Ch.7 Sedimentary Environments And Rocks Test Bank Answers

Exploring Geology, 5e (Reynolds)

Chapter 7 Sedimentary Environments and Rocks

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

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.

2) What is the geologic setting of Vancouver, British Columbia?

A) It is surrounded by low-lying hills.

B) It is along the Fraser River and its delta.

C) It is on a large but scenic island in the ocean.

D) It is on a large but scenic island in a lake.

E) None of these choices are correct.

3) Most of the exposed surface of the Earth is covered with

A) sediment and sedimentary rocks.

B) sediment and igneous rocks.

C) sediment and metamorphic rocks.

4) The two main processes by which sediment is produced are

A) physical and chemical weathering.

B) subduction and melting.

C) transportation and deposition.

5) Lithifies can be defined as

A) loose sediment hardens into sedimentary rock.

B) loose sediment breaks off of sedimentary rocks.

C) sediment settles from the water column.

6) What happens to the majority of sediment being carried by moving water as it enters a standing body (little or no motion) of water?

A) The sediment gradually settles to the bottom.

B) The sediment remains suspended.

C) The sediment dissolves in the water column.

7) Mountain streams and rivers typically are characterized by

A) steep gradients and are confined by bedrock canyons.

B) low gradients and unconfined channels.

C) steep gradients and unconfined channels.

D) low gradients and are confined by bedrock canyons.

8) Fluvial refers to

A) the processes and sediment of streams and rivers.

B) the movement of fluids underground.

C) the hydrological cycle on land.

9) The largest sand dunes in dry climates can stretch

A) hundreds of kilometers.

B) hundreds of meters.

C) tens of meters.

10) Sediments with a large amount of sand are most likely at

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.

11) Which of the following sites would have sand and silt deposited by slowing of the current?

A) mountains at A

B) glacial streams at B

C) braided river at C

D) delta at D

E) lake at E

12) Which of the following sites would have the slowest moving or least energetic current?

A) mountain streams at A

B) glacial streams at B

C) braided river at C

D) delta at D

E) lake at E

13) Large, angular clasts are most likely at

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.

14) Which of the following sites would contain the finest grained sedimentary deposits?

A) mountains at A

B) glaciers at B

C) braided river at C

D) delta at D

E) lake at E

15) Sedimentary environments on land differ because of variations in

A) topography.

B) local geology.

C) amount of water.

D) All of these choices are correct.

16) Melting glaciers tend to deposit most of the sediment they carry and create

A) at their terminus (end).

B) downhill but underneath the glacier.

C) in situ (in the place of creation).

17) Which of the following environments would most likely have sediment formed by evaporation of seawater?

A) beach at A

B) lagoon at B

C) coral reef at C

D) deep seafloor at D

E) tidal flat at E

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

A) beach at A

B) lagoon at B

C) coral reef at C

D) deep seafloor at D

E) tidal flat at E

19) Which of the following environments would most likely form limestone?

A) beach at A

B) lagoon at B

C) coral reef at C

D) deep seafloor at D

E) tidal flat at E

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

A) beach at A

B) lagoon at B

C) coral reef at C

D) deep seafloor at D

E) tidal flat at E

21) Fine-grained sediment would most likely be present at

A) the beach at A and lagoon at B.

B) the lagoon at B and coral reef at C.

C) the coral reef at C and deep seafloor at D.

D) the beach at A and coral reef at C.

E) the lagoon at B and deep seafloor at D.

22) The deep-sea floor is characterized by sediment dominated by

A) fine dust and the remains of single-celled organisms.

B) silt and sand derived from rivers and streams.

C) calcite mud and other material derived from coral reefs.

23) Downslope marine flows comprised of mixed masses of sand, mud, and water are called

A) turbidity currents.

B) longshore currents.

C) tidal currents.

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

A) reefs.

B) stromatolites.

C) tidal flats.

25) Shallow coastal accumulations of sand that rise above the sea as long, narrow islands are called

A) barrier islands.

B) fringing islands.

