hat large overall igneous feature makes up the Sierra Nevada Mountains

in California?

Correct! Batholith

Joints

Plutons

glacial troughs

Phenocrysts

2 / 2 pts
Question 2

What are the large crystals visible in this figure and what do they indicate
about the rock they formed in

plutons; emplaced in crust as hot magma

joints; formed in rock long after cooling

diorite; cooled slowly below the surface

Correct! phenocrysts; precipitated out as magma cooled

granite; cooled slowly below the surface

2 / 2 pts
Question 3

How do sheet joints and exfoliation domes form in granite plutons?

Old rock is weathered by wind, water, and cracking.

Correct!
Confining pressure on the plutons is removed through erosion of
surrounding rock. Plutons then expand.

Water seeps into fractures and freezes, wedging pieces off.

Multimillion-ton glaciers pressed down on the rock, cracking them under

their weight

Compressive force from the collision of the North American and Farallon
plates creates stress fractures.

2 / 2 pts
Question 4

Why is the monolith El Capitan in Yosemite National Park more resistant

to erosion than other igneous plutons in the park?

El Capitan has a higher quartz content, making it tougher.

The Merced River flows closer to other monoliths in the park undermining
them
Correct! El Capitan is unfractured

The Sierra Nevada Mountains have a semi-arid environment, resulting in

little water for erosion

Rock falls and landslides affect other monoliths in the park weakening
them

2 / 2 pts
Question 5

Which of the following is evidence of glaciation in Yosemite National

Park?

roof pendants

V-shaped valleys

Correct! striations in granite

sheet fractures

phenocrysts in granite

Quiz Score: 10 out of 10