Name
_______________________________________
Geology Unit Study Guide
Directions:
Prepare the definitions for the following terms:
Cleavage test (minerals) – a test to see if a mineral breaks evenly.
Crystal – a pattern of atoms repeated so many times it becomes
large enough to be seen.
Earthquake – movement of the Earth’s crustal plates caused by
heat within the Earth.
Erosion – the process of moving Earth materials from one place to
another.
Fossils – remains of past life on Earth. Fossils are usually found
in sedimentary rocks.
Geology – the study of the Earth.
Hardness test (minerals) – a test to see if a mineral resists
scratching. This test is measured on a scale from 1 to 10.
Igneous rocks – rocks formed when melted material (magma or
lava) cools.
Lava – melted rock above the Earth’s surface.
Luster test (minerals) – a test to see if a mineral reflects light.
Magma - melted rock under the Earth’s surface.
Metallic luster - minerals with a shiny appearance.
Metamorphic Rocks – rocks formed from other rocks that are
changed by heat and pressure without melting.
Minerals (rocks) – the ingredients of rocks. Minerals are solids
formed in nature that are not made from living things.
Nonmetallic luster – minerals with a dull appearance.
Pores – the open spaces between soil particles.
Riverbed – the bottom of a river.
Geology Gr. 4 Voc. Key 08
Page 1
Rocks – a piece of the Earth made up of two or more minerals.
Rock cycle – the endless process by which rocks are formed,
destroyed, and formed into other rocks.
Sedimentary rocks – rocks formed when sediments or pieces of
others rocks become cemented together.
Soil – a mixture of sand, clay, dead plants and animals, and
pebbles.
Streak test (minerals) – a test to see what color powder a mineral
will leave when rubbed against a streak plate. This test
shows the true color of the mineral.
Volcano- a place where molten rock reaches the surface of the
Earth.
Weathering – the breaking down of rocks and other materials on
the Earth’s surface.
Geology Gr. 4 Voc. Key 08
Page 2