C) sand islands.

26) What type of weathering is best expressed in this weathered limestone?

A) oxidation

B) dissolution

C) hydrolysis

D) biologic activity

27) Which of the following processes is NOT considered to be chemical weathering?

A) dissolution

B) thermal expansion

C) oxidation

D) hydrolysis

E) reaction with acids from decaying plants

28) Which of the following processes is NOT considered physical weathering?

A) near-surface fracturing

B) frost wedging

C) prying by plant roots

D) thermal expansion

E) oxidation

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

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 choices are correct.

30) Which of the following processes produce sedimentary clasts?

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 choices are correct.

31) If you were designing a rock that resisted weathering, which of the following characteristics would it have?

A) closely spaced fractures

B) a soluble chemical composition

C) a quartz-rich rock

D) a rock composed of abundant loose pieces

32) Sedimentary rocks are comprised of material that comes primarily from

A) other locations.

B) the ground below.

C) the same place the rock forms.

33) The effect of transportation on a pebble's particle size is best summarized by which statement?

A) Its size decreases.

B) Its size stays the same.

C) Its size increases.

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

A) faster.

B) slower.

C) roughly the same.

35) Rocks rich in what mineral tend to have a poor solubility during weathering?

A) quartz

B) calcite

C) halite

D) anhydrite

36) Which of the following attributes does NOT apply to these sediments?

A) angular clasts

B) cobbles and boulders

C) well sorted

D) composed of gravel

37) What is the best explanation for the shape of these clasts?

A) They are composed of relatively soft, soluble materials.

B) They accumulated on a steep slope.

C) They have been moved by the wind and rounded by blowing sand in sand dunes.

D) They have been transported a significant distance.

38) Which of the following environments would likely have clasts smaller than sand?

A) a weak current

B) steep slopes

C) dunes formed by wind

D) All of these choices are correct.

39) Which of the following situations would result in angular clasts?

A) transport of the clasts over long distance

B) working of clasts by waves on a beach

C) steep slopes in a mountain

D) dunes formed by wind

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

A) The size of the clasts increases.

B) The clasts become more rounded.

C) The sediment becomes more poorly sorted.

D) All of these choices are correct.

41) Which of the following characteristics are NOT used to classify and name clastic sediments?

A) The size of the clasts.

B) The amount of sorting of clasts.

C) The shape of the clasts.

D) The climate in which the clasts are produced.

E) All of these are used.

42) If a rock is poorly sorted, this means the rock contains

A) mostly sand.

B) a great variety of rock types as clasts.

C) some angular and some rounded clasts.

D) some parts that are reddish and others that are not.

E) a wide range in the size of clasts.

43) Which of the following environments would likely have large clasts?

A) a weak current

B) steep slopes

C) dunes formed by wind

D) All of these choices are correct.

44) Sedimentary clasts are

A) loose fragments of rocks and minerals.

B) deposits of sand in a lens shape.

C) small sedimentary basins along a river or stream.

45) Clastic sedimentary rocks are classified primarily on the basis of

A) sediment size.

B) depth of burial.

C) sedimentary structures.

D) location of these sediments.

46) Sorting describes

A) the size range of clasts in sediment.

B) the general shape of the clasts in the sediment.

C) the layering in the sediment.

47) The uniformly sized sand shown here would be described as

A) well sorted.

B) poorly sorted.

C) not sorted.

D) moderately sorted.

48) Identify the factor(s) that strongly influence the size, shape, and/or sorting of sedimentary clasts.

A) steepness of slope

B) sediment supply

C) strength of current

D) agents of transport

E) All of these choices are correct.

49) What type of rock is shown in this photograph?

A) conglomerate

B) breccia

C) sandstone

D) siltstone or shale

50) What type of rock is shown in this photograph?

A) Conglomerate

B) Breccia

C) Sandstone

D) Siltstone or shale

51) What type of rock is shown in this photograph?

A) conglomerate

B) breccia

C) sandstone

D) siltstone or shale

52) What type of rock is shown in this photograph?

