Rock Your World Trivia Quiz

Answer: basalt

Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock cools deep underground or on the Earth's surface. The word igneous means "fire" in Latin. Pumice is also an example of an igneous rock.

Answer: sandstone

Forces of nature such as ice, heat, wind or moving water break the rocks down into small pieces called sediment. Rivers carry the sediment to the sea where it sinks down to the seabed and becomes pressed together to form the rocks. The Grand Canyon in Arizona was carved by the Colorado River over millions of years. It is made of sandstone and is more than a mile (1.6 kilometers) deep.

Answer: gneiss

The Canadian Shield is made of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Gneiss, a metamorphic rock similar in appearance to granite, can be found in abundance here. The rocks which form the Canadian Shield are close to four billion years old. In fact, this region is one of the largest areas of metamorphic rocks on Earth.

Answer: quartz

Minerals come in all shapes and colors. The quartz in granite can be gray or white. Mica is black and feldspar is pink or white. On the Isle of Mull in Scotland, pink granite formations which were once below the Earth's surface are now visible due to the erosion of the Earth's outer layer. The granite appears pink in color because there is a lot of feldspar in it.

Answer: lava

Location is what differentiates magma and lava. Magma forms below the Earth's surface. When a volcano erupts, magma comes to the surface. What pours out is called lava, which eventually cools and hardens.

Answer: glass

Sandstone is quite interesting in that it is made up of tiny pieces of quartz, animal shells, and other minerals. Ayers Rock in Australia is made up of sandstone and is the world's largest freestanding rock. It is 1,140 feet (348 m) high and more than 2.2 miles (3.5 km) long.

Answer: basalt

The formation of these basalt columns happened naturally from volcanic eruptions that date back millions of years. Three periods of volcanic activity produced three layers of basalt formations: Lower, Middle, and Upper Basalts. The Middle formed the rocks of the Causeway.

Answer: pumice

Pumice is an igneous rock that is so light it can float on water. It is formed from bubbling lava. Due to its rough surface, pumice can be used as an abrasive for scouring and polishing. Pumice stones can be used to smooth rough areas on feet.

Answer: Elephant's Arch

If you've ever seen a picture of this arch you'll know exactly how it got its name. The arch part of the formation really does resemble the trunk of an elephant right down to the rock formation at the base of the trunk.

Answer: marble

The word marble is from the Greek word meaning "shining stone". Marble is composed of carbonate crystals that have metamorphized from sedimentary carbonate rocks such as limestone. The veins that appear throughout a piece of marble are due to mineral impurities.