Earth Materials

A student found a sample of a solid material that was gray, shiny and made of all the same material. What category does this sample best fit? 

• sedimentary rock
• igneous rock
• metamorphic rock
• mineral

A fourth grade class observes rocks. One sample is found in layers and feels rough and grainy. Which type of rock is it? 

• sedimentary 
• igneous
  
• granite
  
• metamorphic 

Which correctly matches the rock type with the process involved in forming the rock? 

• igneous - pressure and heat
  
• sedimentary - erosion and weathering 
• fossils - molten rocks and magma
  
• metamorphic - heating and melting 

Obsidian, granite, and basalt are rocks formed from molten rock that has cooled. What kind of rocks are they? 

• sedimentary 
• fossils
  
• igneous
  
• metamorphic 

What is the movement of weathered materials called? 

• ice wedging 
• erosion
  
• weathering 
• evaporation 

What direction does erosion move Earth materials? 

• toward the mountains 
• into cities
  
• downward
  
• upward 

Which of the following shows that soil erosion is happening? 

• The soil is deep and grows grass on top. 
• The soil has deep gullies.
  
• A forest of pine trees grows in the soil.
  
• Pavement is placed on the soil for a road. 

A home has a sloping backyard. The family puts in retaining walls made of large boulders part way down the hill. Why? 

• They look nice.
  
• They keep soil in place
  
• To improve the view.
  
• To keep the house from rolling. 

Sally dug up some soil, put it in a cup and weighed it. She put it in a warm place with no cover. Two weeks later she weighed it again. It weighed less than before. Why? 

• Water had evaporated.
  
• The soil was warmer.
  
•  There were fewer living things. 
• The cup had changed shape. 

Look the image carefully.   
It shows the percentages of rock pieces, air, water and living things. What is this soil mostly composed of? 

• rock pieces 
• air
  
• water
  
• living things