A) conglomerate

B) breccia

C) sandstone

D) siltstone or shale

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

A) burial

B) compaction

C) cementation

D) metamorphism

E) All of these are involved

54) Which of the following is NOT a common type of cement in sedimentary rocks?

A) calcite

B) pyroxene

C) silica

D) iron-oxide minerals

55) What is the main difference between conglomerate and breccia?

A) The size of the clasts.

B) The shape of the clasts.

C) The sorting of the clasts.

D) The kind of cement.

E) All of these choices are correct.

56) Which of the following rocks is composed of the smallest sedimentary clasts?

A) breccia

B) conglomerate

C) shale

D) sandstone

E) siltstone

57) Which of the following statements is NOT true about clastic sedimentary rocks?

A) Clasts in a conglomerate or breccia can be different rock types or can be all the same rock type.

B) To be called a sandstone, quartz must make up more than 95 percent of the grains.

C) The amount of pore space decreases as a sand is compacted into sandstone.

D) Siltstone is coarser than shale.

58) The rock shown here, with sediment just visible to the naked eye, is a

A) sandstone.

B) shale.

C) conglomerate.

59) The natural cements that hold clasts together precipitate in the empty pore spaces after compaction. Those precipitates come from

A) water containing dissolved materials.

B) outward growth of the original clasts.

C) the alignment of clay particles.

60) What type of rock would you form in this environment, showing a dried up lake bed?

A) rock salt and other evaporite minerals

B) limestone

C) coal

D) chert

E) iron formation

61) How does gypsum form?

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

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

A) rock salt and other evaporite minerals

B) limestone

C) coal

D) chert

E) iron formation

63) What type of rock would you form in this plant-rich swamp?

A) rock salt and other evaporite minerals

B) limestone

C) coal

D) chert

E) iron formation

64) This photograph shows chalk. How is it formed?

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.

65) How does chalk form?

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.

66) This photograph shows chert. How does it form?

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.

67) How does chert form?

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.

68) This photograph shows an iron formation. How does it form?

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.

69) How does iron formation form?

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.

70) Which of the following does NOT correctly match a rock with a possible environment in which that rock forms?

A) salt-evaporation of water

B) gypsum-evaporation of water

C) coal-deep-sea organic-rich black shale

D) chert-accumulation of tiny, silica-rich creatures

E) chert-mixing of seawater and groundwater

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

A) chalk.

B) gypsum.

C) chert.

D) dolostone.

72) Peat forms from the accumulation of

A) plant material.

B) shells of microorganisms.

C) iron oxides.

73) What can you infer from this contact between an overlying conglomerate and underlying sandstone?

A) The conglomerate was deposited by the wind.

B) There was a gradual switch from marine to nonmarine conditions.

C) There was a gradual switch from nonmarine to marine conditions.

D) There was an abrupt event, such as a flood.

74) The large cross beds in these rocks indicate that the sediment was deposited

A) deep in the ocean.

B) in a lake with a gently sloping bottom.

C) by the wind or a water current.

D) by a debris flow.

E) All of these choices are correct.

75) Which way was the current (either wind or water) moving during deposition of this section of rocks?

A) toward the left

B) toward the camera

C) toward the right

D) away from the camera

E) There is no way to tell.

76) How does a cross bed form?

A) An abrupt change in the composition of the sediment.

B) A gradual decrease in the strength of the current over time.

C) Piling of sediment down the front of a dune or ripple.

D) A gradual change in the climate.

E) Two glaciers that cross.

77) Which of the following is NOT a way to form layers in a sedimentary rock?

A) Occurrence of a discrete event like a flood.

B) A change in the strength of the current.

C) A change in the supply of sediment.

D) A change in climate of the region.

E) All of these are ways to form layers.

78) Which of the following does NOT help define layers in some sedimentary rocks?

A) a change in mineral composition

B) a change in grain size

C) a change in color

D) a sharp contact between two rock types

E) All of these are ways that can define layers in sedimentary rocks.

