Science Topic 3 Rocks and Minerals

What are the three main layers of Earth?

Crust, mantle, and core

What is the thin, solid, outermost layer of Earth called?

Crust

Which layer is made of hot, solid material between the crust and the core?

Mantle

What do scientists use to study Earth's interior since they cannot see it directly?

Seismic waves and rock samples

Which part of the core is a dense sphere of solid iron and nickel?

Inner core

What is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a crystal structure and definite chemical composition?

Mineral

What is the process by which atoms are arranged to form a material with a crystal structure?

Crystallization

What property describes the way a mineral reflects light from its surface?

Luster

What is the color of a mineral's powder called?

Streak

A mineral that splits easily along flat surfaces has which property?

Cleavage

What is a rounded, hollow rock often lined with mineral crystals?

Geode

Which type of rock forms from the cooling of magma or lava?

Igneous rock

What is the difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks?

Intrusive forms below the surface (large crystals) extrusive forms on the surface (small crystals)

Which rock type forms when particles are pressed and cemented together?

Sedimentary rock

What are small, solid pieces of material that come from rocks or living things?

Sediment

Which type of rock forms when existing rock is changed by heat and pressure?

Metamorphic rock

What is the series of processes on Earth's surface and in the interior that slowly change rocks from one kind to another?

The Rock Cycle

What process breaks down rock into smaller fragments?

Weathering

What is the process by which sediment settles out of the water or wind carrying it?

Deposition

What must happen to any rock type for it to become magma?

It must melt

asthenosphere

The semi-fluid layer of the Earth's mantle located just below the lithosphere, responsible for tectonic plate movement.

lthosphere

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, composed of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle, which is broken into tectonic plates.