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Name: _________________________
Class: __________________________
Grade 7 Unit 5: Planet Earth Study Guide
Topic #1 – Minerals
1. Define the following terms:
Minerals:
Crystals:
Lustre:
Colour:
Streak:
Fracture:
Cleavage:
Element:
Compound:
2. What is the Mohs Hardness scale? What does it measure? What is the scale? Give an
example of a soft mineral and a hard mineral.
Topic #2 – Rocks and the Rock Cycle
1. What are the 3 families of rock?
2. Describe how each of the 3 types of rock are formed.
a)
b)
c)
3. Define and/or describe the following terms:
Rock cycle:
Compost:
Humus:
Soil profile:
Topsoil:
3. Draw a picture of what a soil profile might look like. Make sure to label or
clearly show the materials found in each level.
Topic #3 – Erosion
1. Define and/or describe the following terms:
Erosion:
Weathering:
Sedimentation:
Mechanical Weathering:
Frost wedging:
Chemical Weathering:
Biological Weathering:
2. Give 2 examples of each of the following:
a) Mechanical Weathering:
b) Chemical Weathering:
c) Biological (physical) Weathering:
d) Biological (chemical) Weathering:
3. Give 1 example of something that would cause a sudden change and 1 example
of something that would cause a gradual change.
Topic #4 - The Moving Crust
1. Define and/or describe the following terms:
Earth’s crust:
Upper Mantle:
Lower Mantle:
Outer Core:
Inner Core:
Lithosphere:
2. Draw a picture of the layers of the Earth including the: upper mantle,
crust, lower mantle, lithosphere, inner core and outer core.
3. The theory of Continental Drift was thought up by a scientist named
Alfred Wegener. What does the theory state? What evidence did Wegener
discover to support his theory?
4. Explain and describe the process of seafloor spreading. Why does it
happen?
5. What does the theory of Plate Tectonics state?
6. Draw a picture demonstrating the difference between converging and
diverging plates.
7. Our best theory as to why the plates move is the convection currents in the
magma under the Earth’s crust. Explain this theory. How does it work?
Topic #5 - Earthquakes
1. Explain why earthquakes happen? What causes an earthquake to happen?
2. Scientists called _________________________, study earthquakes around the
world. Earthquakes are measured using an instrument called a
________________________. The scale which measures the strength of the
earthquake is known as the __________________ scale.
3. What is a seismic wave?
4. What are aftershocks? Why do they happen?
5. Name and describe the 3 types of seismic waves.
a)
b)
c)
6. Look at the following diagram. Label the 3 types of seismic waves shown.
Explain how you know which waves are which.
7. Draw a diagram showing the focus and the epicenter. Explain the difference
between both of them.
8. What is a fault?
9. Name and describe the 3 types of faults.
a)
b)
c)
Topic 6 – Volcanoes
1. Explain how volcanoes are formed.
2. Define and/or describe the following terms:
Vents:
Active:
Dormant:
3. Give 2 examples of famous volcanoes.
Topic #7 – Mountains
1. How are mountains formed?
2. Draw and describe the anticline and syncline.
3. Describe the process of thrust faulting.
4. How are Fault Block Mountains formed?
5. Describe the main differences between the Canadian and American Rockies.
6. How can you tell the approximate age of a mountain?
Topic #8 – Fossils
1. Why are fossils important?
2. How are fossils formed?
3. Why do bones become petrified?
4. Define and describe the following terms. Give 1 example of each:
Original remains:
Trace fossils:
Mould:
Cast:
Topic #9 – Geological Time

1. Define and/or describe the following terms:
Principle of superposition:

Relative dating:

Index fossil:

Half-life:

Radiometric dating:

2. Name the 4 main divisions within the Geological Time Scale.
Topic #10 – Fossil Fuels
1. Define and/or describe the following terms:
 Petroleum:

Fossil Fuels:

Bitumen:
Good Luck! Study Hard!!