SOLVED

1) Clay minerals formed from gabbro or diorite bedrock illustrate which kind of weathering? A) chemical B) proactive C) syntropical D) mechanical 2) Which of the following is/are most susceptible to chemical weathering by dissolution? A) quartz B) clay minerals C) iron oxides D) calcite 3) Frost wedging is the major weathering process contributing to the formation of which regolith material? A) tropical laterites B) talus slopes C) C soil horizons D) mature pedalfers 4) What portion of an angular, fracture-bounded granitic block shows the highest rate of weathering? A) the unfractured interior B) the edges and corners C) the crack surfaces not including edges and corners D) All of the above show equal rates. 5) Clay minerals, silica (SiO2), and dissolved potassium bicarbonate in the soil water are products of which process? A) chemical weathering of olivine and plagioclase feldspar B) mechanical weathering of granite and rhyolite C) chemical weathering of orthoclase feldspar D) differential mechanical weathering of micas 6) What two factors speed up rates of chemical reaction and weathering in rocks and soils? A) low temperatures; very dry B) low temperatures; very moist C) high temperatures; very dry D) warm temperatures; very moist 7) In the Rocky Mountain region of the United States, north-facing slopes (downhill direction is toward the north) are typically more moist and heavily forested than south-facing slopes. Why? A) North-facing slopes receive more sunlight in the summer; snow melts faster and more soil moisture is available for the trees. B) South-facing slopes receive more moisture and sunlight; rock weathering is slower. C) North-facing slopes receive about the same amount of precipitation as south-facing slopes; less moisture evaporates from north-facing slopes. D) South-facing slopes receive less moisture, yet rock weathering is faster. 8) The finely divided, red, brown, and yellow soil-coloring minerals originate by what process? A) mechanical weathering of very fine-grained, blue-gray clays B) chemical weathering of quartz and feldspars C) precipitation of iron oxides during the chemical weathering process D) mechanical weathering of the feldspars and micas in granite and rhyolite 9) Which of the following statements about laterites or tropical rainforests is true? A) Laterite soils readily compact and harden when dried and exposed to sunlight. B) Rainforests regenerate quickly following clear cutting or clearing for agriculture. C) Laterite soils are very rich in nutrients required for vigorous plant growth. D) Laterites, with proper management, are very suitable for commercial agriculture. 10) Which of the following best describes the “Dust Bowl”? A) the long drought preceding the Irish potato famine of the 1840s B) the area covered by volcanic ash around Mt. Pinatubo, 1991 C) areas of severe wind erosion on the Great Plains, 1930s D) a New Year’s Day invitational soccer match in Tripoli, Libya