Chapter 8 Test – SOILS (2004)

 

Select the BEST answer for each question.

 

1. Grain crops will grow well in:

            A. the presence of much organic matter             C. a consistent heavy rainfall

            B. a deep soil profile                                         D. a consistent warm temperature

 

2. In which of the following areas would the greatest erosion occur?

            A. a fenced-in field                   C. a wooded area

            B. the banks of a river               D. a paved lot

 

3. Which soil conservation methods work best on a flat, open field?

            A. contour farming and terraces                                   

            B. contour farming and windbreaks      

            C. terraces and strip cropping

            D. strip cropping and windbreaks

 

4. Which of the following is NOT an example of mechanical weathering?

            A. hydrolysis                C. wetting and drying

            B. frost action               D. root action

 

5. Which of the following is NOT directly an agent of erosion?

            A. wind                        C. rain

            B. sunlight                     D. gravity

 

6. Which of the following does NOT affect the rate at which a rock weathers?

            A. The length of time since the rock was formed.

            B. The chemical composition of the rock.

            C. The climate where the rock is found.

            D. The amount of exposed surface area on the rock.

 

7. Highway potholes caused by weathering probably occur most often in which of the following cities?

            A. Houston, Texas                    C. New York, New York

            B. Los Angeles, California        D. New Orleans, Louisiana

 

8. What type of soil forms in regions of heavy rainfall and high temperatures?

            A. tropical                    C. forest

            B. grassland                  D. desert

 

9. Which of the following statements is true.

            A. The parent material of transported soil is its bedrock.

            B. The parent material of residual soil differs from its bedrock.

            C. The parent material of residual soil is always limestone.

            D. The parent material of transported soil differs from its bedrock.

10. Which of the following mass movements is the most difficult to detect when it begins?

            A. talus                         C. landslide

            B. creep                       D. mudslide

 

11. Which of the following most directly contributes to the weathering of limestone?

            A. a wet climate                        C. its height above sea level

            B. a dry climate                        D. its parent material

 

 

 

 

PICTURE

 

 

 

 

12. The color of the soil in Level 2 of the diagram comes from the iron oxide formed in the:

            A. topsoil                                 C. B Horizon

            B. parent material                     D. C Horizon

 

13. In the diagram, subsoil is found in:

            A. Level 1                    C. Level 3

            B. Level 2                    D. Level 4

 

14. Which of the following is NOT a type of mass movement?

            A. creep                       C. landslide

            B. avalanche                 D. exfoliation

 

15. In chich of the following states would a granite building weather most quickly?

            A. New Mexico                       C. Arizona

            B. Nevada                                D. Florida

 

16. The most damaging weathering process in the northern United States is:

            A. oxidation                  C. ice wedging

            B. hydrolysis                 D. wetting and drying

 

17. Which of the following mass movements are  most likely to suddenly occur after heavy rainfall?

            A. creep and talus                     C. mudflow and landslide

            B. creep and landslide               D. talus and mudslide

 

18. Methods of soil conservation designed for hill slopes prevent:

            A. water from carrying soil away.

            B. water from destroying bedrock.

            C. wind from blowing soil away.

            D. wind from stealing moisture from soil.

 

19. Two methods of soil conservation which involve management of crops to be planted are:

            A. windbreaks and terraces.                 C. terraces and no-till

            B. no-till and strip cropping                   D. windbreaks and strip cropping

 

 

Write the missing word(s) in the space provided.

 

20. Carbon dioxide dissolved in rainwater forms __________ acid.

 

21. A cross section of the erth exposed by digging to the parent material is called the_____________________.

 

22. The removal and transport of earth materials by natural agents is called _________.

 

23. The break up of rock due to exposure to the atmosphere is called __________.

 

24. The two classifications of weathering are mechanical and ______________.

 

25. A mailbox was installed along side a sloping driveway. After a year's time, the mailbox appears to be tilted towards the base of the driveway. The movement in the position of the mailbox could be due to _______________.

 

26. Belts of trees planted to slow down erosion are called _____________.

 

 

Match the states in Column A with the type of weathering each location's climate favors in Column B.

 

            Column A                                                        Column B

 

27.______ Louisiana                                                    A. chemical weathering

28.______ Maine                                                         B. mechanical weathering

29.______ Alaska

30.______ Florida

 

 

Indicate True or False for each of the questions below.

 

31. The most important factor affecting mature soil is climate.

 

32. The mica found near Smithville shows considerably more weathering than the mica found twenty miles away. Both areas experience the same average rainfall. This weathing difference could be caused by a difference in the acidity of the water in these places.

 

33. A pile of rock fragments at the base of a cliff is called talus.

 

34. Shale and granite found in the same hillside will weather at the same rate.