100+ Best Geology Trivia Questions & Answers

Question: Which underwater neighborhood is famous for its rocky, sneaky hazards just below the surface?

Answer: Reef

Question: When it comes to studying rocks, who’s more into their ingredients than their vibes?

Answer: Chemical

Question: Which planet is basically a giant gassy balloon instead of a rocky ball?

Answer: Jupiter

Question: What slow-motion magic trick crumbles mighty rocks into dust over time?

Answer: Weathering

Question: "Geology" sounds fancy — but which ancient language gave it its name?

Answer: Greek

Question: What do you call nature’s time capsules: ancient creatures frozen forever in stone?

Answer: Fossils

Question: Which superhero element makes up most of water and about half of all rocks?

Answer: Oxygen

Question: Columbia isn’t just outerwear — it’s the capital of which U.S. state?

Answer: South Carolina

Question: Which U.S. state capital shares its name with that guy who sailed the ocean blue in 1492?

Answer: Texas

Question: Which fiery material gets thrown by a volcano like it’s hosting a bad-tempered cookout?

Answer: Lava

Question: If you’re separating pebbles from the good stuff in soil, what simple tool should you grab?

Answer: Sieve

Question: What frosty soil layer is like the freezer section of the Earth — frozen solid year-round?

Answer: Permafrost

Question: What farming tool basically plays peekaboo with seeds by covering them after sowing?

Answer: Harrow

Question: Which shiny rock sounds like it belongs on a magical wizard’s ring?

Answer: Feldspar

Question: When you slice into sedimentary rocks, what neat, cake-like layers do you spot?

Answer: Strata

Question: Which natural "sky fireworks" actually help fertilize soil by adding nitrogen?

Answer: Lightning

Question: If you love rocks so much you study their history and drama, what’s your field called?

Answer: Geology

Question: Which soil color screams, "I’m packed with juicy organic goodness!"?

Answer: Black

Question: Which icy, volcanic country in the North Atlantic looks like it was built by dragons?

Answer: Iceland

Question: What geological "missing puzzle piece" is a break in rock layers caused by erosion?

Answer: Unconformity

Question: Which gemstone rocks a gorgeous green hue — like Mother Nature showing off?

Answer: Green

Question: Which juicy duo of colors gives 'watermelon tourmaline' its sweet slice of fame?

Answer: Green and pink

Question: Which gemstone is so goth, it’s basically wearing a tiny black leather jacket?

Answer: Black

Question: Nature’s little green treasure: what color is peridot?

Answer: Green

Question: When you think sapphire, which royal color usually comes to mind?

Answer: Blue

Question: Which of these stones could basically headline a bling concert as the ultimate "precious" star?

Answer: Diamond

Question: Which dazzling gem plays dress-up in blue, orange, yellow, or even clear outfits?

Answer: Topaz

Question: The gemstones rhodochrosite and almandine are forever flirting with which rosy color family?

Answer: Pink

Question: Which bold blue gemstone looks like it belongs in an ancient pharaoh’s jewelry box?

Answer: Blue

Question: Which sparkly imposter can be polished to pass off as a diamond at a glance?

Answer: Diamond

Question: Which soil type is basically a rebel — no rock bits allowed, thank you very much?

Answer: Peat

Question: The mineral 'galena' is basically the VIP backstage pass to which heavy metal?

Answer: Lead

Question: What do you call the superheated goo simmering inside a volcano’s belly?

Answer: Magma

Question: Which dark, shiny volcanic rock looks suspiciously like it could be used as a villain’s mirror?

Answer: Obsidian

Question: What soft white rock makes the White Cliffs of Dover look like they’re straight out of a fantasy movie?

Answer: Chalk

Question: Which of these rocks is so tough and waterproof it could survive your worst Monday ever?

Answer: Marble

Question: Which tectonic plate chills between the Pacific Plate and the South American Plate, like the middle kid in a giant sibling rivalry?

Answer: Nazca Plate

Question: Which rock is the heavyweight champion of toughness on this list?

Answer: Granite

Question: What type of rock is just lava that cooled off and decided to harden up?

Answer: Igneous

Question: Which rock is so light and full of holes, it floats on water like a surprise party trick?

Answer: Pumice

Question: What’s the name for the ooey-gooey semi-molten rock hidden deep inside Earth’s mantle?

Answer: Magma

Question: If you’re exploring a natural cave, chances are you’re walking through which rock type?

Answer: Limestone

Question: Which crystal party trio (quartz, feldspar, and mica) team up to form this strong, sparkling rock?

Answer: Granite

Question: What’s the official name for nature’s slow but sneaky trick of wearing down rocks and soil?

Answer: Erosion

Question: When earthworms throw a party underground, what important job are they secretly doing?

Answer: Mix the nutrient

Question: In tundra land, what do you call the soil that’s basically in permanent freezer mode?

Answer: Permafrost

Question: In science class, what fancy 'L' word describes soil that’s a winning mix of sand, silt, clay, and some organic goodies?

Answer: Loam

Question: If you’re strolling through a leafy woodland, what earthy soil are you probably stepping on?

