Geology Revision Flashcards (Rocks, Minerals & Rock Cycle)

Fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering key concepts from Year 8 Geology notes (minerals, rocks, fossil formation, rock types, the rock cycle, and related processes).

A mineral is naturally occurring and inorganic with a specific crystal structure. A rock is a naturally occurring solid made up of one or more .

minerals

Lustre is the way a mineral reflects light (e.g. ).

metallic

Streak is the of a mineral's powder when it's rubbed against a harder surface.

color

Cleavage describes how a mineral .

breaks

Hardness is how resistant a mineral is to being .

scratched

Density is how compact the mineral is (e.g. how together the bits are).

tightly

Colour is the visible of a mineral.

colour

Magma is molten rock found the Earth's surface.

beneath

Lava is molten rock that has onto the surface.

erupted

This rock is because it is formed from layers of sediments.

Sedimentary

This rock is because it is formed from cooling magma.

Igneous

This rock has crystals which interlock with each other.

Igneous

This rock is formed by changing existing rocks with heat and pressure.

Metamorphic

This rock is formed from weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, and cementation.

Sedimentary

This rock is formed from cooling molten magma.

Igneous (intrusive)

There are two main types of this rock – contact and regional.

Metamorphic

Formed from magma.

Igneous

Granite and pumice are examples of this type of rock.

Igneous

Marble and gneiss are examples of this type of rock.

Metamorphic

Sandstone and conglomerate are examples of this type of rock.

Sedimentary

Intrusive rocks are formed from magma the earth’s surface.

beneath

Intrusive rocks have bigger crystals because they form more slowly .

underground

A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of a plant or animal that lived long ago, often found in .

rocks

Most fossils form when a dead organism is quickly buried by sediment like mud or sand. Minerals seep into the bones or shells, turning them into stone. The bones or shells are the .

bones

Fossils are useful to science because they offer physical evidence of past life and environments, helping us understand Earth's history and the processes of .

change

Igneous rocks with large crystals indicate cooling underground.

slowly

Igneous rocks formed on the surface have crystals.

small

Obsidian, formed from extremely fast cooling, looks like shiny glass.

black

Sedimentary rocks often look like they are made of .

layers

Metamorphic rocks often look like they have been squeezed or layered, sometimes with shiny .

crystals

Granite and pumice are examples of .

Igneous

Fossils are most commonly found in rocks.

sedimentary

Weathering is the process where rocks and minerals on Earth's surface break down or dissolve due to exposure to the .

elements

Erosion is the natural process where Earth materials like rocks and soil are worn away and moved to a new location by natural forces like .

wind, water, or ice

Compaction is the process where layers of sediment get together due to the weight of the layers above them.

squashed

Cementation is the process where minerals, dissolved in water, fill the tiny spaces between sediment grains and then harden, binding the grains together (like ).

cement

The rock cycle is NOT a process.

one-way

Sedimentary rocks generally take the longest to form, requiring for the accumulation and cementation of sediments.

millions of years

Shale is a rock.

Sedimentary

Granite is an rock.

Igneous

Mudstone is a rock.

Sedimentary

Marble is a rock.

Metamorphic

Basalt is a rock.

Igneous

Conglomerate is a rock.

Sedimentary

Pumice is a rock.

Igneous

Slate is a rock.

Metamorphic

Mudstone is a sedimentary rock made up of minerals that are too small to see or feel, whereas sandstone is a sedimentary rock made up of mineral that can be easily seen and felt.

grains

Rocks can be described by the four main types: , sedimentary, and metamorphic.

igneous

The four main layers of the Earth are the , Mantle, Outer Core, and Inner Core.

Crust

As depth increases, temperature and pressure .

increase

A mineral is a natural substance that is made up of one type of compound only. It is a pure substance with a crystal .

structure

Weathering, Erosion, Deposition, Compaction, and Cementation are key processes in forming rocks.

sedimentary

Magma is molten rock found the Earth’s surface.

below

A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of a plant or animal that lived long ago, often found in .

rocks