Compare igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, fossil formation, permeability and soil horizons. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.
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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
2. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
3. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
4. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
5. Why does intrusive igneous rock like granite have large, visible mineral crystals, whereas extrusive basalt has tiny crystals: granite cooled slowly deep underground, giving crystals time to grow, or granite is made of sand?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
6. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
7. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
8. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
9. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
10. What is the difference between “weathering” and “erosion” of rocks: weathering is the breakdown of rock in place, whereas erosion is the wearing away and transport of rock fragments by water, wind or ice, or they mean melting?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
11. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12. Which rock group forms when existing rocks are changed by intense heat and pressure deep underground without completely melting (such as marble from limestone, or slate from shale): metamorphic rock or sedimentary rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Clay soil
Tiny clay particles have tiny pores that trap water and become sticky when wet and hard when baked dry.
2. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Pumice
Pumice forms from frothy lava rich in gas bubbles, giving it a density lower than water.
3. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Loam
Loamy soil combines the good drainage of sand with the moisture and nutrient retention of silt, clay and humus.
4. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Sandy soil
Sand grains are relatively large, creating wide pore spaces that drain water rapidly.
5. Why does intrusive igneous rock like granite have large, visible mineral crystals, whereas extrusive basalt has tiny crystals: granite cooled slowly deep underground, giving crystals time to grow, or granite is made of sand?
Granite cooled slowly deep underground, giving crystals time to grow
Slow cooling of magma underground allows large interlocking crystals to form; lava on the surface cools rapidly into tiny crystals.
6. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Humus
Humus retains moisture and supplies essential mineral nutrients to growing plant roots.
7. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Igneous rock
Igneous rocks crystallise from molten rock either underground (magma) or on the surface (lava).
8. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients
Earthworms aerate the soil, improve drainage and recycle organic matter into plant nutrients.
9. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary layers gently bury remains in mud or sand; the extreme heat of magma destroys fossils in igneous rock.
10. What is the difference between “weathering” and “erosion” of rocks: weathering is the breakdown of rock in place, whereas erosion is the wearing away and transport of rock fragments by water, wind or ice, or they mean melting?
Weathering is the breakdown of rock in place, whereas erosion is the wearing away and transport of rock fragments by water, wind or ice
Weathering breaks rock down in situ; erosion moves the loosened sediment away.
11. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Bedrock
Bedrock is the parent solid rock beneath loose soil and weathered regolith.
12. Which rock group forms when existing rocks are changed by intense heat and pressure deep underground without completely melting (such as marble from limestone, or slate from shale): metamorphic rock or sedimentary rock?
Metamorphic rock
“Metamorphic” means changed in form; heat and pressure recrystallise minerals into a denser rock.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
2. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
3. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
4. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
5. Why does intrusive igneous rock like granite have large, visible mineral crystals, whereas extrusive basalt has tiny crystals: granite cooled slowly deep underground, giving crystals time to grow, or granite is made of sand?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
6. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
7. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
8. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
9. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
10. What is the difference between “weathering” and “erosion” of rocks: weathering is the breakdown of rock in place, whereas erosion is the wearing away and transport of rock fragments by water, wind or ice, or they mean melting?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
11. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12. Which rock group forms when existing rocks are changed by intense heat and pressure deep underground without completely melting (such as marble from limestone, or slate from shale): metamorphic rock or sedimentary rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Clay soil
Tiny clay particles have tiny pores that trap water and become sticky when wet and hard when baked dry.
2. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Pumice
Pumice forms from frothy lava rich in gas bubbles, giving it a density lower than water.
3. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Loam
Loamy soil combines the good drainage of sand with the moisture and nutrient retention of silt, clay and humus.
4. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Sandy soil
Sand grains are relatively large, creating wide pore spaces that drain water rapidly.
5. Why does intrusive igneous rock like granite have large, visible mineral crystals, whereas extrusive basalt has tiny crystals: granite cooled slowly deep underground, giving crystals time to grow, or granite is made of sand?
Granite cooled slowly deep underground, giving crystals time to grow
Slow cooling of magma underground allows large interlocking crystals to form; lava on the surface cools rapidly into tiny crystals.
6. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Humus
Humus retains moisture and supplies essential mineral nutrients to growing plant roots.
7. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Igneous rock
Igneous rocks crystallise from molten rock either underground (magma) or on the surface (lava).
8. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients
Earthworms aerate the soil, improve drainage and recycle organic matter into plant nutrients.
9. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary layers gently bury remains in mud or sand; the extreme heat of magma destroys fossils in igneous rock.
10. What is the difference between “weathering” and “erosion” of rocks: weathering is the breakdown of rock in place, whereas erosion is the wearing away and transport of rock fragments by water, wind or ice, or they mean melting?
Weathering is the breakdown of rock in place, whereas erosion is the wearing away and transport of rock fragments by water, wind or ice
Weathering breaks rock down in situ; erosion moves the loosened sediment away.
11. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Bedrock
Bedrock is the parent solid rock beneath loose soil and weathered regolith.
12. Which rock group forms when existing rocks are changed by intense heat and pressure deep underground without completely melting (such as marble from limestone, or slate from shale): metamorphic rock or sedimentary rock?
Metamorphic rock
“Metamorphic” means changed in form; heat and pressure recrystallise minerals into a denser rock.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification