Q.1
The White Cliffs of Dover are a chalk landscape. Why are these cliffs straight and relatively slow to erode rather than sloped and rapidly eroding?
  • They are a soft rock, which means their base is rapidly eroded and collapses
  • They are a hard rock, so the main way they are eroded is by wave action undercutting them until their unsupported weight collapses
  • The bedding plains in the cliff are vertical, making it easy to collapse in vertical sections
  • The calcium carbonate is easily eroded and so the water washes the rock away. Rain and wave spray remove the cliffs rapidly
Q.2
Stalactites are composed of layers of calcium carbonate. Why are stalactites more common in limestone regions?
  • The water is alkaline and so doesn't dissolve the limestone
  • Limestone regions are the only place that contain caves. Caves have the damp atmosphere that is crucial for stalactite formation
  • As the water runs through the limestone it picks up imperfections such as sand and deposits these in the form of limestone
  • As water runs through limestone it dissolves the limestone and deposits this as it drips off the roof of caves in the limestone
Q.3
Since limestone is mostly composed of the remains of marine organisms, what does that tell us about the landscape these rocks were originally formed in?
  • The limestone formed underwater before geological pressures and sea level change brought it up to form dry land
  • The marine creatures were brought up on to land by some geological action and then formed the limestone layers
  • Originally the landscape must have been warm and dry to prevent the rain washing away the remains of these creatures
  • The rock hasn't moved very far since the layers of limestone formed these rocks
Q.4
Why are limestone products sometimes added to soil?
  • As a plant food
  • To help increase the drainage
  • To prevent attack by snails and slugs
  • To neutralize or increase the pH
Q.5
What is the chemical composition of limestone?
  • Calcium oxide CaCO
  • Silica dioxide SiO2
  • Calcium carbonate CaCO3
  • Dihydro monoxide H2O
Q.6
Why do underground rivers commonly form in limestone regions?
  • There are natural caverns in the limestone when it forms
  • Limestone can be dissolved by acid water, allowing it to flow down and through fissures and cracks
  • As the rocks swirl they create pot holes which widen to form caverns
  • Because limestone is one of the oldest types of rock, water has had millions of years to work its way through it
Q.7
Fossils are frequently found in limestone. What sort of rock is limestone?
  • Sedimentary
  • Metamorphic
  • Igneous
  • Basic
Q.8
Which of the following is an example of limestone?
  • Kentish ragstone
  • Cheshire sandstone
  • Shap granite
  • Italian marble
Q.9
Limestone is frequently quarried for a variety of uses, often in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. Which of the following is a disadvantage of quarrying?
  • Jobs are created for the local population
  • The raw material limestone is available for a variety of uses
  • Quarries cause an increase in traffic on often rural roads
  • The former quarries are often used as nature reserves and sports facilities
Q.10
Marble has the same chemical composition as limestone but is a different type of rock. Which type of rock is marble?
  • Sedimentary
  • Metamorphic
  • Igneous
  • Basic
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