Rocks and Minerals
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Fossils and Inside the Earth
Rocks, Weathering, and the Moon
Mining and Geologists
100
Is this a mineral? Why or why not?
It is not a mineral because it is organic. It came from a living thing.
Bonus for 2X Points: What is another reason why a shell is not a mineral?
100
What kind of rock comes from a volcano?
Igneous rocks.
Bonus for 2X Points: Name an example of an igneous rock.
100
Name the four layers of the Earth.
Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core.
Bonus for 2X Points: Which of these layers is the most dense? How do you know?
100
What is weathering?
The process of rocks breaking down into smaller pieces called sediment.
Bonus for 2X Points: Name a type of sediment.
100
What is a geologist?
A scientist who studies the Earth.
Bonus for 2X Points: Can you name another kind of geologist?
200
Name the three types of rocks.
Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary.
Bonus for 2X Points: What are the two types of igneous rocks?
200
What causes an earthquake?
Large pieces of rock try to slide past each other, get stuck, and then slip!
Bonus for 2X Points: The Earth's crust is not all one piece. What are the pieces called?
200
How does a fossil form?
A living thing dies and gets buried by sediment. Over time, its remains are filled with minerals and become trapped in the rock.
Bonus for 2X Points: Name a kind of fossil.
200
What is one way rocks can erode?
Water, ice, wind, rubbing, etc...
Bonus for 2X Points: Describe how a big rock can become a little rock using details.
200
When people mine, they are typically looking for __________ buried in the Earth.
Precious gems, metals, and minerals.
Bonus for 2X Points: When gems first come out of the ground, they look a lot like plain rocks. These gems are considered ________ until they are cut and polished.
300
Which of the following rocks is metamorphic?
A. Obsidian
B. Sandstone
C. Marble
C. Marble
Bonus for 2X Points: Name another metamorphic rock.
300
When we measure earthquakes, we use a tool called a....
Seismograph
Bonus for 2X Points: How does a seismograph work?
300
Alfred Wegener had a crazy idea. He thought that long ago, all the continents were merged together into a super-continent. He called his theory...
Continental drift.
Bonus for 2X Points: What did Wegener name the super-continent?
300
What is the rock cycle?
A cycle where old rocks can become new rocks over hundreds of thousands of years. It's always going!
Bonus for 2X Points: Describe how a sedimentary rock can become a metamorphic rock.300
Which is more expensive: mining for surface deposits, or mining for subsurface deposits? Why?
Mining for subsurface deposits is more expensive because miners have to move more dirt and rock out of the way to get to the gemstones. It is also more costly for the environment.
Bonus for 2X Points: Which deposits do you think people will pay more for? Why?
400
Jackson says a rock is a mineral because it is solid, inorganic, and found in nature. Shirley says it is not a mineral because it doesn't have repeating patterns that show crystals. Who do you agree with? Why?
Shirley is right. Rocks are made of minerals, but they are not minerals themselves.
Bonus for 2X Points: Why else is a rock not a mineral?
400
True or False: a volcano can only erupt once, after which it is extinct.
False! Some volcanoes can erupt day in and day out for an entire year!
Bonus for 2X Points: Where in the world is the most active volcano located?
400
Gene recently found two different fossils. One fossil he found at the bottom of a cliff, sticking out of the rock. The other he found at the top of the cliff, just beneath the sand. Which fossil is older?
The fossil at the bottom is older, because it had to have been made first.
Bonus for 2X Points: If Gene studies fossils, what kind of a scientist is he?
400
Alice and Diego are studying the rock cycle together. Alice says that once an igneous rock turns into a metamorphic rock, it can never change again. Diego says it can change again, and it can become any other kind of rock. Who do you agree with? Why?
Diego is right! Rocks are changing all the time. Some metamorphic rocks are even turning into different metamorphic rocks! It never stops!
Bonus for 2X Points: How would you explain your answer to Alice to help her understand?
400
Maria is a geologist who is growing salt crystals at home. She thinks if she puts the water in the microwave, she can evaporate it quickly and make large salt crystals. Do you agree? Why or why not?
No! If she evaporates the water quickly, only small crystals will form. The longer the water has to evaporate, the larger the crystals will grow.
Bonus for 2X Points: Do all crystals grow through evaporation?
500
Today, while on a walk, Finlay found a mineral she'd never seen before. What could Finlay do to identify the mineral?
Test the mineral's hardness, streak color, luster, and color to identify it. Or, she could use a field guide.
Bonus for 2X Points:
Finlay's mineral is clear, colorless, looks like a cube, and tastes salty when scratched. What is the name of her mineral?
500
Bernie and Calvin live in two different cities that are far apart. Bernie feels a strong earthquake at 5:00pm. Calvin feels a weaker earthquake at 5:01. Why did they not feel the earthquake at the same time?
The seismic waves from the earthquake needed time to travel from Bernie to Calvin.
Bonus for 2X Points: Petra is a scientist who lives across the world. She has a very sensitive seismograph. Will Petra feel the earthquake? When?
500
What causes the continents to move around? Give details.
New crust is being created at divergent boundaries, and old crust is subducting at convergent boundaries, causing the continents to move around.
Bonus for 2X Points: What is the name of this theory for how the continents move?
500
When ancient astronomers looked at the Moon, they called the darker spots maria, meaning "oceans." Are these actually oceans of water on the moon?
Nope! They're just rock.
Bonus for 2X Points: Describe how the maria were formed.
500
These scientists were responsible for exploring some of the most interesting and crucial topics in geology this year.
You! Thank you for being in my class! (The whole class gets points for this question.)
Bonus for 2X Points: Share your favorite part from this year!