Geology Test #2 Study Guide: Weathering and Erosion, Soil, Minerals and Rocks
Resources for Reading for each topic
Earthquakes:
Inside Earth Chapter 2
Focus on Section 2- Section 1 will not be included.
Section 4, Figure 18 has a GREAT map
Weathering and Erosion:
Earth’s Changing Surface Chapter 2, Section 1.
For erosion see the handout on Erosion.
Soil:
Earth’s Changing Surface Chapter 2, Section 2.
Minerals:
Minerals Handout from Class
Inside Earth: Chapter 4: Minerals- I would look over section 4.1 specifically.
Rocks:
Rocks reading from Class
Inside Earth: Chapter 5: Rocks
Take a look at the different classification of Rocks and what happens as rocks go through the Rock
Cycle.
Questions from your notes:
Earthquakes: Pages 36-37 (Including your Earthquake Lab!!!)
How do P waves, S waves and Surface waves differ?
Why does the San Andreas Fault have a lot of Earthquakes?
NJ does not have many Earthquakes, why not? Talk about plate boundaries (types) and what ones are
“near” us. (You might need to look back at your boundary notes) Why do a lot of earthquakes occur in
California?
Weathering and Erosion pages 38-39
Remember: Weathering is the process of breaking down rocks, erosion is the process of these rocks being
worn away and taken to another place.
In class we took at look at different buildings and rock structures. Be able to write an explanation to
what type of weathering is occurring in a picture. Here are some picture, what kind of weathering and
erosion is happening? Need more? Google!
Soil- Pages 40-41
What makes soil fertile?
Why positive actions do animals have on our soil? Be specific in your examples.
If two different types of soil are described to you, be able to say which one you would want to use for
planting and why. How can you tell from observing that soil that it is more fertile?
Minerals- 42 to 49
What makes something a mineral?
What are properties of minerals?
How are minerals useful to us?
Go over the homework with the different pictures. If given two pictures be able to explain why one object
is a mineral over another. (Think the Properties of Minerals!!)
Be able to go through a mineral classification and explain the steps that you take. What is luster? What is
Moh’s hardness scale? What is cleavage?
Rocks-50-53
Describe the three types of rock and properties of these rocks.
Where can these rocks be found?
What happens during the rock cycle? Can a rock in its existence be more than one type of rock? What has
to happen to it?
Be able to classify rocks using a classification key. (We will do this next week).