79) Gradational boundaries between different sedimentary rock types can form from

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 choices are correct.

80) How does a graded bed form?

A) An abrupt change in the composition of the sediment.

B) A gradual decrease in the strength of the current over time.

C) Piling of sediment down the front of a dune or ripple.

D) A gradual change in the climate of the region.

E) A gradual change in global climate.

81) A formation is defined as

A) a rock unit that is distinct and laterally traceable.

B) a rock unit that varies in composition but represents deposits from the same time period.

C) a subunit of a sedimentary bed or bedding.

82) The boundary between these two different sedimentary layers is

A) sharp.

B) gradational.

C) weak.

83) The contact between the shale, which dominates the bottom part of this sedimentary sequence, and the sandstone, which dominates the upper part, is best described as

A) gradational.

B) sharp.

C) blurry.

84) The most likely cause of graded bedding found in sedimentary rocks is

A) reduction in water current velocity.

B) increase in water current velocity.

C) settling after uniform deposition.

D) change in wind direction moving across the top of the jar.

85) The most likely cause of bedding in this image is

A) changes in wind speed and direction.

B) changes in sediment supply.

C) changes in sea level.

D) wave and tide action at a beach.

86) What do the characteristics of the rock in this photograph tell you about its environment?

A) deposited by the wind

B) transported a short distance

C) transported a long distance or worked by waves

D) deposited in a lake

87) What do the characteristics of the rock in this photograph tell you about its environment?

A) deposited by the wind

B) transported a short distance

C) transported a long distance or worked by waves

D) deposited in a lake

88) Which environment is most likely to deposit a breccia?

A) sand dunes

B) braided river

C) meandering river

D) debris flow

E) None of these are likely to deposit a breccia.

89) Which environment is least likely to deposit a breccia?

A) debris flow

B) landslide

C) steep mountain front

D) meandering river

E) glacier

90) Which of the following is most likely to deposit a conglomerate?

A) landslide

B) braided river

C) steep mountain front

D) sand dunes

E) lagoon

91) The typical large clasts found in breccia indicate that the energy levels of the transporting medium were

A) high.

B) low.

C) varying between medium and low.

92) The angular clasts typical of breccia indicate what about the distance of transport?

A) A short distance transport.

B) A long distance transport.

C) A short horizontal but longer vertical distance of transport.

D) They are not good indicators of transport distance.

93) The rounded clasts in this sedimentary deposit were likely transported

A) by a river.

B) by the wind and rounded by a rolling action during this transport.

C) by a mudflow and rounded by a rolling action during this transport.

94) This sandstone consists of well-sorted sand grains, was deposited on land, and locally contains large cross beds. What is the most likely environment in which it formed?

A) sand dunes

B) river

C) beach next to a sea

D) deep-water turbidity currents

95) This sandstone includes small, rounded pebbles and was deposited far from the ocean. What is the most likely environment in which it formed?

A) sand dunes

B) river

C) beach next to a sea

D) deep-water turbidity currents

96) This sandstone includes shells of marine creatures that live in shallow water. What is the most likely environment in which it formed?

A) sand dunes

B) river

C) beach next to a sea

D) deep-water turbidity currents

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

A) sand dunes

B) river

C) beach next to a sea

D) deep-water turbidity currents

98) Which environment is least likely to deposit sand?

A) sand dunes along a beach or in a desert

B) channel of a meandering river

C) beach along the ocean or lake

D) delta along an ocean or lake

E) open ocean away from land

99) Which environment is a setting that can deposit sand?

A) landslide

B) evaporating lake

C) deep ocean away from land

D) turbidity currents along a continental slope

E) All of these choices are correct.

100) Which of the following is NOT a way in which sandstones are commonly expressed in the landscape?

A) As thick, massive cliffs with little variation in grain size.

B) As rocks with abundant layers defined by variations in color, grain size, or composition.

C) As outcrops that can contain cross beds.

D) As outcrops that show evidence of being dissolved during weathering.

