Science Rocks, Soil & Fossils

Which is a measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched?

• color

• hardness

• luster

• texture

After a heavy rain, Max looked in his backyard and observed water cutting through the grass and dirt.

What is the name of the process Max observed?

• landslide

• flooding

• erosion

• creek formation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Cleo's science class was asking questions to help classify rock samples. 

Which rocks should Cleo classify in the same group based on having the same luster?

• Sample 2 & 3

• Sample 1 & 4

• Sample 1 & 2

• Sample 2, 3, & 4

Which statement explains how these rocks are sorted?

• They are sorted by how shiny the rock is.

• They are sorted by how many spots the rock has.

• They are sorted by how big the rock is.

• They are sorted by how smooth the rock is.

Tags

NGSS.5-PS1-3

Mr. Wilson placed Gypsum, Apatite, Fluorite and Quartz into a rock tumbler which is used to simulate the process of weathering. He asked the class to guess which mineral would be weathered the most at the end of 15 minutes.

Sam guessed Quartz, Jenny guessed Apatite, Marie guessed Fluorite and David guessed Gypsum. 

Which student MOST LIKELY predicted the mineral that would show the most weathering and why?

• David's guess is most likely correct because gypsum has a hardness of 2 which indicates it could be broken down easily.

• Jenny's guess is most likely correct because apatite has a hardness of 5 which indicates it could be broken down easily.

• Marie's guess is most likely correct because fluorite has a hardness of 4 which indicates it could be broken down easily.

• Sam's guess is most likely correct because quartz has a hardness of 7 which indicates it can be broken down easily.

Which of the following has mostly large particles made of broken pieces of rock and does not hold water well?

• clay

• sand

• loam

• soil

A third grade Science class wants to plant some flowers on the playground. They need to find out if the soil has enough nutrients to grow flowers. They dig up a portion of the soil to conduct an investigation.

Which investigation is BEST to prove the soil is nutrient rich?

• The students smell the soil.

• The students make note of how many rocks are in the soil.

• The students put the soil in the sunlight and record the temperature of the soil.

• The students observe the color of the soil to see if it is dark or light.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Ms. Jenner's class wanted to investigate how different types of soil affect plant growth. The class planted three equal sized bean plants and gave each plant the same amount of water and light for 3 weeks. They measured the height of each plant every 2 days.

Based on the data, which conclusion is correct about how soil type affects plant growth?

• Plants grow best in loam because the different sized particles make room to hold some water for the roots. 

• Plants do not grow well in sand because the tiny particles stick together and hold too much water for the roots. 

• Plants do not grow well in clay because it does not hold enough water for the roots. 

• Plants grow best in sand because the large particles let the most water flow through the roots.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The picture below shows a sea arch.

Which statement BEST explains what will happen to the sea arch over time?

• The arch will remain the same size because water is passing through the arch.

• The sea level will rise and cover the arch.

• The hole in the arch will become bigger due to erosion.

• The arch will become filled with sediment due to erosion.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Olive has a gutter on the outside of her house that empties into her flower bed. It rains frequently where Olive lives, and flooding is common.

What will MOST LIKELY happen to the area of soil directly underneath the gutter when it rains?

• A new rock formation would form underneath the gutter.

• A dent/hole will be made because the water flowing down will cause erosion

• A small mound of soil will be formed because the water helps deposit new soil.

• A permanent, small-flowing stream will form because the excess water will flow away from the source.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4