8. A new national park has two caves that visitors can see. One cave is made of a different type of rock than the other one. Park rangers want to explain the difference to visitors.

Question

How could energy have played a role in the different rock types forming?

Responses

a
Energy changes rock on different continents in different ways. Each continent on Earth has different rock that might form liquid rock or small rock pieces when exposed to energy.
Energy changes rock on different continents in different ways. Each continent on Earth has different rock that might form liquid rock or small rock pieces when exposed to energy.

b
Energy caused one rock type to form, but not the other. Rock that forms because of energy is a different type of rock than rock that forms without energy.
Energy caused one rock type to form, but not the other. Rock that forms because of energy is a different type of rock than rock that forms without energy.

c
Energy from different sources leads to different types of rock. Energy inside Earth melts rock into liquid rock, but energy from the sun causes rock to weather into small pieces of rock.
Energy from different sources leads to different types of rock. Energy inside Earth melts rock into liquid rock, but energy from the sun causes rock to weather into small pieces of rock.

d
Energy changes rock in different ways, depending on the starting rock type. Energy changes igneous rock into liquid rock and changes sedimentary rock into small pieces of rock.

Answer 1

The most accurate response explaining the role of energy in the formation of different rock types is:

c
Energy from different sources leads to different types of rock. Energy inside Earth melts rock into liquid rock, but energy from the sun causes rock to weather into small pieces of rock.

This option correctly illustrates how energy plays a role in the rock cycle by distinguishing between the processes associated with igneous rocks (formed from molten rock) and sedimentary rocks (formed from the weathering and erosion of other rocks).