Rock, Country, or Metal? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rock

Diabase, also called dolerite, is an igneous rock that is dark in colour with a fine-grained texture, similar to basalt and gabbro. The primary difference between the three is the size of the crystals that comprise the rock and depends on the cooling process beneath the earth's surface. Diabase forms as magma cools, with basalt having smaller crystals, and gabbro having larger.

Another name for diabase/dolerite is microgabbro.

Answer: Rock

As noted with the description of diabase, gabbro is an igneous rock that is very similar, dark-coloured but more coarse. Because it forms deeper beneath the crust as it cools, its crystals are larger. Contrarily, basalt (which forms above the surface), is much finer-grained.

Both diabase and gabbro are used in construction, often as road-base gravel or for decorative purposes.

Answer: Rock

Scoria is an igneous rock that forms when lava cools quickly after erupting from a volcano. It can resemble a sponge, with lots of holes or cavities (formed from bubbles of gas), but is typically dark in colour. Often used as a decorative landscaping rock, you might know it as 'lava rock.'

Answer: Rock

Breccia is a type of sedimentary, or conglomerate rock. It generally looks like a collection of broken pieces of rock that have been glued back together in a natural cement. The fragments can be many different shapes and sizes, and can be sharp-edged or smooth.

Answer: Rock

Coquina is a kind of organic sedimentary rock, made up almost entirely of tiny shell fragments. In a similar way to breccia, which looks like different rocks glued together, coquina looks like a bunch of broken shells that have been cemented together to make a solid rock. Coquina is usually light-coloured and crumbly in texture, and, as you would imagine, is typically found in coastal areas.

Answer: Country

Officially the Union of the Comoros, this African country is comprised of three islands off the coast of Southeastern Africa in the Indian Ocean, about halfway to the northern tip of Madagascar at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel. With an area of 1,659 sq km (641 sq mi), Comoros is the 3rd-smallest African country.

Formerly a French colony, Comoros declared its independence in 1975. Its capital and largest city is Moroni, and the whole country's population is less than one million (per an estimate made in 2020).

Answer: Country

The Republic of Kiribati can be found in the Micronesia area of Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean. Its 32 atolls (and one raised coral island) are spread out over an area of nearly 3.5 million sq km (over 1.3 million sq mi), but its combined land area is only 811 sq km (313 sq mi). These islands are in three groupings, named the Gilbert Islands (16 atolls), the Phoenix Islands (eight atolls and two submerged coral reefs), and the Line Islands (eleven atolls... eight of which are part of Kiribati with three belonging to the United States).

A census in 2020 put Kiribati's total population at a mere 119,000 people, with over half of those living on the second-largest atoll, Tarawa, which is also the capital.

Answer: Country

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa, sharing borders with Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north, and Mozambique to the south and east. When the British colonized the region in 1891, they dubbed it the British Central African Protectorate, later renaming it to Nyasaland in 1907. It wasn't until it achieved independence (within the Commonwealth) in 1964 that it was renamed Malawi.

Malawi has an area of 118,484 sq km (45,747 sq mi) and a population estimated at over 21 million (as of 2024). Its capital and largest city is Lilongwe.

Answer: Country

The Republic of Nauru can be found in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 300 km (190 mi) west of Kiribati's Banaba Island. With an area of just 21 sq km (8.1 sq mi), Nauru is the 3rd-smallest country in the world, larger than only Monaco and Vatican City. It has a population of just under 12,000 (2023), making it the 3rd-smallest sovereign state, after Vatican City (under 1,000) and Tuvalu (under 11,000).

Originally populated by Micronesians, the island was claimed as a German colony in the late 1800s. After World War I it came under a League of Nations mandate, administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. During World War II it fell under Japanese occupation, after which it once again saw oversight, this time under a United Nations trusteeship. Nauru became an independent state in 1968.

In spite of its relatively diminutive stature, Nauru is a member state of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States.

Answer: Country

Located in the western Pacific Ocean in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania, the Republic of Palau is comprised of 340 islands, yet only 466 sq km (180 sq mi) of land area. Its water borders touch on the Federated States of Micronesia to the east, Indonesia to the south, and the Philippines to the northwest.

With a population of under 20,000 (2021 estimate), it is the fourth-smallest sovereign country in the world. Its largest city is Koror (on the island of the same name), but the capital city is Ngerulmud, located on the largest island of Babeldaob.

Palau has been 'held' by many larger countries over the years. It was part of the Spanish East Indies from the early 18th century, after which the Germans took control in 1885. They held it until 1914, at which point the Japanese took control during WWI. The Americans took it from the Japanese in 1944, maintaining control until it became a United Nations trusteeship in 1947. This lasted until Palau became part of the Federated States of Micronesia in 1979, but only for two years as the island group elected to become an independent nation just two years later in 1981.

Answer: Metal

Bismuth, with the symbol Bi and number 83 on the Periodic Table of the Elements, is a post-transition metal that is very distinct in appearance. It is a lustrous brownish silver that is typically accented by surface oxidation that causes it to have a rainbow effect. This metal is brittle, and when it cools and solidifies, it makes crystalline formations that appear like staircases or pyramids.

Bismuth is know for being non-toxic, and is commonly used in cosmetics, pigments, and even in fire extinguishers. And (I was surprised to learn), it is found in medical applications as well. Ever heard of Pepto-Bismol?

Answer: Metal

Erbium falls within the lanthanides on the Periodic Table of the Elements, with the symbol Er and atomic number 68. When isolated, erbium is a silver-white solid metal that shares chemical properties with its Group 15 companions, arsenic and antimony.

Erbium is considered a rare earth metal, and is sought after for its use in fiber-optic cables, where it helps amplify signals. It also has pink-coloured ions that are used in tinting glassware and ceramics.

Answer: Metal

Indium, with the symbol In and with atomic number 49 on the Periodic Table of the Elements, is one of the softest metals. A post-transition metal, indium silvery-white in colour, and shares chemical properties with its group members gallium and thallium. Discovered in 1863 through spectroscopics, it was named for the indigo blue line in its spectrum.

Indium is non-toxic, and has various uses, including in touchscreens, LCDs, and solar panels. It is translucent when applied in thin layers, yet still is able to conduct electricity.

Answer: Metal

With the symbol Mn and atomic number 25, manganese can be found among the transition metals on the Periodic Table of the Elements. It is a hard and brittle, silvery metal that is commonly used as a strengthening factor in alloys (such as stainless steel), and in dry cell batteries.

Answer: Metal

Named after Tantalus of Greek mythology, tantalum is a transition metal with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. It is a very hard, lustrous, blue-gray metal that is highly resistant to corrosion, is chemically inert, and has a high melting point. These features make it very useful in industries where materials need to be tough and reliable.

Tantalum is commonly used in electronics, especially in capacitors for smartphones and computers, and in medical implants. Another area that it is highly useful is in the aerospace industry.