Exploring the Composition and Formation of Rocks and Minerals

The video tutorial explores the Earth's crust, focusing on rocks and minerals. It explains that rocks are composed of multiple minerals and are constantly changing through the rock cycle. The tutorial discusses how humans have historically used rocks and how natural forces like wind and water erode them. It also covers the formation of new rocks and the role of geologists in studying rocks to uncover Earth's history.

What is the basic unit that makes up the Earth's solid surface?

• Sand

• Rock

• Water

• Soil

What supports everything from the ground we walk on to our oceans?

• Plants

• Animals

• Rocks

• Air

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

How do geologists define a mineral?

• A synthetic material with a consistent internal structure

• A gas with a distinct chemical composition

• A liquid with a distinct chemical composition

• A naturally occurring solid with a distinct chemical composition and consistent internal structure

Which of the following is NOT an example of a mineral?

• Diamond

• Silver

• Plastic

• Gold

What is the process called in which rocks are continually made, changed, and destroyed?

• Weathering

• The rock cycle

• Sedimentation

• Erosion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

What do people use rocks for throughout history?

• To produce electricity

• To create synthetic materials

• To build roads, support buildings, and decorate lives

• To grow crops

Which natural forces are always at work to wear down or erode rocks?

• Magnetism, electricity, and radiation

• Earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis

• Fire, ice, and sunlight

• Wind, water, and gravity

What happens to rocks at great depths in the Earth?

• They freeze

• They turn into gas

• They melt and become liquid

• They evaporate

How long does it usually take for new rocks to form?

• A few years

• A few months

• A few days

• Millions of years

What do geologists study rocks for?

• To grow plants

• To create new minerals

• To find valuable clues about the history of the Earth

• To predict weather patterns

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3