Rocks & Minerals Trivia – March 16, 2013
Intro: In geology, a rock is defined as a naturally occurring solid aggregate of one or
more minerals.
1. Name the three main classes of rocks:
a. Igneous (hint: Latin word igneous means fire, therefore volcanic)
b. Metamorphic (formed when any rock type is transformed by different temperature and
pressure conditions than those in which the original rock was formed)
c. Sedimentary (formed by settling of particles on the Earth’s surface including within
bodies of water)
This question can be broken down into three questions:
(1) This one of three kinds of rock is volcanic: Igneous (clue: from the Latin word
meaning fire)
(2) This kind of rock is formed by settling of particles on the Earth’s surface, including
within bodies of water: Sedimentary (clue: from sediment)
(3) This kind of rock is formed when any rock type is transformed by different
temperature and pressure conditions than those in which the original work was formed:
Metamorphic (hint: the rock undergoes metamorphosis)
2. What is the hardest mineral on Earth?
Diamond
3. Name the Gem State.
Idaho
4. Name the Granite State. (hint: Slogan is Live Free or Die)
New Hampshire
5. This coarse-grained, crystalline, often pinkish rock is commonly used for countertops:
Granite
6. This rock is also commonly used for countertops and sinks, and Inuit (Alaska natives)
often used them for carving:
Soapstone
7. A scientist who studies the history of our planet, and hence rocks, is known as a what?
Geologist
8. A Pestoskey stone is made from what?
Coral (hint: ocean animal)
9. What mineral conducts electricity, does not tarnish, is easy to work with, can be drawn
into wire, can be hammered into thin sheets, alloys with many other metals, and can be
melted and cast into highly detailed shapes, and has a wonderful color and brilliant
luster?
Gold
10. A spherical rock that is plain on the outside but can have beautiful crystals on the
inside is known as what?
Geode (Greek for “shape of the earth”)
11. What gemstone displays rainbow-like hues that change depending on the angle you
look at it? (hint: most are found in Australia)
Opal
12. The fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation, like a tree or tree-like plant, is called
what?
Petrified wood
13. Oldest rocks on Earth found so far are found in what two countries?
Canada and Greenland
14. The largest diamond every found was discovered in 1905 in South Africa. It was
called what?
Cullinan diamond
15. How many different minerals are there? Multiple choice:
a. 200
b. 3,000
c. 100,000
There are about 3,000 known, although about 200 are of major importance. About 50-100
new ones are described each year.
16. What rocks are a girl’s best friend?
Diamonds
17. What sedimentary rock is composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms
such as coral? (Hint: It is used as a building material and in pulverized form as a soil
conditioner to neutralize acidic soils.)
Limestone
18. What town did Fred Flintstone come from?
Bedrock
19. What mineral was used to build the Taj Mahal and Micaelangelo’s S\statue of David?
Marble
20. What mineral is used in baby powder?
Talc
21. What common mineral is used in clocks and watches?
Quartz
22. The main constituent of plaster is calcium sulfate dehydrate, also known as what?
(Hint: as a mineral used for sculpture, it is known as alabaster.)
Gypsum
23. Remains and traces of animals, plants and other organisms within rock are called
what?
Fossils
24. What shiny, igneous black rock looks like glass and comes from volcanoes? (Hint:
good for arrowheads)
Obsidian
25. This mineral is used artistically for carvings, jewelry, and beads, and comes in a
variety of beautiful colors, can be polished, and in thin sections, can transmit light.
Agate
26. This fossilized tree resin sometimes contains insects and is used in jewelry. What is
it?
Amber
27. Hexagonal columns of this black rock are formed by the rapid cooling of lava.
Examples are the Devils Postpile National Monument in California and Devils Tower
National Monument in Wyoming. Name the rock.
Basalt
28. This actor was the first major celebrity to die from an AIDS-related illness. He often
played the romantic lead opposite Doris Day, and later started in the TV series McMillan
& Wife. Who is he?
Rock Hudson
29. This Simon and Garfunkel hit starts out: A winter’s day, In a deep and dark
December…. What is its title? (hint: It also contains: I am an island.)
I am a Rock
30. This monolithic limestone promentary juts out from the southern coast of Spain.
(Hint: It is the symbol of the Prudential Insurance company.)
The Rock of Gibraltar
31. This Christian hymn contains the following lyrics: Let me hide myself in thee. (Hint:
it also contains: Cleft for me.)
Rock of Ages
32. This genre of popular music evolved in the U.S. during the late 1940s and early 50s,
and was a combination of African-American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music.
What is it: (hint: it is still popular today)
33. In Stone, Paper, Scissors, Rock beats what?
Scissors
34. This novel written by T. H. White is part of the The Once and Future King series and
focused on King Arthur as a boy named Wart. (Hint: It features the inscription: Whoso
Pulleth Out This Sword of this Stone and Anvil, is the Rightwise King Born of England.)