Answer: Brown soil

Question: What futuristic farming trick lets you grow plants without using a single scoop of soil?

Answer: Hydroponics

Question: Which soil type is the drama queen of poor drainage, holding water like it's saving it for a drought?

Answer: Clay soil

Question: Which of these is actually the proud name of a real soil type, not a fancy café?

Answer: Loam

Question: Which powerful natural process is the true sculptor behind America’s epic Monument Valley?

Answer: Erosion

Question: What name is given to the kind of rich, plant-loving soil that gardeners basically dream about?

Answer: Loam

Question: Which of these party crashers is NOT guilty of causing erosion?

Answer: Fire

Question: If you’re wandering through a taiga forest, which chilly soil type are you stomping on?

Answer: Podsol

Question: After two tough Ryder Cup losses, which European captain pulled off an epic comeback on US turf in 1995?

Answer: Bernard Gallacher

Question: In 1587, who was the very first baby born to English parents on American soil — basically the OG American?

Answer: Virginia Dare

Question: Who’s crowned the "Father of Geology," making rocks officially cool in the 18th century?

Answer: James Hutton

Question: In what groovy decade did scientists finally agree that continents actually move around like slow-motion bumper cars?

Answer: 1960s

Question: Who boldly floated the wild idea of continental drift back in 1912 — before it was cool?

Answer: Alfred Wegener

Question: Which rockstar geologist declared that the Earth's slow-and-steady changes have been happening forever?

Answer: Charles Lyell

Question: Which jaw-dropping natural wonder was carved out by the mighty Colorado River over millions of years?

Answer: Grand Canyon

Question: Who was the early 1800s fossil hunter that kicked off the dinosaur craze before it was trendy?

Answer: William Buckland

Question: Which brainy scientist cooked up the idea of the geologic time scale, making sense of Earth's crazy-long history?

Answer: Georges Cuvier

Question: In what year did Mount Vesuvius throw a fiery tantrum and bury Pompeii and Herculaneum forever in ash?

Answer: 79 AD

Question: Who discovered radioactivity and opened the door to using it for figuring out the age of rocks?

Answer: Marie Curie

Question: Which geologist in the 1960s pitched the groundbreaking idea that the seafloor was spreading apart like a cosmic zipper?

Answer: Harry Hess

Question: By mass, which element makes up a whopping 26% of Earth’s crust — basically holding the planet together?

Answer: Silicon

Question: What rare gemstone is found only at Mount Kilimanjaro — like a treasure hidden in plain sight?

Answer: Tanzanite

Question: What’s the not-so-glam name for the junk rocks that hang out with valuable metal ores like uninvited party guests?

Answer: Gangue

Question: Which bubbly rock is created when volcanic lava froths up like a lava latte?

Answer: Pumice

Question: The stunning gorge of Dovedale in Derbyshire was carved into which classic rock star of British geology?

Answer: Limestone

Question: What kind of volcano is a dramatic overachiever — steep, cone-shaped, and built from layers of ash?

Answer: Cinder volcano

Question: If someone spends their time analyzing rock layers to tell Earth’s story, what are they called?

Answer: Analyze rock samples

Question: What powerful word describes the heat energy we tap straight from Earth’s fiery core?

Answer: Geothermal energy

Question: If you spend your life studying rocks, what title do you proudly wear?

Answer: Geologist

Question: What type of rock forms the epic, layered walls of the Grand Canyon — basically nature’s cake slice?

Answer: Sedimentary

Question: What type of rocks are born when underground lava chills out and decides to solidify?

Answer: Igneous

Question: Which type of radiation do rocks sneakily emit, even when they’re just lying around?

Answer: Gamma

Question: On which continent will you find the legendary Great Rift Valley — a giant tear in Earth’s crust?

Answer: Africa

Question: What name is given to any naturally occurring chemical Earth generously provides — like nature’s pantry items?

Answer: Mineral

Question: How many times has Brazil snagged the World Cup trophy while playing on European turf?

Answer: Once

Question: Just eight elements make up a jaw-dropping what percent of Earth’s crust by mass?

Answer: 98%

Question: How much stronger is an earthquake that measures 6 on the Richter scale compared to one that’s a 5? (Hint: it’s not just a little shake.)

Answer: x 10

Question: After oxygen and silicon, which element is the third most abundant in the Earth’s crust by mass?

Answer: Aluminum

Question: Before diamonds were discovered all over the world, which country had the sparkle monopoly until 1725?

Answer: India

Question: Which gas shows up the most in the compounds that make up Earth’s crust — by mass?

Answer: Oxygen

Question: What’s the name of the hardness scale where Talc is a soft 1 and Diamond is a tough 10?

Answer: Moh's Scale

Question: By mass, which element takes second place as the most common on Earth?

Answer: Silicon

Question: What’s the sharp boundary called between Earth’s crust and mantle — like a backstage pass to the deep interior?

Answer: Moho

Question: Where in the solar system can you find the massive extinct volcano named Olympus Mons?

Answer: Mars

Question: Which two elements make up most of Earth’s inner core?

Answer: Iron and nickel