101) A sandstone with a pinkish or reddish color that is the result of oxidation of iron-bearing minerals indicates the sand was

A) deposited on land and exposed to air.

B) deposited offshore in or near a reef.

C) deposited offshore via a turbidity current.

D) deposited onshore but strongly mixed with organic material.

102) A very well-sorted sandstone with large-scale cross-bedding indicates the sand was likely

A) deposited by the wind in dunes.

B) deposited by water in a braided river system.

C) deposited by water in a meandering river system.

D) deposited by a turbidity current offshore.

103) 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

A) a turbidity current.

B) a sandslide.

C) an avulsion event.

D) a marine sandstorm.

104) A sandstone containing mostly sand but mixed with rounded pebbles and pieces of shells indicates deposition

A) by waves at the beach.

B) by wind in dunes.

C) by water far offshore.

D) by mass wasting events.

105) Which of the following is a characteristic of fine-grained clastic rocks?

A) Most clasts are visible with the unaided eye.

B) The rocks are poorly sorted.

C) The cobbles directly rest on one another without much matrix.

D) The rocks tend to be easily eroded.

106) Which environment is least likely to deposit siltstone or shale?

A) calm waters in a lagoon

B) shallow continental seas

C) bottoms of lakes

D) channel of a braided river

E) open ocean away from land

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

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 choices are correct.

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

A) pebbles or larger.

B) sand size.

C) fine grained (smaller than sand).

D) biologic in origin.

109) Because shales and siltstones are easily eroded, the areas where they are exposed typically

A) have soft slopes and soil cover.

B) are covered in angular boulders and cobbles.

C) form steep cliffs.

110) Fine-grained clastic rocks are

A) easily eroded.

B) eroded with difficulty.

C) eroded with drastically differing difficulty.

111) Loose debris on a rock-exposed landscape is known as

A) talus.

B) badlands.

C) rock banding.

D) varnish.

112) Shale is a common sedimentary rock because

A) one of the places clay is deposited is very widespread (the seafloor).

B) the diagenesis of other deposits often leads to shale.

C) wind deposits of clay can cover any environment.

D) biological organisms rework other deposits into shale over time.

113) Which of the following is a common characteristic of carbonate rocks?

A) They commonly have a dissolved appearance.

B) They are commonly black and shiny.

C) They are commonly reddish.

D) They do not form cliffs.

E) All of these choices are correct.

114) Which of the following is NOT a type of carbonate rock?

A) limestone

B) travertine

C) dolostone

D) shale

E) a rock formed from a coral reef

115) Which of the following are NOT common in landscapes formed by carbonate rocks?

A) sinkholes

B) fractures widened by dissolution

C) well-defined layers (beds)

D) outcrops with pits or holes

E) All of these are common in carbonate landscapes.

116) Which of the following environments is NOT a setting in which limestone forms?

A) coral reefs

B) deposition of calcite near springs

C) some lakes

D) accumulation of the remains of microscopic organisms

E) All of these are environments in which limestone forms.

117) Choose those statements that correctly describe limestone.

A) gray or yellowish in color

B) commonly includes shells

C) forms in water from various processes

D) is known as a carbonate

E) All of these statements are correct.

118) Lime muds and clastic limestone sands are deposits that form carbonate rocks in

A) nearshore environments.

B) fluvial environments.

C) deep-sea environments.

D) swampy environments.

119) Carbonate rocks exposed at the surface in wet environments will

A) dissolve and weather readily.

B) appear smooth and unaltered.

C) not react chemically to water.

120) In this section, a lower limestone is successively overlain by lagoon mudstone and a beach sandstone. What is the best interpretation of what was going on?

A) The area was experiencing a transgression.

B) Sea level was stable but the temperatures were getting colder.

C) Sea level was stable but the temperatures were getting warmer.

D) None of these choices are correct.

121) Which of the following is characteristic of a transgression?

A) The seas move out, uncovering more land.

B) Sand dunes and river sediments can be deposited over marine deposits.

C) Marine sedimentary facies move toward the land.

D) All of these choices are correct.

