Rock Basics
What are the 3 types of rocks?
Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
What forms igneous rocks?
Cooling and hardening of lava or magma
What are sedimentary rocks made from?
Compressed layers of sand, mud, and pebbles
What changes rocks into metamorphic rocks?
Heat and pressure
What is a mineral?
A natural, inorganic material that forms rocks and soil
What is a rock made of?
Minerals
Name one igneous rock.
Basalt, granite, pumice, obsidian
Name one sedimentary rock.
Limestone, sandstone, chalk, coal, flint
Name one metamorphic rock.
Marble, slate, quartzite, gneiss
What is the hardest mineral?
Diamond
What is the rock cycle?
How rocks form, break apart, and change into other rocks
What is the most common rock in Earth’s crust?
Basalt
What rock often contains fossils?
Limestone
Marble started as what sedimentary rock?
Limestone
What mineral is used in electrical wiring?
Copper
True or False: Rocks are only found on mountains.
False
Why is basalt dark in colour?
Because it is volcanic rock
What soft type of limestone is used on chalkboards?
Chalk
Why is marble used for sculptures?
It is soft and does not shatter easily
What mineral is used to flavour food and melt ice on roads?
salt
What process changes rocks through heat and pressure?
Metamorphism
What volcano in Hawaii is made mostly of basalt?
Mauna Loa
Why do scientists study limestone?
It can contain fossils of plants and animals
What makes marble have swirl patterns?
Clay, silt, and sand from the original limestone
Why are diamonds used to cut rocks and minerals?
Because they are very hard