Geology Quiz – Rocks and Minerals

1. The process of breaking down of rocks into smaller particles is called:

A) weathering

B) erosion

C) sedimentation

2. Three main rock types are sedimentary, igneous and:

A) metamorphic

B) laval

C) plutonic

3. Sedimentary rocks are formed by the:

A) weathering and erosion of rocks

B) deposition, compaction and cementing of sediments

C) solidification of molten rock such as lava

4. In a river, deposition of sediments occurs most in water flow which is:

A) fast

B) slow

C) turbulent

5. The name given to layers of sedimentary rock is:

A) strata

B) deposition

C) compaction

6. Cementation of sedimentary rocks is the result of the chemical named:

A) hydrochloric acid

B) calcium carbonate

C) sodium chloride

7. Examples of sedimentary rocks are:

A) marble, limestone and basalt

B) pumicestone and gneiss

C) sandstone, shale and conglomerate

8. Limestone is formed from:

A) crushed shells or coral

B) pebbles of various sizes

C) sand

9. Molten rock beneath the earth's surface is:

A) lava

B) crust

C) magma

10. Rocks that were originally either sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic and have been changed further by heat and pressure are called:

A) volcanic

B) sedimented

C) metamorphic

Reading and Vocabulary

Ex. 6. Read the text about the basics of geology and its subdiscipline devoted to petroleum.

Geoscience: introduction

The word geology comes from the Greek language and means literally “science or knowledge of the Earth”. Only recently, this term has been applicable to the Earth as a whole because it is only recently that geochemical and geophysical work has yielded information about the interior of our planet. Geology has to do with the nature and development of the Earth’s crust and particularly with those parts that are accessible or exposed. The structure of the crust is not simple and in the mountain ranges can even be very complex. Events, which happened hundreds of millions of years ago, have to be reconstructed from evidence – direct or indirect – which is available.

One of the guiding principles of geology is the principle of recycling materials, or using materials many times. All processes in geology can be viewed as a series of mostly closed cycles. The energy that drives geologic recycling comes from two sources: the sun and the earth's interior. Rock cycle is one of the examples of a geologic cycle.

The rock cycle begins as rocks are uplifted, or pushed up by tectonic forces. The exposed rocks erode as a result of surface processes, such as rain and wind. The eroded particles, or sediment, travel by wind or moving water until they are deposited, and the deposited material settles into layers. Additional sediment may compact the layers into sedimentary rocks.

The sedimentary rock cover of the continents of the Earth’s crust is extensive, but the total contribution of sedimentary rocks is estimated to be only 5% of the total volume of the crust. Sedimentary rocks are only a thin layer over a crust consisting mainly of igneous and metamorphic rocks.

The nature of a sediment depends on the source from which it was derived, and on the weathering that occurred to the surface of the rock. It involves mechanical and chemical breakdown of the original materials, usually by interaction with the atmosphere or with water. The nature of a sediment also depends on the mode and length of transportation from the source area to the depositional environment.

Rapid accumulation of clastic debris results in a massive coarse sandstones. On the other hand, slow buildup of fine-grained particle matter tends to produce fine-bedded sediments.

Compaction of a sediment due to the weight of the overlying rocks decreases pore space and results in deformation of mineral grains. Сarbonate minerals are squeezed from pores and cement the particles together.

Among the clastic rocks (that is, rocks composed of fragments of other rocks), we recognize sandstones, siltstones and claystones (shalestones). Carbonate rocks, that is, biogenic sedimentary rocks contain materials generated by living organisms such as corals, mollusks, and other organisms that cover the ocean floor with layers of calcite which can later form limestone.