Geology & Earth Science Crossword Puzzles

Geology and Earth Science crossword puzzles challenge players to think about natural processes, geological formations, minerals, and the many forces that shape the Earth. From volcanoes and earthquakes to rock types and weather patterns, each puzzle helps deepen our understanding of Earth’s structure and the dynamic processes that happen beneath our feet.

Test your knowledge about the geology, the scientific study of the Earth's structure, composition, processes, and history including rocks, minerals and how earth is formed. So get your thinking caps on and start solving some geology related crossword puzzles today!

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Earth & Lithosphere crossword puzzle
Earth & Lithosphere

split into two regions; center of earth, theory, most widely held by scientists, of how earth's magnetic field is generated, uppermost layer of earth, …

Planet Earth: Caves crossword puzzle
Planet Earth: Caves

what are the things that look like stalactite-like formations known as?, the water in the villa luz cave is white because it contains _ , the cave of …

Rocks and Minerals Review crossword puzzle
Rocks and Minerals Review

how easily a mineral can be scratched, the color of the powder left when a mineral is rubbed on a white tile, melted rock deep inside the earth, how …

General Geology crossword puzzle
General Geology

all of the present-day continents were once part of a single supercontinent called, reflects the changing intensity of the vibrations by responding to …

Ocean Temperature, Salinity, & Acidification crossword puzzle
Ocean Temperature, Salinity, & Acidification

ocean _ refers to the warmth or coldness of ocean water, which varies by depth, location, and time of year, the top layer of the ocean is warmer due …

Earth and Materials crossword puzzle
Earth and Materials

part of the earth that we walk on, specific type of rock that form by smaller bits of other rocks get stuck together, a type of rock that absorbs …

Volcanoes and Earthquakes crossword puzzle
Volcanoes and Earthquakes

a boundary where two plates move away from each other, a volcano that is unlikely to erupt ever again, lava that is low in viscosity and high in …

Rocks and Minerals crossword puzzle
Rocks and Minerals

person who studies rocks and minerals, most minerals are only one _ , melted rock that flows onto earth's surface, nonliving material made of one or …

The Rock Cycle crossword puzzle
The Rock Cycle

the process of moving the broken pieces of rock, type of rock formed by heat and pressure, type of rock formed from sediment, or broken-down rocks, …

Mining crossword puzzle
Mining

hard, precious gem often mined from deep within the earth, valuable metal often extracted alongside other minerals, large hole dug for mining or …

Rock Cycle crossword puzzle
Rock Cycle

the process of eroding by wind, what is formed by deposition, what is a rock that transform by heat or pressure, what are the metamorphic process, …

Earths Tectonics crossword puzzle
Earth's Tectonics

greek meaning weak. part of earth’s upper mantle, 7 largest areas of land of earth’s crust, currents caused by heat exchange, place where rifts …

Rock and Minerals crossword puzzle
Rock and Minerals

the process in which sediment or particles get moved away and broken down, what is formed by deposition, what is a rock that transform by heat or …

Earth Science crossword puzzle
Earth Science

most abundant element in the universe, high silica lava, where tectonic plates meet, largest layer of the earth, crust and upper mantle, separating …

Cave crossword puzzle
Cave

a compound that reacts with materials by breaking it away, changing or adjusting to an environment, a calcium based mineral found in limestone. cave …

Earth and Atmosphere crossword puzzle
Earth and Atmosphere

_ sink, areas of vegetation, the ocean or the soil which absorb or store carbon, movement of rock by water, ice or wind, layers of sedimentary rock, _ …

Earths Layers crossword puzzle
Earth's Layers

waves of energy caused by earthquakes and other rock movement, the outer layer is similar to the skin of an _ , the solid layer made of iron and …

Tectonic Plates and Earth Layers crossword puzzle
Tectonic Plates and Earth Layers

formed by layered crust, happens with in the earth, with in the earth layers, what we stand on today, combing, plates subtracting, records down the …

Earthquake crossword puzzle
Earthquake

the shaking of the earth due to the movement of the crustal plates, this is where the earthquake originates, the area directly above the focus, this …

The Rock and Fossil Record crossword puzzle
The Rock and Fossil Record

fossils can show evidence of climate _ , hardened tree sap is called _ , the _ eon is the most recent eon in the earth's history, scientists have used …

Hydrosphere crossword puzzle
Hydrosphere

the property of water that allows objects to sink even big ships, the water that contains salts and minerals, the water that can be found in glaciers …

Volcanoes crossword puzzle
Volcanoes

an _ , or dead volcano is a volcano that is unlikely to ever erupt again, volcanic _ can be quiet or explosive, _ is a material found in magma that …

Geological Time Scale crossword puzzle
Geological Time Scale

dinosaurs died out, the longest unit of time of the geological time scale is the, an event or a time marked by an event that begins a new period or …

Climate of Earth and Earths Interior crossword puzzle
Climate of Earth and Earth's Interior

the outer part of the magnetic field that interacts with these particles, in this layer, the effects of temperature outweigh the effects of pressure, …

Earthquake and Faults crossword puzzle
Earthquake and Faults

_ scale is used to measure the intensity of an earthquake, a device used by the ancient chinese to detect the direction of the earthquake, a person …

