A Geological Tour of the World Quiz

Answer: Erosion

Canyons or gorges are formed when the sediment is continuously eroded by the action of rivers or glaciers. The walls of the canyons are usually made up of harder rocks which are able to resist the erosive action of the water.

Answer: Volcanic eruption

Antrim was a site of major volcanic activity during the Paleogene period. When molten lava is extruded onto the relatively cooler surface of the earth, contraction occurs causing the extensive network of fractures which give rise to columnar basalts. The columns are generally hexagonal but some may have four to eight sides.
The Devil's Tower at Wyoming is another famous example of columnar basalt.

Answer: Glaciation

A fjord is a narrow inlet with steep sided walls whose base has been eroded below sea level. During glaciation, a valley is abraded by the sharp sediments carried within a glacier. Over a period of time this leads to the formation of fjords.

Answer: Aeolian

Sand dunes are formed due to erosion, transportation and deposition by the wind. Any erosional, depositional or transportational work done by the wind is termed as an aeolian process. Dunes may be of different shapes including crescent, linear, dome shaped and parabolic.

Answer: Marine erosion

Devil's Bridge consists of soft and hard types of limestone. The softer rock was eroded by the action of sea waves over thousands of years leaving the harder rock to form a natural arch.

Answer: Yes

A sinkhole is a natural depression formed due to erosion, usually by water. Sinkholes are found all over the world though they are mostly linked with karst topography. Karst regions are places where the erosion of the rock (mostly limestone) has given rise to distinctive landforms.
Cedar Sink at Mammoth Cave National Park, USA is an example of a huge sinkhole.

Answer: Limestone

Stacks are steep, vertical rock columns found along the coastline. They are formed due to the erosive action of sea waves. Further eroding of stacks leads to the formation of stumps.
The site of The Twelve Apostles was originally known as the Sow and Piglets. The name was changed in a bid to increase tourism. Due to continued erosion, only eight of the original remain now.

Answer: Caldera

Karst regions are usually formed in rocks like limestone and dolomite. Small erosional features like runnels (narrow grooves), flutes (narrow channels) and grikes (deep fissures) are collectively called karren or lapiez. Doline is another name for a sinkhole while polje is another term for karst field (both in the Slovene language).
A caldera is a volcanic feature formed by the collapse of the crater rim due to the emptying of the magma chamber below.

Answer: True

Rift valleys are formed due to tensional tectonic forces at divergent plate boundaries (where the plates are moving away from each other). They are also often associated with volcanoes. All the major freshwater lakes of the world are located in rift valleys. The Great Rift Valley in Africa is one of the most well known rift valleys.

Answer: Sandstone

The Wave is a small ravine formed due to the erosion of sandstone. The shades of red seen are due to the presence of iron deposits within the rock formation. The sandstone is striated, which adds to its beauty.

I hope you enjoyed the tour.