122) Which of the following is characteristic of a regression?

A) The seas move in, covering more land.

B) Sand dunes and river sediments can be deposited over marine deposits.

C) Marine sedimentary facies move toward the land.

D) Erosion surfaces on land can be covered by beach sand.

E) All of these choices are correct.

123) In this section, a lower gray rock is successively overlain as follows: limestone is overlain by mudstone, which is overlain by beach sandstone. What is the best interpretation of what was going on?

A) The area was experiencing a regression.

B) Sea level was stable but the temperatures were getting colder.

C) Sea level was stable but the temperatures were getting warmer.

D) None of these choices are correct.

124) The advance of the sea across a region is known as a

A) transgression.

B) regression.

C) supression.

D) transformation.

125) Sedimentary facies shift toward the sea as the sea moves out during a

A) regression.

B) transgression.

C) reduction.

D) subduction.

126) Which of the following is a good interpretation of the environmental significance of an attribute of a sedimentary rock?

A) Fossils indicate that sediment was deposited on land.

B) Large cross beds in well-sorted sandstone usually indicate deposition by wind.

C) Mudcracks are formed in deep-water environments where sand and mud can be deposited in thin layers.

D) Large, angular, poorly sorted clasts reflect a large amount of transport.

E) None of these choices are correct.

127) Which of the following is a good interpretation of the environmental significance of an attribute of a sedimentary rock?

A) Red rocks typically form in deep oceans.

B) Thick bedding implies rapidly changing conditions.

C) Fossils indicate that sediment was deposited in water.

D) Graded beds indicate that the strength of the current decreased through time.

E) None of these choices are correct.

128) Imbricated clasts in this river mean.

A) The wind was blowing from left to right.

B) The rocks have been shuffled by ground shaking during an earthquake.

C) The rocks have slid downhill to the right.

D) The current flowed from right to left.

129) Which of the following interpretations is consistent with the character and sequence of rocks in this figure?

A) The lower part of the section is consistent with deposition of marine layers over sand dunes.

B) The middle of the section indicates the formation of large rivers, possibly with some lakes.

C) The upper part of the section indicates sudden lowering of the land relative to sea level.

D) All of these choices are correct.

130) Which of the rock layers in this figure was most likely deposited by sand dunes on land?

A) the reddish breccia

B) the upper tan sandstone

C) the lower tan sandstone

D) the lowest red sandstone

E) None of these choices are correct.

131) Which of the rock layers in this figure was most likely deposited in a shoreline environment?

A) the reddish breccia

B) both of the tan sandstones

C) the limestone in the middle of the gray shale

D) the lowest reddish sandstone

E) All of these choices are correct.

132) Geologists use characteristics such as bedding, mudcracks, and color preserved in sedimentary rocks to determine

A) the environment in which the rocks were deposited.

B) the exact time the rocks were deposited.

C) a transgression followed by a regression.

133) The cross beds shown here indicate what about the environment the sandstone was deposited in?

A) Water/wind flowed from right to left.

B) This was a quiet water environment.

C) The sediments were deposited in an avalanche.

134) What type of product is being produced from material in these quarries?

A) petroleum

B) salt

C) coal

D) cement

135) Which of the following is the most used sedimentary resource?

A) cement

B) salt

C) sand and gravel

D) coal

E) petroleum

136) Which of the following resources do sedimentary deposits or rocks NOT commonly host?

A) groundwater

B) petroleum

C) platinum

D) coal

E) salt

137) Which of the following can we understand by studying sedimentary rocks?

A) How environments shifted in location through time.

B) Past changes in climate.

C) Past events, such as landslides and earthquakes.

D) Migration of deserts and advances of the sea.

E) All of these choices are correct.

138) Which of the following is a correct statement about resources in sedimentary rocks?

A) Groundwater mostly resides in the pore spaces between grains and in fractures.

B) Oil and natural gas migrate down until they are trapped at depth.

C) Coal forms from the burial of deep-water organic shale.

D) The most important component of cement comes from siltstone.

