Physical properties of rocks: hardness | Exit Quiz | Oak National Academy

The physical properties of rock are features that can be observed or ...

Answer explanation

The physical properties of rock are features that can be observed or measured.

Which of these are physical properties of rocks you might observe or measure?

• How much it cost.

• How hard it is.

• How much it crumbles.

• How much it weighs.

Answer explanation

Rocks have lots of different physical properties such as hardness, how much it crumbles and what it weighs. A physical property of rock is not how much it costs.

__________ rocks are hard. Fill in the gap.

• All

• A few

• Most

Answer explanation

Hardness is a physical property of rocks. Most rocks are hard although some rocks are softer and can be scratched easily and crumble.

Which of the rocks named below can be grouped as hard?

• Granite

• Sandstone

• Marble

• Chalk

Answer explanation

Granite and marble have the physical property of hardness as they often do not scratch, mark or crumble easily.

Which of these investigations would show if a rock was hard or not?

• Dropping the rock into water.

• Weighing how heavy the rock is.

• Scratching the rock's surface with a nail.

Answer explanation

These are all investigations you could do with rocks to find out more about them, however, when you scratch a rock with a nail, you can measure its hardness.

Match the object to the most suitable rock.

• ornament

• slate

• kitchen worktop

• granite

• roof

• soapstone

Answer explanation

A roof is often made from slate, an ornament is often made from soapstone, and a kitchen worktop is often made from granite.