AP Environmental Science : Soil and Geology
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Example Questions
Example Question #3 : Rock Cycle
Which of the following kinds of rock is most commonly formed in desert environments?
Rhyolite, an igneous rock
Sandstone, a sedimentary rock
Gneiss, a metamorphic rock
Conglomerate, a sedimentary rock
Sandstone, a sedimentary rock
Sandstone is created in many environments, however it is most commonly produced in deserts and beaches.
Example Question #5 : Rock Cycle
Which of the following types of rock forms primarily in the Hawaiian Islands?
Metamorphic
Sedimentary
None of these
Igneous
Igneous
The Hawaiian Islands were formed when hotspots that allowed the mantle to crystallize into igneous rock on the ocean floor. Over time this process created the island chain.
Example Question #4 : Rock Cycle
Which of the following pairs of terms best identifies the two types of igneous rock?
Metamorphic, volcanic
Plutonic, mafic
Intrusive, extrusive
Lava, ash
Intrusive, extrusive
Igneous rocks are divided into two types: intrusive and extrusive. Intrusive means that the rock cooled inside the earth and these rocks are usually large-grained. Extrusive means that the rock cooled outside the earth and is usually fine-grained (volcanic rock).
Example Question #11 : Rock Cycle
A stream with lots of pebbles of various shapes and sizes is buried. What type of rock will be created when these pebbles are lithified?
Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimentary
None of these
Sedimentary
Pebbles of various sizes and shapes will create a sedimentary rock called a conglomerate rock.
Example Question #12 : Rock Cycle
What type of rock will form when beach deposits composed of sand and shells are lithified?
None of these
Sedimentary
Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimentary
When lithified, sand and shells will create limestone. Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock.
Example Question #81 : Ap Environmental Sciences
Which of the following aquatic environments will most likely form shale—a fine-grained sedimentary rock?
The inside bends (point bars) of streams where water velocity is slowest
In a fast-paced, marine environment with high water velocity
None of these
The still, calm water found in a deep ocean basin
The still, calm water found in a deep ocean basin
Shale is a very fine-grained sedimentary rock and it is often composed of clay particles. This means that it has to be deposited into a calm environment with little water movement.
Example Question #11 : Soil And Geology
There are three basic types of rocks.
Which type of rock is the result of the heating and cooling process alone?
Metamorphic
Igneous
Sedimentary
All of these
None of these
Igneous
Igneous rock is formed when magma/lava cools and solidifies. Igneous rock is weathered, eroded, transported and deposited to form sedimentary rock. If igneous or sedimentary rocks are subjected to great heat and pressure they transform into metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rock can be reheated and re-pressurized to create different types of metamorphic rock.
Example Question #91 : Ap Environmental Sciences
Geologist study how natural resources are formed and used. What is the slowest and largest cycle that forms soils and igneous materials in the Earth's crust over time?
Nutrient cycling
Sulfur cycle
Carbon cycle
Rock cycle
Rock cycle
The correct response is rock cycle. This cycle takes millions of years, and forms soil and rocks within the Earth's crust. Igneous materials are one of the 3 types of rocks.
Example Question #13 : Soil And Geology
The rock cycle is one of the slowest and largest cycles on the Earth. Which of the following is not a process involved in the rock cycle?
Erosion
Melting
Metamorphism
Anamorphism
Anamorphism
The correct response is anamorphism. This term has nothing to do with the rock cycle.
Example Question #91 : Ap Environmental Sciences
During the rock cycle, three types of rocks are created. Which type of rock is formed as magma from the Earth's mantle and crust cools and solidifies?
Igneous rock
Anamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Sedimentary rock
Igneous rock
The correct response is igneous rock. Sedimentary rock is made of various sediments that accumulate over time. Metamorphic rock is made under high pressure, high temp, and/or chemical compounds that alter the crystalline structure, the appearance, and the physical properties of the rock. The other two answer choices are not rock types.
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