35. This black stand-up comedian was a regular case member of Saturday Night Live in
the early 1990s. In 2005, he hosted the Academy Awards. Who is he?
Chris Rock
36. Robert James Ritchie is an American musician perhaps best known for his fiery
marriage to actress Pamela Anderson. What is his stage name?
Kid Rock
37. This kind of ceramic is made from fireclay and is typically used for pottery,
kitchenware, and dishes. (hint: you can find lots of this in Berea)
Stoneware
38. Prehistoric carvings in rocks are known as what?
Petroglyphs
39. A meteoroid is a solid piece of debris from outer space (e.g., an asteroid or comet). If
it survives impact with the Earth, it is called a what?
Meteorite
40. When man started using rocks for tools (for instance, with a sharp edge or point), this
period lasted 3.4 million years, ending between 4500 BC and 2000 BC with the advent of
metalworking. What is it? (hint: it was followed by the Bronze Age and the Iron Age)
Stone Age
41. Known as the King’s Jewel, this huge 45.5-carat deep blue diamond is housed in the
Smithsonian. It is perhaps the world’s most famous diamond. What is it called?
Hope Diamond.
42. A hard object made of calcium carbonate produced inside a shelled mollusk is called
what?
Pearl
43. Kenny Rogers popularized this Mel Tillis song in which he sang the lyrics: Don’t take
your love to town. Who was he singing to?
Ruby
44. What is the capital of the Land of Oz?
Emerald City
45. Princess Diana’s engagement ring featured a beautiful 12-carat oval blue stone
surrounded by diamonds set in a white gold band. What is the name of the gemstone?
Sapphire
46. What is the name of the mineral commonly called Fool’s Gold because it has a
superficial resemblance to gold?
Pyrite
47. What is Bullwinkle’s sidekick’s name?
Rocky (bonus: what animal was he? Flying squirrel)
48. Where did the Mayflower Pilgrims supposedly land?
Plymouth Rock
49. What is the name of the major mountain range in western North America?
Rocky Mountains
50. What ice cream flavor is traditionally composed of chocolate ice cream, nuts and
marshmallows?
Rocky Road
51. What mineral is commonly used, in powdered from, as an industrial lubricant? (hint:
it also in pencils)
Graphite
52. What is the name of the ore from Superman’s home planet, which robbed him of his
powers? (hint: his home planet is named Krypton)
Kryptonite
53. This amorphous non-crystalline solid material is made mostly from silica. In nature,
it is formed when lightning hits sand. What is it? (hint: it’s transparent and brittle)
Glass
54. These are various brand names for what? Perrier, Crystal Geyser, Aquafina, Dasani,
Evian
Mineral water
55. The rock used to surround shorelines, streambeds, and bridge abutments to protect
against erosion is called what?
Riprap
56. Larry Pennell is a character actor best known for his recurring role as the conceited,
image-conscious, and macho Hollywood movie star courting Elly May Clampett in the
Beverly Hillbillies. What was his character’s name in that show?
Dash Riprock
57. Many flock to this tourist attraction, lodged in a castle in Ireland, to kiss this blue
stone. What is it?
Blarney Stone
58. What famous folk story features hungry strangers who persuade local villagers to give
them food, in the form of garnish, to add to their pot of water?
Stone Soup
59. This proverb refers to “people who are always moving, with no roots in one place,
avoid responsibilities and cares” (Publius Syrus):
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
60. Liquid rock that is spewed onto the surface by the eruption of a volcano is called
lava. What is it called when it is still under the Earth’s crust?
Magma
61. What green gemstone is more valuable in China than diamonds?
Jade (hint: prized by Chinese carvers)
62. Dwayne Douglas Johnson extended professional career by switching from wrestling
to acting. What was his professional wrestling moniker?
The Rock
63. This light-colored, porous, abrasive, volcanic stone is used in beauty salons to remove
dry skin and callouses from feet.
Pumice
64. What is chalk mostly made of?
Calcite
65. What is the name for a violet-colored quarts that is also the traditional birthstone for
the month of February?
Amethyst
66. This blue-green mineral is prized by Native American in the Southwest U.S. and used
for jewelry.
Turquoise
67. If someone weighs 2 stones in England, how much do they weigh in pounds?
14
68. Someone under the influence of marijuana can be said to be what? (Hint: can also
mean drunk)
Stoned
69. This expression is used to describe a dilemma, a problem offering two possibilities,
neither of which is acceptable:
Between a rock and a hard place
70. This university shares a name with its eastern Pennsylvania town:
Slippery Rock University
71. This lager beer, which its distinctive green bottle and blue-and-white horse head logo,
hails from St. Louis:
Rolling Rock
72. Name the capital of Arkansas. (Hint: also that state’s largest city)
Little Rock
73. In this 1965 song, Bob Dylan asks: “How does it feel?” (Hint: It features Al
Kooper’s famous improvised organ riff.)
