Igneous Rocks
Which process forms igneous rocks?
A. Weathering and deposition
B. Melting and solidification
C. Heat and pressure
D. Compaction and cementation
B. Melting and solidification
Sedimentary rocks typically form from:
A. Cooling magma
B. Heat and pressure
C. Weathered particles that are compacted and cemented
D. Melting of existing rocks
C. Weathered particles that are compacted and cemented
Metamorphic rocks form due to:
A. Melting and cooling
B. Weathering and erosion
C. Heat and pressure altering existing rocks
D. Deposition of sediments
C. Heat and pressure altering existing rocks
Weathering is best described as:
A. Movement of sediments
B. Breaking down of rocks in place
C. Formation of magma
D. Hardening of sediments
B. Breaking down of rocks in place
Index fossils are useful for dating rocks because:
A. They lived for a long time and were rare
B. They lived for a short time and were widespread
C. They only existed in one location
D. They tell us the exact numerical age of rocks
B. They lived for a short time and were widespread
An igneous rock with large, visible crystals most likely formed:
A. Underwater
B. Quickly on Earth’s surface
C. Slowly beneath Earth’s surface
D. Through erosion
C. Slowly beneath Earth’s surface
What is a sediment?
Small pieces of rock or organic material produced by weathering and erosion.
During metamorphism, minerals in a rock can:
A. Stay the same but melt slightly
B. Recrystallise into new minerals without fully melting
C. Completely melt and become magma
D. Dissolve and disappear
B. Recrystallise into new minerals without fully melting
Which is an example of chemical weathering?
A. Water freezing in a crack
B. Tree roots splitting concrete
C. Acid rain dissolving limestone
D. Rocks breaking during landslides
C. Acid rain dissolving limestone
When looking at the layering of rocks which is true:
A. Younger layers are at the bottom
B. All layers are the same age
C. Older layers are at the bottom
D. Rocks form randomly
C. Older layers are at the bottom
Pumice is unusual because it:
A. Can float on water
B. Contains fossils
C. Forms only deep underground
D. Is made from dissolved minerals
A. Can float on water
Sandstone is formed from:
A. Mud layers
B. Sand grains
C. Lava flows
D. Pebbles and boulders
B. Sand grains
How does foliation change the appearance of a metamorphic rock?
Foliation creates visible layers or bands caused by minerals aligning under directional pressure.
Define erosion.
The movement of weathered material by wind, water, ice, or gravity.
A fossil of a known species is found in a rock layer. If the species lived 200–210 million years ago, the rock layer is:
A. Younger than 200 million years
B. Older than 210 million years
C. Between 200–210 million years old
D. Impossible to date using fossils
C. Between 200–210 million years old
Define magma and lava.
Magma is molten rock beneath Earth's surface; lava is molten rock that reaches the surface
Describe the difference between biological and chemical sedimentary rocks.
Biological rocks form from remains of living things
Chemical rocks form when minerals precipitate from solution.
Which example shows a clear change in mineral composition and appearance during metamorphism?
A. Granite → Basalt
B. Mud → Mudstone
C. Sand → Sandstone
D. Limestone → Marble
D. Limestone → Marble
Explain how weathering, erosion, and deposition work together
Weathering breaks rocks down, erosion transports the particles, and deposition places them in a new location.
Two different rock layers contain the same index fossil. This suggests:
A. One layer is older
B. One layer is younger
C. Both layers formed around the same time
D. The fossil moved between layers after formation
C. Both layers formed around the same time
Name one intrusive and one extrusive igneous rock.
Intrusive: Granite
Extrusive: Basalt
Which sedimentary rock is most likely to contain fossils?
A. Granite
B. Basalt
C. Gneiss
D. Limestone
D. Limestone
How does recrystallisation change a rock’s appearance?
Crystals are squeezed together so tightly that they partially melt and form fewer, but larger, crystals
Name a way that weathering and erosion can be prevented.
What is radiometric dating?
A method of determining a rock’s absolute age by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes.