Learn how igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks form. As you watch, record any observations that help you answer the Guiding Question.

Question

1
According to the movie, rocks themselves don’t change. Instead, rocks change over millions (and billions) of years. What does this mean?

A
Without human activity, a given rock can only change form once

B
The rock cycle would occur the same way on any other planet

C
Rocks are constantly changing, but it usually occurs too quickly for us to see

D
Outside forces like water, heat, and pressure are required for rocks to change form
2
Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. Not all answer choices will be used.

Melted rock that forms in the Earth’s
is called
. When it breaks through Earth’s surface, as in a volcanic eruption, it is called
. The liquid eventually cools and hardens, forming
rock.

3
Identify the youngest (newest) rock in the diagram above.

A diagram showing a cross-section of a volcano. The volcano has a stream of magma moving upwards, through its center. One of the deepest rock layers in the volcano is labeled "A," the magma inside the volcano is labeled "B," the outermost portion of the volcano nearest the top is labeled "C," and slightly farther from the top is labeled "D."

A
A

B
B

C
C

D
D
4
Rocks on Earth’s surface are broken down in a process called weathering. Which three forces are responsible for most weathering?

Heat

Water

Wind

Pressure

Living things
5
Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. Not all answer choices will be used.

An illustration of a flowing river. On the right, there are 3 inset boxes in a column. From top to bottom, each box shows sediment becoming more compressed over time.
This image shows how
rocks form. During this process, tiny pieces of weathered rock settle at the bottom of the ocean due to
. The
on the bottom layers eventually compresses them into a new rock.

6
Place the events in order to show how a rock can transform from igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic.

Match answers from the answer bank with the items in the list. Use the arrow keys to select an answer and press space when you're ready to drag it to a new location. Then use the arrow keys to move the answer to a response area and press space to drop it.
Step 1 (igneous rock forms)
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4 (sedimentary rock forms)
Step 5
Step 6 (metamorphic rock forms)

Answer 1

Sure! Here's a structured approach to answering your questions about the formation of the three types of rocks and the rock cycle:

1

According to the movie, rocks themselves don’t change. Instead, rocks change over millions (and billions) of years. What does this mean?

Correct Answer: D. Outside forces like water, heat, and pressure are required for rocks to change form.

2

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. Not all answer choices will be used.

Answer Choices:

• mantle
• magma
• lava
• igneous

Complete Sentence: Melted rock that forms in the Earth’s mantle is called magma. When it breaks through Earth’s surface, as in a volcanic eruption, it is called lava. The liquid eventually cools and hardens, forming igneous rock.

3

Identify the youngest (newest) rock in the diagram above.

Correct Answer: B. B (The magma inside the volcano is the youngest/newest rock as it is the most recently formed material.)

4

Rocks on Earth’s surface are broken down in a process called weathering. Which three forces are responsible for most weathering?

Correct Answers:

• Water
• Wind
• Living things

(Heat and pressure are more involved in rock transformation than in the weathering process itself.)

5

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. Not all answer choices will be used.

Answer Choices:

• sedimentary
• compaction
• pressure

Complete Sentence: This image shows how sedimentary rocks form. During this process, tiny pieces of weathered rock settle at the bottom of the ocean due to sedimentation (note: term not listed). The pressure on the bottom layers eventually compresses them into a new rock.

6

Place the events in order to show how a rock can transform from igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic.

Order of Steps:

1. Step 1 (igneous rock forms) - Formation of igneous rock.
2. Step 2 - Weathering of the igneous rock.
3. Step 3 - Sedimentation of the weathered rock.
4. Step 4 (sedimentary rock forms) - Formation of sedimentary rock.
5. Step 5 - Burial and compression of sedimentary rock.
6. Step 6 (metamorphic rock forms) - Transformation into metamorphic rock.

By organizing the answers like this, you can have a clearer understanding of rock formation and the processes involved in the rock cycle. If you have further questions or if you need more clarifications, feel free to ask!