Rock Transformations

Dr. Bayul studies rock formations all over the world. She is working on a study of two rock formations. The information from the study is as follows:

• Rock A formed from liquid rock.

• Rock B formed from small pieces of rock in a different place.

• Rocks A and B formed at about the same time. 

Are Rocks A and B the same or different types of rock?

• The rocks are the same type because they both formed from rock material.

• The rocks are different types because they formed in different places.

• The rocks are the same type because they formed at the same time.

• The rocks are different types because they are formed in different ways.

Stonemasons work with rock, cutting it into shapes to use for building. One stonemason was unloading a new delivery of rocks and noticed that the delivery contained two different types of rock.

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

• 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 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.

• 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 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.

Sandra takes a class field trip to a geology museum. She sees an interesting sample of igneous rock. She wonders if the material in this rock sample could have come from a sedimentary rock formation at Earth’s surface millions of years ago. Is this possible? Can sedimentary rock change into igneous rock?

• Yes, if sedimentary rock is exposed to energy from the sun at Earth’s surface for a long enough time, it can melt into liquid rock and form igneous rock.

• No, igneous rock forms under Earth’s outer layer due to energy from Earth’s interior, but sedimentary rock is only at Earth’s surface.

• Yes, if sedimentary rock is moved below Earth’s outer layer and exposed to energy from Earth’s interior, it can melt into liquid rock and form igneous rock.

• 
  No, igneous rock can only form out of other igneous rock. Sedimentary rock cannot change into igneous rock.

Kendrick sees a display of rock samples at a museum. The information included in the display is as follows:

• ​Rock A formed from liquid rock. 

• Rock B formed from small pieces of rock in a different place.

• Rocks A and B formed at about the same time.

Are Rocks A and B the same or different types of rock?

• The rocks are different types because they formed in different ways.

• The rocks are the same type because they formed at the same time.

• The rocks are the same type because they both formed from rock material.

• The rocks are different types because they formed in different places.

Dr. Laszlo and his colleague Dr. Obasi are studying two different rock samples of different types of rock. How could energy have played a role in the different rock types forming?

• 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 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 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.

• 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.  

Luís is a rock collector. He thinks that the material from his favorite sedimentary rock in his collection might have been part of an igneous rock formation under Earth’s outer layer millions of years ago. Could Luís be correct?

• Yes, energy from Earth’s interior can cause igneous rock to break into small rock pieces that form sedimentary rock.

• No, sedimentary rock can only form out of material from other sedimentary rock. There is no way that sedimentary rock can form from material in igneous rock.

• Yes, if igneous rock is moved to Earth’s surface and exposed to energy from the sun, it could weather into small rock pieces that could form sedimentary rock.

• No, sedimentary rock forms at Earth’s surface because energy from the sun causes rock to weather, but igneous rock under Earth’s outer layer is not exposed to energy from the sun.

Lauren is comparing rocks from two different locations. She has the following information about the rocks:

• Rock A formed from small pieces of rock.

• Rock B formed from liquid rock in a different place.

• Rocks A and B formed at about the same time.

Are Rocks A and B the same or different types of rock?

• The rocks are different types because they formed in different places.

• The rocks are the same type because they both formed from rock material.

• The rocks are different types because they formed in different ways.

• The rocks are the same type because they formed at the same time.

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.

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

• 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 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 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 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.

On a geology field trip, Toccara’s class studies a sedimentary rock formation. Is it possible that material from this sedimentary rock could ever form igneous rock?

• Yes, if sedimentary rock is moved below Earth’s outer layer and exposed to energy from Earth’s interior, it can melt into liquid rock and form igneous rock.

• No, igneous rock forms under Earth’s outer layer due to energy from Earth’s interior, but sedimentary rock is only at Earth’s surface.

• Yes, if sedimentary rock is exposed to energy from the sun at Earth’s surface for a long enough time, it can melt into liquid rock and form igneous rock.

• No, igneous rock can only form out of other igneous rocks. Sedimentary rock cannot change into igneous rock.

A museum is creating a new geology exhibit about rocks from South America. The museum curator is working on the information labels for two different rock samples. The information on the labels is as follows:

• Rock A formed from small pieces of rock.

• Rock B formed from liquid rock in a different place.

• Rocks A and B formed at about the same time.

The curator wants to put information about rock type on the labels. Are Rocks A and B the same or different types of rock?

• The rocks are the same type because they both formed from rock material.

• The rocks are different types because they formed in different places.

• The rocks are the same type because they formed at the same time.

• The rocks are different types because they formed in different ways.