Like a Rolling Stone
74. Mick Jagger is the lead singer to what legendary rock and roll band? (Hint: also, in its
singular form, the name of an American magazine founded in 1967.)
Rolling Stones
75. A massive rock which shares the name with University of Colorado’s hometown is
called:
Boulder
76. Pet Rock
77. Magic Rocks
78. What mineral is liquid?
Mercury
79. This essential macromineral is used by the body to form strong bones and teeth:
Calcium
80. Who checked into his room, only to find Gideon’s Bible?
Rocky Raccoon (from the Beatles song)
81. In this Temptations song, who was a rolling stone?
Papa (Papa was a Rolling Stone is the song)
82. A Bill Haley song from the 1950s
Rock around the Clock
83. The animated musical Christmas classic featured Coco and Joe. Who was the third
of the trio of Santa’s helpers?
Hardrock
84. Hardrock mining refers to drilling into the earth to find a lode (or hard rock)
containing valuable minerals, like gold and silver. Mining gravel, on the other hand, is
known as what type of mining?
Placer
85. This song, first recorded in 1928, is a song about a hobo’s idea of paradise, where
“hens lay soft boiled eggs,” and there are “cigarette trees.” What is the name of the
song?
Big Rock Candy Mountain
86. This carbonated candy pops and fizzes when it’s in your mouth:
Pop Rocks
86. Stalactites and stalagmites are rock formations found where?
In caves (bonuses: stalactites are found hanging from above, and stalagmites are found
growing from the ground. When they join, they form a column. They are found in caves
made from what stone? Limestone)
87. A distinct, sheet-like body of crystallized minerals within a rock is called what?
A vein (hint: sometimes they are gold-bearing)
88. Shaft mining refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel
from the top down. What does it mean to excavate a shallowly located ore body by
removing surface soil and rock using large machines?
Strip mining
89. Propagating factures in a rock layer by a pressurized fluid to release petroleum and
natural gas is called what?
Fracking (hint: also called hydraulic fracturing)
90. Oil can be obtained from this kind of sedimentary rock:
Shale (hint: controversial both financially and environmentally because it’s difficult to
extract)
91. A cylindrical section of naturally occurring rock, obtained by use of a special drill, to
see what lies below is called:
Core sample
92. This explosive material, based on nitroglycerin, is mainly used in mining and
demolition.
Dynamite
93. This form of quartz (or chert) produces sparks when struck on edge with steel.
Flint (hint: used to start fires and in early rifles)
94. Thin transparent sheets of this mineral is also called “isinglass” and was used as
peepholes in boilers, lanterns, stoves, and in early cars.
Mica
95. A form of capital punishment whereby a group of throws stones at a person until
death is called:
Stoning (many cases of this are found in the Bible)
96. A follow-on to 95: Who shouldn’t throw stones?
People who live in glass houses
97. Another follow-on to 95:
Fill in the blank: “Let he who is ________, cast the first stone.”
“without sin” (Biblical lesson)
98. A small hand-held projectile weapon often uses rocks as ammunition:
Slingshot (hint: possibly used by David to defeat Goliath. Bonus: how many stones did
David bring with him? 5)
99. Canadian national park north of Banff, named for this gemstone of opaque quart:
Jasper
100. Birthstones and anniversary stones
Jan – Garnet
Feb – Amethyst
Mar – Aquamarine (also Bloodstone)
April – Diamond
May – Emerald
June – Pearl (also Moonstone and Alexandrite)
July – Ruby
August – Peridot (also Sardonyx)
September – Sapphire
October – Opal (also Tourmaline)
November – Topaz (also Citrine)
December – Turquoise (also Zircon, Lapis Lazuli, Tanzanite)
101. Name of 1996 action film that takes place on Alcatraz Island, starring Nicolas Cage.
The Rock
102. Considered the first detective novel written English, by Wilkie Collins and written
in 1868, the title is also the name of a semi-precious gem. However, in this case, it refers
to a diamond. What is the book?
The Moonstone (the name of a diamond associated with the Hindu god of the moon)
103. This gem comes in many colors, including colorless! But it is most commonly
found as yellow. What is it:
Topaz
104. Known as the Pearl of the Atlantic, what is the name of this Portuguese island?
Madeira (hint: also the name of a fortified wine produced there)
105. An American country comedienne who was a regular at the Grand Ole Opry,
known for wearing a hat with the price tag hanging from it and greeting people with a
“How-w-w-DEE-E-E-E!”
Minnie Pearl
106. This rock band won a Grammy in 1994 for their song “Plush.” Other hits include
“Interstate Love Song” and “Vasoline.”
Stone Temple Pilots (I can’t imagine anyone getting this one!)
107. What’s the difference between a rock and a mineral?
A mineral has an orderly atomic structure. A rock is a combination of minerals. Minerals
are composted of an element or combination of elements.
108. On the Mohs scale, talc has a value of 1 and diamond 10. What does the Mohs
scale measure?
Hardness