2. Rocks & The Rock Cycle Notes
I WANT TO ROCK!
Rocks & The Rock Cycle Notes

3. What is a Rock & why should we study them?
Rock: _______ of minerals, mineraloids, _____, and organic matter.
Evidence from _____ allows us to understand evolution of life on Earth.
mixture
glass
rocks

4. The Rock Cycle Heat & Pressure 1. Weathering 2. ______
Rocks are constantly ________ through the following processes:
1. Weathering ______
3. Compaction 4. Cementation
5. ______ Cooling
7. Crystallization
8. ______________
changing
Erosion
Melting
Heat & Pressure

5. Processes of the Rock Cycle
Weathering: Physical or ________ breakdown of rocks that form _________.
chemical
sediments

6. 1. physical: when _____ (rock) is worn away or broken down by _____, water, ___ or sand.
earth
wind
ice
Frost/ice wedging
Root/plant wedging
Wind

7. 2. chemical: when earth (rock) is broken down by being _____ with natural ________.
mixed
chemicals
Rain dissolving limestone
oxidation
Moss/lichen dissolving minerals

8. Quick Quiz
What is weathering? Physical or chemical breakdown of rocks that form sediments.

9. Erosion: _________ of _________ material.
movement
weathered

10. Movement of weathered material
Quick Quiz
What is erosion?
Movement of weathered material

11. pressure layers sediment stick rock
Compaction: when sediment layers build up due to erosion, ________ from the upper ______ push down on the lower layers causing smaller pieces of _________ to _____ together and form solid _____.
pressure
layers
sediment
stick
rock

12. soaks minerals natural sediments stick
Cementation: water ______ through soil and rock dissolving ________ in the rocks that make _______ cements. The natural cements cause the __________ to _____ together.
soaks
minerals
natural
sediments
stick

13. Quick Quiz What is the difference between cementation and compaction?
Compaction – pressure pushes on layers.
Cementation – dissolved minerals stick sediment together

14. heat melts semi-liquid
Melting: ____ from the earth _____ solid rock into __________ rock.
heat
melts
semi-liquid

15. lava above below surface hardens
Cooling: when magma or ____ (liquid rock) cools and _______. Cooling can happen ______ or ______ the earth’s _______.
lava
hardens
above
below
surface
lava
magma

16. magma crystals Faster smaller slower larger
Crystallization: as _______ or lava cools, _______ form in the rock. ______ cooling creates _______ crystals and ______ cooling creates ______ crystals.
crystals
Faster
smaller
slower
larger

17. As rocks (lava or magma) cool, ______ form.
Quick Quiz
As rocks (lava or magma) cool, ______ form.
Crystals

18. heat softens rock Pressure squeeze change shape make-up
Heat & Pressure: ____ from the inside of the earth _______ & can even melt the ____. ________ from earth’s layers _______ the rock. Melting & squeezing causes rocks to _______ ______ & can also change the ________ of the rock.
heat
softens
rock
Pressure
squeeze
change
shape
make-up

19. Rock Cycle Process Animations
Click on the link below to view animations of each rock cycle process (some are combined together, like weathering & erosion). To view the animations simply scroll over the process picture & name in the box and click on it.

21. Rock Types 1. Igneous Rocks magma How do they form?
Igneous rocks: form when _______ or lava cools and solidifies.
magma

22. Where do they form? below magma lava
Intrusive igneous rocks: form _____ ground when the ______ is forced upward toward the surface of the earth.
Extrusive igneous rocks: form as ____ cools.
below
magma
lava

23. large crystals How can I identify an igneous rock?
May have _____ mineral grains or _______ because magma cooled slowly.
example: granite
large
crystals

24. grains not visible example: obsidian
May have fine mineral ______ that are __________ because they cooled quickly. Appear glassy.
example: obsidian
not visible

25. May have small _____ or spaces in rock from ____ bubbles _______ during the cooling process.
example: pumice
holes
gas
trapped

26. 2. Sedimentary Rocks How do they Form? sediment pressed cemented
Sedimentary rocks: form when ________ (broken pieces of rock or organic material) become _______ or _________ together.
sediment
pressed
cemented

27. pre-existing remains older bottom first organisms
They can form from ___________ rocks.
They can form from the _______ of certain _________.
They form in layers with the _____ layers on the _______ because those sediments were deposited ____.
pre-existing
remains
organisms
older
bottom
first

28. Where do they form? underground
Sedimentary rocks form ___________, beneath layers of sediment.
underground

29. grainy rocks How can I identify a sedimentary rock? Looks ______
Often composed of pieces of other _____
grainy
rocks
Grainy Sedimentary Rock
Sedimentary Rock Made From Other Rocks

30. shells parallel May contain _____, fossils and other rock pieces
Often have distinct _______ layers
shells
parallel
Layered Gypsum
Coquina Limestone

31. changes temperature pressure 3. Metamorphic Rocks How do they form?
Metamorphic rocks: form from ________ in igneous, sedimentary or other metamorphic rocks that have been exposed to extreme ____________ and ________ or the presence of hot, watery fluids.
changes
temperature
pressure

32. Where do they form?
Beneath the earth’s _______.
surface

33. Schist (changed basalt)
How can I identify a metamorphic rock?
May be _____
shiny
Schist (changed basalt)
May be shiny

34. Gneiss (changed granite)
______ may be _______ and appear thin/_____
Layers
colored
wavy
Gneiss (changed granite)
Thin wavy layers

35. Might have _______. Usually square/rectangle shaped (________).
crystals
flattened
Marble
(changed limestone)
Flattened crystals