Rock Crossword Puzzles Printable and Online
The Amazing World of Rocks
Rocks are everywhere! They are the solid foundation of our planet and come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. But did you know that rocks can tell us a lot about Earth’s history? Let’s explore some key terms to understand rocks better.
What is a Rock? A rock is a natural substance composed of one or more minerals. Minerals are the building blocks of rocks and have specific chemical compositions and physical properties.
Types of Rocks There are three main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
- Igneous Rock: These rocks form from the cooling and solidifying of molten lava or magma. For example, granite and basalt are types of igneous rocks.
- Sedimentary Rock: These rocks are made from tiny pieces of other rocks, called sediment. Sediment can be small particles of minerals, pieces of plants, or shells of animals. Over time, sediment is pressed and cemented together to form sedimentary rocks like sandstone and limestone.
- Metamorphic Rock: These rocks have changed from one type to another due to intense heat and pressure within the Earth. For instance, marble and slate are metamorphic rocks that started as limestone and shale, respectively.
How Rocks Change Rocks are constantly changing through different processes:
- Weathering: This is the process of breaking down rocks into smaller pieces. Weathering can be caused by wind, water, or even plants.
- Erosion: Once rocks are broken down, erosion moves these pieces to new places. Wind, water, and ice can carry sediment far away from where it started.
- Deposition: After erosion, the sediment settles down in a new location. This process is called deposition. Over time, layers of sediment build up and can form new sedimentary rocks.
Rock Properties Rocks and minerals have various properties that help us identify them:
- Cleavage: This is the way a mineral breaks along flat surfaces. Some minerals split into smooth, flat sheets.
- Hardness: This measures how easily a mineral can be scratched. The Mohs hardness scale ranks minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest). For example, talc is very soft, while diamond is the hardest.
- Luster: This describes how a mineral reflects light. Minerals can have a shiny, glassy, or dull appearance.
- Physical Property: These are characteristics that you can observe or measure without changing the substance. Color, hardness, luster, and cleavage are physical properties of minerals.
Forces of Nature Several natural forces play a role in the formation and transformation of rocks:
- Gravity: This force pulls sediment downhill and helps in the deposition process.
- Pressure: Deep within the Earth, rocks are subjected to tremendous pressure, which can change their structure and form metamorphic rocks.
Summary Rocks and minerals are fascinating and essential parts of our planet. By understanding terms like cleavage, deposition, erosion, gravity, hardness, igneous rock, luster, metamorphic rock, mineral, physical property, pressure, rock, sediment, sedimentary rock, and weathering, we can appreciate the incredible processes that shape the Earth. Next time you pick up a rock, think about the amazing journey it might have taken to get into your hand.
Rock Crossword Puzzles cover the following 15 terms: cleavage, deposition, erosion, gravity, hardness, igneous rock, luster, metamorphic rock, mineral, physical property, pressure, rock, sediment, sedimentary rock, weathering. Four different crosswords covering the same terms allows for re-teaching and re-learning throughout the school year. Students, parents, and teachers can print and make copies.
Rocks Crossword Puzzles (RCW)
RCW 1 RCW 1 Answers
RCW 2 RCW 2 Answers
RCW 3 RCW 3 Answers
RCW 4 RCW 4 Answers
Rocks Crossword Puzzle Online
When you complete this Rocks Crossword Puzzle Online correctly a message will tell you “Congratulations, you have completed the puzzle!” If you have completed the puzzle and don’t get the “Congratulations” message, one or more of your answers are wrong. Click on ABC Check in the top left corner to see your errors to correct.
Word Bank: Study Sheet
cleavage deposition erosion gravity hardness igneous rock luster metamorphic rock mineral physical property pressure sediment weathering
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