There are three types of rock on Earth: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Some things on Earth are different because of the way they look or feel. Rocks come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, though, so we can't use the way they look to tell the difference.
The thing that makes each type of rock different is the way it is made. One is made when hot lava cools down and hardens. One is made when sand or other small pieces get stuck together. One is made when a rock gets buried deep and heated up a lot. Let's find out which is which!
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Igneous rock forms when hot lava cools and hardens. This can happen in many different places on Earth, but one of the most common places is at a volcano. Some igneous rocks are smooth and others are rough, depending on where they're made.
Igneous rock can be all sorts of colors and textures. Some igneous rocks are dull and boring, but others are beautiful! The rock shown is called granite. You may have seen statues or monuments made of granite because it so strong.
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Sedimentary rock is made differently than igneous rock. Instead of lava cooling, sedimentary rock is made when sand or other small pieces get stuck together. When pieces of sand get stuck together, it forms a rock called sandstone, which you can see in the picture. Pieces of sand start to pile on to each other and get stuck together when they are mixed with some water. It's basically like the pieces of sand get glued together!
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The third type of rock is called metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rock is made when either igneous rock or sedimentary rock gets buried really deep in the Earth. Since it is buried so deep, it also gets heated up.
The weight of the earth above it and the heat cause the rock to change. This can sometimes make rocks that look really interesting or have very bright colors, like the rock shown, which is called fuchsite. It sometimes takes millions of years to form metamorphic rocks.
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There are three types of rock. Igneous rock is made when hot lava cools and hardens, and sedimentary rock is made when sand or other pieces get stuck together. The third type of rock, metamorphic, is made when another rock gets buried and changed.
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In this activity, you'll check your knowledge regarding the types of rocks.
For this activity, identify whether the highlighted rock is an igneous rock, metamorphic rock, or sedimentary rock. To do this, you must right-click and print this page. With a pencil and an eraser, neatly write your answers in the blank space provided.
_______________ 1. Adakites are volcanic rocks that formed through the partial melting of basaltic rocks.
_______________ 2. Marble is composed of carbonate minerals exposed to high temperatures and pressures.
_______________ 3. Gritstone is a sandstone composed of coarse grains of sand.
_______________ 4. The slow cooling of iron-rich magma deep beneath the Earth's surface produces gabbro rocks.
_______________ 5. Obsidian is a naturally-occurring rock derived from lava that cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth.
_______________ 6. Mudstone is a fine-grained rock whose original constituents were piled-up clay or mud.
_______________ 7. A whiteschist is a rare rock that forms at high to ultra-high pressures.
_______________ 8. Some volcanic eruptions in Iceland expelled trachyandesitic magma, which cooled down to form trachyandesites.
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