EARTH SCIENCE MIDYEAR EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100%
CORRECT ANSWER 2025/2026
Mineral - A solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.
Crystal - A substance in which the particles are arranged in an orderly, geometric, repeating pattern.
Atomic Number - The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
Atomic Mass - The average mass of all the isotopes of an element.
Isotope - Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
Rock - A naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals or organic matter.
Rock Cycle - A series of processes on the surface and inside Earth that slowly changes rocks from one
kind to another.
Igneous Rock - A type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below the surface.
Sedimentary Rock - A type of rock that forms when particles from other rocks or the remains of
plants and animals are pressed and cemented together.
Streak - The color of a mineral in powdered form.
Metamorphic Rock - A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat,
pressure, or chemical reactions.
Lithosphere - A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.
Atmosphere - A mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon.
Mantle - A layer between Earth's crust and the outer core.
, Inner Core - A dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of Earth.
Outer Core - A layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth.
Moho - The boundary between the earth's mantle and crust.
Pangea - A supercontinent containing all of Earth's land that existed about 225 million years ago.
Hardness - A measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched.
Luster - The way a mineral reflects light from its surface.
Fracture - The way a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way.
Cleavage - A mineral's ability to split easily along flat surfaces.
Bowen's Reaction Series - Shows the order of mineral crystallization and composition of rocks.
Kimberlites - Rare, ultrabasic rock where diamonds are found.
Hydrosphere - All the water at and near the surface of the earth, 97% of which is in oceans.
Biosphere - Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land,
water, and the atmosphere.
Geosphere - The solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle.
Asthenosphere - The soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats.
Isotasy - A state of balance where the crust/lithosphere is supported by the plastic upper mantle
(asthenosphere).
CORRECT ANSWER 2025/2026
Mineral - A solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.
Crystal - A substance in which the particles are arranged in an orderly, geometric, repeating pattern.
Atomic Number - The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
Atomic Mass - The average mass of all the isotopes of an element.
Isotope - Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
Rock - A naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals or organic matter.
Rock Cycle - A series of processes on the surface and inside Earth that slowly changes rocks from one
kind to another.
Igneous Rock - A type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below the surface.
Sedimentary Rock - A type of rock that forms when particles from other rocks or the remains of
plants and animals are pressed and cemented together.
Streak - The color of a mineral in powdered form.
Metamorphic Rock - A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat,
pressure, or chemical reactions.
Lithosphere - A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.
Atmosphere - A mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon.
Mantle - A layer between Earth's crust and the outer core.
, Inner Core - A dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of Earth.
Outer Core - A layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth.
Moho - The boundary between the earth's mantle and crust.
Pangea - A supercontinent containing all of Earth's land that existed about 225 million years ago.
Hardness - A measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched.
Luster - The way a mineral reflects light from its surface.
Fracture - The way a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way.
Cleavage - A mineral's ability to split easily along flat surfaces.
Bowen's Reaction Series - Shows the order of mineral crystallization and composition of rocks.
Kimberlites - Rare, ultrabasic rock where diamonds are found.
Hydrosphere - All the water at and near the surface of the earth, 97% of which is in oceans.
Biosphere - Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land,
water, and the atmosphere.
Geosphere - The solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle.
Asthenosphere - The soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats.
Isotasy - A state of balance where the crust/lithosphere is supported by the plastic upper mantle
(asthenosphere).
