

Accepted Answer

A)  unit 5 
B)  unit 4 
C)  unit 3 
D)  unit 2 
E)  unit 1 
A)  unit 5 
B)  unit 4 
C)  unit 3 
D)  unit 2 
E)  unit 1

Question 5

Which of the following environments would most likely consist of sand and/or rounded cobbles?

Accepted Answer

A)  beach at A 
B)  lagoon at B 
C)  coral reef at C 
D)  deep seafloor at D 
E)  tidal flat at E 
A)  beach at A 
B)  lagoon at B 
C)  coral reef at C 
D)  deep seafloor at D 
E)  tidal flat at E

Question 6

The most common clastic sedimentary rocks are made of the clasts that are:

Accepted Answer

A)  pebbles or larger 
B)  sand size 
C)  fine grained smaller than sand) 
D)  biologic in origin 
A)  pebbles or larger 
B)  sand size 
C)  fine grained smaller than sand) 
D)  biologic in origin

Question 7

Which of the following is a typical way in which siltstone and shale are expressed in the landscape?

Accepted Answer

A)  soft slopes covered by small, loose chips 
B)  slopes covered by loose debris from overlying rocks 
C)  valleys and other low areas carved into the landscape 
D)  badlands 
E)  all of these 
A)  soft slopes covered by small, loose chips 
B)  slopes covered by loose debris from overlying rocks 
C)  valleys and other low areas carved into the landscape 
D)  badlands 
E)  all of these

Question 8

What typically happens to the size, shape, and sorting of clasts as they are transported from steep mountains toward more gentle settings?

Accepted Answer

A)  the size of the clasts increases 
B)  the clasts become more rounded 
C)  the sediment becomes more poorly sorted 
D)  all of these 
A)  the size of the clasts increases 
B)  the clasts become more rounded 
C)  the sediment becomes more poorly sorted 
D)  all of these

Question 9

What sedimentary environments dominate the area around Vancouver, British Columbia?

Accepted Answer

A)  deposition of sediment carried by a braided river 
B)  large landslides that blocked a narrow ocean channel 
C)  large ocean waves that carry large boulders far inland 
D)  a scenic offshore reef that protects the coastline from large waves 
A)  deposition of sediment carried by a braided river 
B)  large landslides that blocked a narrow ocean channel 
C)  large ocean waves that carry large boulders far inland 
D)  a scenic offshore reef that protects the coastline from large waves

Question 10

What type of rock would you form in this coral reef?

Accepted Answer

A)  rock salt and other evaporite minerals 
B)  limestone 
C)  coal 
D)  chert 
E)  iron formation 
A)  rock salt and other evaporite minerals 
B)  limestone 
C)  coal 
D)  chert 
E)  iron formation

Question 11

In warm, shallow, marine environments, corals and other marine life typically construct:

Accepted Answer

A)  reefs 
B)  stromatolites 
C)  tidal flats 
A)  reefs 
B)  stromatolites 
C)  tidal flats

Question 12

Loose sand on the continental shelf or shelf slope that becomes unstable and flows downslope as a thick slurry of sediment and water is known as:

Accepted Answer

A)  a turbidity current 
B)  a sandslide 
C)  an avulsion event 
D)  a marine sandstorm 
A)  a turbidity current 
B)  a sandslide 
C)  an avulsion event 
D)  a marine sandstorm

Question 13

How does chalk form?

Accepted Answer

A)  evaporation of water in a lake or sea 
B)  accumulation of microscopic organisms composed of calcium carbonate 
C)  precipitation from seawater early in Earth's history 
D)  accumulation of silica-rich organisms or mixing of seawater and groundwater 
A)  evaporation of water in a lake or sea 
B)  accumulation of microscopic organisms composed of calcium carbonate 
C)  precipitation from seawater early in Earth's history 
D)  accumulation of silica-rich organisms or mixing of seawater and groundwater

Question 14

Gradational boundaries between different sedimentary rock types can form from:

Accepted Answer

A)  slowing of the current over time 
B)  a progressive change from one environment to another 
C)  a gradual rise or fall in sea level 
D)  all of these 
A)  slowing of the current over time 
B)  a progressive change from one environment to another 
C)  a gradual rise or fall in sea level 
D)  all of these

Question 15

Which of the following processes produce sedimentary clasts?

Accepted Answer

A)  fracturing of bedrock that results in angular pieces 
B)  breaking of round cobbles as they are transported 
C)  scouring and abrasion of bedrock along rivers 
D)  decomposition of granite into quartz grains and clay 
E)  all of these 
A)  fracturing of bedrock that results in angular pieces 
B)  breaking of round cobbles as they are transported 
C)  scouring and abrasion of bedrock along rivers 
D)  decomposition of granite into quartz grains and clay 
E)  all of these

Question 16

If you were designing a rock that would be easily weathered, which of the following characteristics would it have?