Fossils crossword puzzle
Fossils

genus elrathia is commonly known as, the remains of the activity of an animal, such as preserved trackways, footprints, fossilized egg shells, and …

Landscape Features crossword puzzle
Landscape Features

a water less, often sandy, desolate area of land with little vegetation, a large area covered mainly with trees, a natural hollowed-out underground …

Rocks crossword puzzle
Rocks

what igneous rock is great for climbing?, what type of sedimentary rock forms under water?, metamorphic rocks that are made of thin layers of minerals …

Geological Processes crossword puzzle
Geological Processes

elevated landforms with steep sides that are higher than hills and often formed by tectonic forces, low-lying areas between mountains or hills, often …

Earthquakes crossword puzzle
Earthquakes

An earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves.

About Geology & Earth Science Crossword Puzzles

This collection of crossword puzzles is all about the fascinating world of geology and earth science. Each puzzle covers different topics like rocks, minerals, volcanoes, fossils, earthquakes, and layers of the Earth. Some puzzles are easy for beginners, while others are a little more challenging for those who already know a lot about earth science.

Each crossword includes clues that are clear and simple, making it easy for learners of all ages. They are great for classroom activities, homework, or just a fun way to spend time while learning.

Whether you’re a young explorer, a science enthusiast, or a teacher looking for a creative way to teach earth science, this collection is a perfect match.

Topics and Categories

Here are some of the topics that you may find in this crossword puzzle collection.

Minerals and Rocks

  • Types of Rocks: Clues related to igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks (e.g., granite, limestone, shale).
  • Rock Forming Minerals: Common minerals like quartz, feldspar, mica, calcite.
  • Properties of Rocks and Minerals: Hardness, cleavage, luster, streak, and color.
  • Mineral Groups: Silicates, carbonates, oxides, sulfides.

Plate Tectonics

  • Tectonic Plates: Names of the Earth's major tectonic plates, such as the Pacific Plate, Eurasian Plate, and African Plate.
  • Plate Movements: Divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.
  • Geological Features: Mountains, trenches, rift valleys, and volcanoes formed due to tectonic activity.

Volcanology

  • Volcanic Terms: Types of volcanoes (shield, composite, and cinder cone), eruption styles, magma vs. lava, pyroclastic flows.
  • Volcanic Activity: Terms like “eruption,” “lava flow,” “crater,” and “mantle plume.”

Geological Time Scale

  • Eras, Periods, and Epochs: Clues related to geological time, such as Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras, and their sub-periods like Jurassic and Cambrian.
  • Important Events: Extinction events (e.g., Permian-Triassic Extinction), fossil development, or significant geological events.

Earth’s Internal Structure

  • Layers of the Earth: Core (outer and inner), mantle, crust.
  • Physical Properties: Terms like lithosphere, asthenosphere, and mesosphere.
  • Geothermal Gradient: Heat transfer within the Earth’s interior.

Hydrology and Oceanography

  • Water Cycle: Terms related to the movement of water, like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.
  • Ocean Terms: Deep ocean trenches, mid-ocean ridges, and the hydrological properties of oceans (currents, tides).
  • Aquifers and Groundwater: Concepts like aquifer, artesian well, and groundwater flow.

Weathering and Erosion

  • Physical Weathering: Freeze-thaw, abrasion, and thermal expansion.
  • Chemical Weathering: Oxidation, hydrolysis, carbonation.
  • Erosion and Sediment Transport: Wind erosion, water erosion, glaciers, and sedimentary deposition.

Fossils and Paleontology

  • Fossil Types: Body fossils, trace fossils, and microfossils.
  • Fossilization Process: Mineralization, carbonization, amber preservation.
  • Important Fossils: Famous fossils like Archaeopteryx, trilobites, and ammonites.

Seismology

  • Earthquakes and Waves: Primary (P) waves, secondary (S) waves, surface waves, magnitude, epicenter.
  • Seismic Zones: Areas of active seismic activity like the Ring of Fire.

Geohazards

  • Natural Disasters: Tsunamis, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.
  • Mitigation and Safety: Earthquake-resistant buildings, early warning systems.

Geological Survey and Mapping

  • Surveying Tools: Compass, clinometer, GPS.
  • Topography and Cartography: Contour lines, relief maps, geologic maps, and how to read them.

Geochemistry

  • Chemical Elements: Clues about the chemical elements found in rocks, minerals, and soils (e.g., oxygen, silicon, iron).
  • Geochemical Processes: Hydrothermal systems, oxidation/reduction reactions, and geochemical cycles.

These crossword puzzles not only test one’s knowledge of geology and Earth sciences but also provide an enjoyable way to dive deeper into various Earth-related topics, from rock types to volcanic activity.

How to Download Crossword Puzzles?

  • Click on any of the puzzle from the list.
  • Print or download on letter-size paper or A4 size paper.

How to Edit?

You can create your own Crossword Puzzles, by starting from scratch or by editing the existing puzzle (click on the "Edit" button in puzzle details page). You can edit the title, header, font style, clues font size, and words list. You also have the ability to shuffle questions and puzzle size.