Layers of the Earth
What is the outer layer of the earth called?
The Crust
Which type of rock is formed from cooled lava or magma?
Igneous Rock
What is 'Weathering'?
The breakdown of rocks
What is 'Erosion'?
The movement of rock fragments or sediment from one place to another
In which type of rock are fossils most commonly found?
Sedimentary Rock
Name the 4 layers of the Earth
The crust, the mantle, the outer core, the inner core
Which type of igneous rock has large crystals and forms below Earth's surface?
Intrusive igneous rock
Name the process that transforms metamorphic rock back into magma.
Melting
Name the four things that may effect erosion.
Water, Wind, Ice and Gravity.
Describe one distinguishing feature of each rock type.
Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling of molten rocks; Sedimentary rocks are formed by the accumulation and lithification of sediments. Metamorphic rocks are caused by changes in rocks due to high heat and pressure.
What is the largest layer of the Earth?
What type of rock is formed under extreme pressure and temperature conditions deep within the Earth's crust?
Metamorphic Rock
Why are the crystals in intrusive igneous rocks bigger than the crystals in extrusive igneous rocks?
Because intrusive igneous rocks form underground where it is warmer and they solidify slowly. This gives the crystals longer to form, which means they have more time to grow large. Extrusive igneous rocks form above the surface where it is much cooler and they solidify quickly. This means that crystals do not have much time to grow and so they are smaller.
How can sedimentary rock transform into metamorphic rock?
Heat and Pressure
Which two factors affect the formation of metamorphic rocks?
Heat and Pressure
Explain why the Earth’s inner core is solid despite temperatures' there being hot enough to melt rock.
The inner core is under intense pressure, which keeps it solid despite high temperatures.
The holes in rocks such as pumice are caused by
Name the three types of weathering and give and example of each.
Chemical Weathering
(e.g. acid rain)
Biological Weathering
(e.g. roots growing into cracks)
Physical Weathering
(e.g. water breaking down rock,
heating and cooling causing rock fragments to flake off -onion skin weathering,
water freezing in cracks in rocks making the crack larger - ice-wedging, etc.)
What is the name of the process by which sedimentary rocks are formed from sediment?
Lithification (Or compaction and cementation together)
Describe how sedimentary rocks are formed, using the terms sediment and cementation in your response.
Pieces of rock are loosened by weathering, then transported to some basin or depression where sediment is trapped. If the sediment is buried deeply, it becomes compacted and cemented, forming sedimentary rock.
Name the four layers of the earth and if they are either a solid or a liquid.
The crust and the inner core are solid, whereas the outer core and inner mantle are liquid. The outer mantle is semi solid.
Molten rock in the mantle is called
Magma
Explain how a rock might start life as an igneous rock, become a sedimentary rock, change into a metamorphic rock, and then become an igneous rock again.
(Rock Cycle Diagram)
Describe the process by which igneous rock can become sedimentary rock.
Weathering and erosion break down the igneous rock into sediment, which is then compacted and cemented into sedimentary rock.
A rock that has visible pieces of shells in it, this rock is likely to be:
Limestone