E) Uranium does not commonly occur in sandstone.

139) In terms of volume, which of the following sedimentary resources is the most used in the United States?

A) sand and gravel

B) uranium

C) salt

D) diamonds

140) Which of the following units was most likely deposited at least partly in sand dunes?

A) unit 5

B) unit 4

C) unit 3

D) unit 2

E) unit 1

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

A) unit 5

B) unit 4

C) unit 3

D) unit 2

E) unit 1

142) Which of the following times indicates a regression?

A) from unit 1 to unit 2

B) from unit 3 to unit 4

C) from unit 4 to unit 5

D) from unit 5 to unit 6

E) None of these choices are correct.

143) Which of the following units was most likely deposited in the deepest marine water?

A) unit 5

B) unit 4

C) unit 3

D) unit 2

E) unit 1

144) Which of the following times indicates a transgression?

A) from unit 2 to unit 3

B) from unit 3 to unit 4

C) from unit 4 to unit 5

D) from unit 5 to unit 6

E) from unit 3 to unit 4 and from unit 4 to unit 5

145) Many sedimentary rocks exposed in the Denver region are tilted at a high angle to the horizontal, indicating that

A) they were originally deposited that way.

B) they were deformed after they were deposited and lithified.

C) they were all deposited along steep mountain fronts.

146) Observe the rocks and landscape in this photograph, which shows a sequence of layers. From the list of observations below, select those observations that you think are valid. Refer to the Chapter 7 Investigation in your textbook for descriptions of the rock units.

A) The rocks in this image display many layers.

B) The upper rocks form erosionally resistant cliffs and ledges.

C) The gray rocks in the middle form slopes and small, rounded ridges.

D) The slope-forming gray rocks just below the cliff do not contain much vegetation covering the rocks.

E) All of these choices are correct.

147) Observe the rocks and landscape in this photograph, which shows a sequence of layers. From the list of observations below, select the observation that you think is NOT valid. Refer to the Chapter 7 Investigation in your textbook for descriptions of the rock units.

A) Near the bottom of the photograph is a ledge of tan and light-gray rocks.

B) The rocks in the cliff display layers of different thicknesses.

C) All of the rock layers weather and erode into nearly identical landscape features.

D) There are more trees or other types of vegetation in the upper part of the cliff than in the very bottom of the photograph.

148) Using the stratigraphic section and photographs located in the textbook (Chapter 7 Investigation), determine the possible environments of deposition for the upper sandstone and mudstone unit.

A) steep mountain front

B) river system

C) middle of a lake

D) sandy beach or delta

E) coral reef

149) Using the stratigraphic section and photographs located in the textbook (Chapter 7 Investigation), determine the environment of deposition for the dark gray shale (there is one correct answer).

A) steep mountain front

B) river system

C) sand dunes

D) plant-rich swamp

E) muddy part of ocean

150) Using the stratigraphic section and photographs located in the textbook (Chapter 7 Investigation), determine the possible environments of deposition for the yellowish-tan sandstone.

A) steep mountain front

B) beach and a river system

C) middle of a lake

D) plant-rich swamp

E) coral reef

151) Using the stratigraphic section and photographs located in the textbook (Chapter 7 Investigation), determine the possible environments of deposition for the lower basal conglomerate.

A) river system

B) sand dunes

C) plant-rich swamp

D) coral reef

E) muddy part of ocean

152) From the answers provided, select the oldest environment represented by this rock sequence.

A) the middle of a lake

B) steep mountain front

C) the deep ocean

D) a river system

E) a coral reef

153) Does the change of environment from the base of the section up to the thick gray shale indicate an advance (transgression) or retreat (regression) of the sea?

A) transgression

B) regression

154) Does the change from the thick gray shale to the overlying sandstone indicate a transgression or a regression?

A) transgression

B) regression

155) Which of the following statements best summarizes the history of the entire sequence?

A) a transgression, where the sea comes in

B) a regression, where the sea goes out

C) a transgression followed by a regression

D) a regression followed by a transgression