Physical Geology Trivia Quiz

Answer: Transparency

Luster is the general appearance of the mineral reflected in light. Hardness is a measure of the durability of the mineral; this is done using the Mohs Hardness Scale. Cleavage is the preferred direction of parting of the mineral and depends on the atomic arrangement of the mineral. Color, density, magnetism, and streak are some additional properties used to identify minerals.

Answer: James Hutton

Uniformitarianism is the theory that the Earth's processes are unchanging over time and progressing at very slow rates. So basically, according to this theory, the natural processes that shaped our Earth millions of years ago are the same as the natural processes that are still shaping our Earth today.

Answer: Transform plate boundary

There are three types of plate boundaries, they are as follows: Transform plate boundary, convergent plate boundary, and divergent plate boundary. A transform boundary is where the plates slide past each other along fault line. A convergent boundary is where the two plates slide into each other, forming a subduction zone where one plate goes under the other and gets destroyed in the process.

A divergent boundary is where the plates slide away from each other creating new crust.

Answer: Superposition

The principle of superposition was one of the "early" principles of geology. The other principles are as follows: Original horizontality, cross-cutting relations, unconformities, and inclusions.

Answer: rock

This is pretty simple if you think about it. In order for the fault to develop, the rock has to be there first for it to develop in. This is basically the principle of Cross-Cutting Relations. Faults and/or igneous intrusions cannot cross-cut rocks that do not already exist.

Answer: Dominant life-forms

Eras are composed of periods, which are composed of epochs. Multiple eras make up eons. Geologists can tell the changes of the geologic time scale of a certain rock based on the changes of the fossils in the rock. Currently, we are in the Holocene epoch of the Quaternary period of the Cenozoic era of the Phanerozoic eon.

Answer: Anticline

An anticline is a type of fold where the bedding units are folded up in the middle like an upside down letter "U". Anticlines are of great economic importance, as these structures essentially trap oil and natural gas beneath them, until it is drilled in to.

Answer: True

The hanging wall of a fault is all the rock above the fault surface, while the foot wall of a fault is all the rock below a fault surface. In a reverse fault, the hanging wall moves higher up into the surface, while the footwall sinks down into the Earth. Conversely, in a normal fault, the hanging wall sinks down into the Earth while the foot wall rises higher to the surface.

Answer: Darcy's Law

Groundwater below the water table is governed not by gravity, but by pressure. Groundwater flows from areas of high pressure to low pressure. Because groundwater can only move from pore to pore it is assumed to move under laminar flow, possessing straight flow paths. This assumption allows the flow of groundwater to be described by Darcy's Law.

Answer: Mercalli scale

The Mercalli scale is the least known of the two scales to measure earthquakes. Most of you have probably heard of the Richter scale, which is a magnitude scale that attempts to measure the amount of energy released by an earthquake. The Mercalli scale is very useful for land-use planning and for insurance companies because it builds a historical record of earthquake damage in a particular area and includes local factors such as surface geology.