Accepted Answer

A)  closely spaced fractures 
B)  a soluble chemical composition 
C)  a limestone in a wet climate 
D)  a rock composed of abundant pieces 
E)  all of these 
A)  closely spaced fractures 
B)  a soluble chemical composition 
C)  a limestone in a wet climate 
D)  a rock composed of abundant pieces 
E)  all of these

Question 17

Which of the following environments would most likely form limestone?

Accepted Answer

A)  beach at A 
B)  lagoon at B 
C)  coral reef at C 
D)  deep seafloor at D 
E)  tidal flat at E 
A)  beach at A 
B)  lagoon at B 
C)  coral reef at C 
D)  deep seafloor at D 
E)  tidal flat at E

Question 18

Sediments with a large amount of sand are most likely at:

Accepted Answer

A)  mountains at A and glaciers at B 
B)  glaciers at B and braided river at C 
C)  braided river at C and delta at D 
D)  delta at D and lake at E 
A)  mountains at A and glaciers at B 
B)  glaciers at B and braided river at C 
C)  braided river at C and delta at D 
D)  delta at D and lake at E

Question 19

Which of the following sites would most likely have turbidity currents?

Accepted Answer

A)  beach at A 
B)  lagoon at B 
C)  coral reef at C 
D)  deep seafloor at D 
E)  tidal flat at E 
A)  beach at A 
B)  lagoon at B 
C)  coral reef at C 
D)  deep seafloor at D 
E)  tidal flat at E

Question 20

Compared to non-fractured rocks, the rate of weathering in fractured rocks of the same composition is:

Accepted Answer

A)  faster 
B)  slower 
C)  roughly the same 
A)  faster 
B)  slower 
C)  roughly the same

Which of the following is NOT involved in turning some sediment into sedimentary rock?

A soft, very fine-grained limestone formed via the accumulation of the calcium carbonate remains of microorganisms is known as:

These sandstone beds are interlayered with dark marine shales. What is the most likely environment in which the sandstone formed?

Which of the following units was most likely deposited along an ancient mountain front?

Which of the following environments would most likely consist of sand and/or rounded cobbles?

The most common clastic sedimentary rocks are made of the clasts that are:

Which of the following is a typical way in which siltstone and shale are expressed in the landscape?

What typically happens to the size, shape, and sorting of clasts as they are transported from steep mountains toward more gentle settings?

What sedimentary environments dominate the area around Vancouver, British Columbia?

What type of rock would you form in this coral reef?

In warm, shallow, marine environments, corals and other marine life typically construct:

Loose sand on the continental shelf or shelf slope that becomes unstable and flows downslope as a thick slurry of sediment and water is known as:

How does chalk form?

Gradational boundaries between different sedimentary rock types can form from:

Which of the following processes produce sedimentary clasts?

If you were designing a rock that would be easily weathered, which of the following characteristics would it have?

Which of the following environments would most likely form limestone?

Sediments with a large amount of sand are most likely at:

Which of the following sites would most likely have turbidity currents?

Compared to non-fractured rocks, the rate of weathering in fractured rocks of the same composition is:

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Exam 7: Sedimentary Environments

Which of the following is NOT involved in turning some sediment into sedimentary rock?

A soft, very fine-grained limestone formed via the accumulation of the calcium carbonate remains of microorganisms is known as:

These sandstone beds are interlayered with dark marine shales. What is the most likely environment in which the sandstone formed?

Which of the following units was most likely deposited along an ancient mountain front?

Which of the following environments would most likely consist of sand and/or rounded cobbles?

The most common clastic sedimentary rocks are made of the clasts that are:

Which of the following is a typical way in which siltstone and shale are expressed in the landscape?

What typically happens to the size, shape, and sorting of clasts as they are transported from steep mountains toward more gentle settings?

What sedimentary environments dominate the area around Vancouver, British Columbia?

What type of rock would you form in this coral reef?

In warm, shallow, marine environments, corals and other marine life typically construct:

Loose sand on the continental shelf or shelf slope that becomes unstable and flows downslope as a thick slurry of sediment and water is known as:

How does chalk form?

Gradational boundaries between different sedimentary rock types can form from:

Which of the following processes produce sedimentary clasts?

If you were designing a rock that would be easily weathered, which of the following characteristics would it have?

Which of the following environments would most likely form limestone?

Sediments with a large amount of sand are most likely at:

Which of the following sites would most likely have turbidity currents?

Compared to non-fractured rocks, the rate of weathering in fractured rocks of the same composition is:

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

Streams and Flooding

Water Resources

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters