IMO Practice Test — Rocks & Soil
6 Questions • 12 min • Olympiad level
12:00
Question 1 of 6
hard
A field left bare with no plants loses soil fastest when there is heavy…
Rain and wind
Sunshine
Moonlight
Quiet
Explanation: Bare soil is washed by rain and blown by wind.
Question 2 of 6
hard
Sandy soil lets water drain away quickly, while clay soil holds water. This shows soils differ in how they hold…
Light
Water
Sound
Colour
Explanation: Different soils hold water differently.
Question 3 of 6
hard
Tree roots help stop the soil from being washed or blown away. This is called preventing soil…
Painting
Cooking
Erosion
Lighting
Explanation: Roots hold soil and prevent erosion.
Question 4 of 6
medium
We test if a rock is hard by seeing if it can…
Make sound
Float
Melt in the hand
Scratch a softer surface
Explanation: Harder rocks can scratch softer ones.
Question 5 of 6
hard
Why is a thin layer of soil so precious?
It took thousands of years to form
It is shiny
It is light
It is man-made
Explanation: Soil forms extremely slowly, so it is precious.
Question 6 of 6
hard
Why do we say rock is a natural material?
It forms in nature, not in a factory
It is grey
It is heavy
People build it
Explanation: Rock forms naturally in the Earth.