Rocks and Soil
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/rocks_soils.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/materials/rocks_soils/play/
Lots of information about minerals and gems. Reading level - medium (ThinkQuest)
In this section, you can learn a good deal about coal. Or if you want some information and are in a hurry, you could check out some quick facts on coal.
Animations showing how the three types of rocks are formed. Reading level - medium (Franklin Institute Wired@School)
Learn about Mohs' hardness scale while escaping the Castle of Doom.
Information about the rock cycle, dating rocks, climate and variables that affect the climate, and other processes that change the earth's crust.
Help Rex solve these mysteries about rocks, fossils and minerals!
The whole earth is made of rocks & minerals. Below the loose layer of soil, sand & crumbled rocks found on Earth is bedrock, which is a solid rock.
|
The Main Types of Rocks are:
Rocks are divided into 3 Types. They are classified by how they were formed.
What is soil?
Soil, is made from rocks that break apart or wear away over many years. This is referred to as weathering. It may take 100 to 1,000 years for 1 cm of soil to form through weathering. Soil also contains air, water, and humus, the decayed remains of dead animals and plants.
Soil can actually be separated into 5 main parts. They are:
Humus: A dark, moist soil composed of bits of dead, rotting insects, animals, leaves, roots, sticks, and food. Humus adds nutrients to the soil which plants need to grow and live.
Clay: A soil that holds water. When wet, clay feels slippery and slimy. It is made of particles that are smaller than 0.004 millimeters.
Silt: Soil that looks like fine grains or tiny pieces of rock. Particles classified as silt measure from 0.004 millimeters to 0.006 millimeters.
Sand: Soil that is coarse and drains quickly. Sand particles measure from about 0.006 millimeters to 2.00 millimeters.
Gravel: Visible rock particles, sometimes referred to as pebbles.
Practice Sites
Take the rocks and Minerals on-line quiz http://www.quia.com/quiz/282818.html?AP_rand=896134576
Click here to go back to the Interactive Lesson Page