Small Extra Questions and Answers
Define the following:
● Crust ● Mantle ● Core ● Fossils ● Minerals ● Rock Cycle
Answer:
Crust- The uppermost layer over the earth’s surface is called the crust.
Mantle-
Core- The innermost layer of the earth is called core. It is mainly made up of
nickel and iron.
Fossils- The remains of the dead plants and animals trapped in the layers of rocks
are called fossils.
Minerals- Minerals are naturally occurring substances which have certain physical
properties and definite chemical composition.
Rock Cycle – One type of rock changes to another type under certain conditions
in a cyclic manner. This process of transformation of the rock from one to another
is known as the rock cycle.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. How are minerals useful to mankind?
Answer: Minerals are useful to humankind in the following ways:
• Some are used as fuels. For example, coal, natural gas and petroleum.
• They are also used in industries – iron, aluminium, gold, uranium, etc, in
medicine, in fertilisers, etc.
2. What are the uses of rocks?
Answer: Uses of rocks
• The hard rocks are used for making roads, houses and buildings.
• Stones are used in many games. For example, seven stones (pitthoo),
hopscotch (stapu/kit kit), five stones (gitti).
3. What do you know about earth’s interior?
Answer: The earth is made up of several concentric layers with one inside
another.
Crust – The uppermost layer over the earth’s surface is called the crust. It is the
thinnest of all the layers. It is about 35 km. on the continental masses and only 5
km. on the ocean floors.
Mantle – Just beneath the crust is the mantle which extends up to a depth of
2900 km. below the crust.
Core – The innermost layer is the core with a radius of about 3500 km. It is mainly
made up of nickel and iron and is called nife. The central core has very high
temperature and pressure.
7. Write a note on various types of rocks?
Answer: There are three major types of rocks: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks
and metamorphic rocks.
Igneous rocks: When the molten magma cools, it becomes solid. Rocks thus
formed are called igneous rocks. They are also called primary rocks. There are two
types of igneous rocks: intrusive rocks and extrusive rocks.
• Extrusive igneous rocks – When molten lava comes on the earth’s
surface, it rapidly cools down and becomes solid. Rocks formed in such a
way on the crust are called extrusive igneous rocks. For example, basalt.
• Intrusive igneous rocks – Sometimes the molten magma cools down
deep inside the earth’s crust. Solid rocks so formed are called intrusive
igneous rocks. Granite is an example of such a rock.
Sedimentary rocks: Rocks roll down, crack, and hit each other and are broken
down into small fragments. These smaller particles are called sediments. These
sediments are transported and deposited by wind, water, etc. These loose
sediments are compressed and hardened to form layers of rocks. These types of
rocks are called sedimentary rocks. For example, sandstone is made from grains
of sand.
Metamorphic rocks: Igneous and sedimentary rocks can change into
metamorphic rocks under great heat and pressure. For example, clay changes into
slate and limestone into marble.
