Rocks and Fossils
Hard Rocks
Rocks are all different. Hard Rocks are hard to break, you can not scratch them easily. If you polish hard rocks they become smooth and shiny. Hard rocks are used for roof tiles, building, worktops and tools in the stone age. Examples of hard rocks are flint, marble and granite.
Soft Rocks
Soft Rocks are easy to break and you can scratch them easily and they may even crumble. Chalk and limestone are soft rocks. Chalk is good for writing with as it crumbles easily and leaves marks.
BBC Bitesize - What is a rock?Learn about what a rock is then test your knowledge with the interactive quiz.
Fossils
Fossils are found in some rocks. These are the remains of living creatures from millions of years ago. Then the animal died it got covered in layers and layers of mud and sand. This squashed the animal and all the soft bits rotted away leaving an imprint on the rock. This is a fossil.
BBC Bitesize - How are fossils made?Learn about the how fossils are made then test your knowledge with the interactive quiz.
BBC Bitesize - What can we learn from fossils?Watch the video to find out what we can learn about fossils.
Impermeable and Permeable Rocks
Permeable rocks ALLOW water to soak through. Usually soft rocks let water soak through making them crumble and disappear. Try pouring water on a piece of chalk.
Impermeable rocks DO NOT allow water to soak through. Hard rocks let the water runoff them. That's what makes them good for building and roofing.
BBC Bitesize - What is soil made from?Learn about soil and then test your knowledge with the interactive quiz.
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