Rocks and Minerals Quiz

mineral

a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a crystalline pattern of atoms

magma

molten rock found underneath the Earth’s surface

lava

molten rock found above the Earth’s surface

trace fossil

preserved evidence of an animal’s activity (like footprints or coprolites)

mold fossil

an empty cavity or space created by the remains of a dead organism after the dead organism completely rots away

cast fossil

minerals and sediment enter a mold fossil and form the shape of the dead organism

sedimentary rock

rocks that form when small pieces of rock are compressed into layers, often have fossils

igneous rock

rocks that form when magma or lava cools and hardens into rock

metamorphic rock

rocks that have been changed by heat and pressure into a new rock

rock cycle

the process by which rocks transform into other types of rocks

weathering

the wearing down of rocks by natural forces (water, wind, etc.) over time

erosion

the movement of sediments from one location to another due to forces such as water, wind, or ice.

Law of Superposition

Older sedimentary rocks are buried beneath younger sedimentary rocks in undisturbed layers, indicating that the oldest layers are at the bottom.

igneous intrusion

igneous molten rock that breaks into an existing rock and cools

fault

a fracture in the Earth's crust where blocks of rock have moved relative to each other, often causing earthquakes.

Law of Cross-Cutting Relationships

A geological principle stating that any geological feature that cuts across another is younger than the feature it cuts.

index fossil

a specific category of fossils that help date other rock layers of fossils; they have to be widespread and short-lived

fossils

the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock

outcrop

a place where many rock layers can be seen at once. Outcrops can provide a visual image of the layers

petrified fossil

the dead organism has turned to stone at a microscopic level, each cell replaced by minerals

carbon film

a thin black outline or film of an organism made out of carbon atoms

preserved fossil

an organism that gets completely preserved in ice, amber, or tar pits.