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Earth Systems Practice Tests

These Grade 7 Science practice tests build understanding of Earth's layers, spheres, minerals, rocks, rock cycles, plate tectonics, weathering, erosion, deposition, geologic time, and natural resources.

Skills covered

  • Describing Earth's layers and interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere
  • Identifying minerals, rock types, the rock cycle, and mineral properties
  • Explaining divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries
  • Distinguishing weathering, erosion, and deposition in surface processes
  • Using fossils, layers, resources, and multiple lines of evidence to interpret Earth history

How to use these practice tests

For each question, identify the Earth layer, material, or process involved. Then connect the evidence to the movement of matter and energy over the time scale described.

For more Grade 7 Science practice, return to the Grade 7 Science category.

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Grade 7 Earth Systems Practice Tests

Practice Grade 7 Science Earth Systems questions about Earth layers, minerals, rocks, plate tectonics, surface processes, geologic time, and resources.

Choose the best answer for each question. Review the explanation after submitting your answers.

10 Questions
0/10 Questions0 %
Correct 0
Incorrect 0
Unanswered 10
1. QuestionMultiple choice

What is a mineral?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is A naturally occurring inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and crystal structure.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Minerals form naturally, are inorganic, have ordered crystal structures, and have characteristic compositions.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Minerals form naturally, are inorganic, have ordered crystal structures, and have characteristic compositions.

2. QuestionMultiple choice

What is a rock?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is A naturally formed solid mixture or mass of one or more minerals or mineraloids.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Rocks are solid Earth materials that can contain one or more minerals and form through geologic processes.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Rocks are solid Earth materials that can contain one or more minerals and form through geologic processes.

3. QuestionMultiple choice

How do igneous rocks form?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is When molten rock cools and solidifies.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Igneous rocks form from cooling magma underground or lava at the surface.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Igneous rocks form from cooling magma underground or lava at the surface.

4. QuestionMultiple choice

How do sedimentary rocks form?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is When sediments are deposited, compacted, and cemented, or when materials precipitate.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Sedimentary rocks form from accumulated sediments or materials deposited from water or other processes.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Sedimentary rocks form from accumulated sediments or materials deposited from water or other processes.

5. QuestionMultiple choice

How do metamorphic rocks form?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is When existing rocks change because of heat, pressure, or chemically active fluids without melting completely.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Metamorphism changes minerals and textures under heat and pressure while the rock remains solid.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Metamorphism changes minerals and textures under heat and pressure while the rock remains solid.

6. QuestionMultiple choice

What is the rock cycle?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is The set of processes that changes rocks from one type to another over time.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Melting, cooling, weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, cementation, heat, and pressure connect rock types.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Melting, cooling, weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, cementation, heat, and pressure connect rock types.

7. QuestionMultiple choice

Which property describes how a mineral reflects light?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is Luster.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Luster is the way a mineral surface reflects light, such as metallic or glassy.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Luster is the way a mineral surface reflects light, such as metallic or glassy.

8. QuestionMultiple choice

Which mineral property measures resistance to scratching?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is Hardness.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Hardness is tested by comparing which material can scratch another material.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Hardness is tested by comparing which material can scratch another material.

9. QuestionMultiple choice

What is streak?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is The color of a mineral's powder.

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: A streak test reveals the powder color of a mineral and can be more reliable than surface color.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

A streak test reveals the powder color of a mineral and can be more reliable than surface color.

10. QuestionMultiple choice

Why is color alone often an unreliable way to identify a mineral?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is Different minerals can have similar colors, and one mineral can occur in several colors..

  1. Identify the Earth-system process: Determine whether the question involves Earth layers, rocks, minerals, plate movement, surface processes, resources, or geologic time.
  2. Connect the evidence: Other properties such as hardness, streak, luster, and cleavage provide stronger identification evidence.
  3. Check the system interaction: Earth materials and processes interact over time, so connect the observation to the layer, cycle, force, or surface change involved.

Other properties such as hardness, streak, luster, and cleavage provide stronger identification evidence.

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