The Rock Cycle

Which statement best defines a mineral according to Earth science?

• A naturally occurring, usually inorganic solid with a definite crystalline structure and chemical composition

• Any solid material formed by living organisms with a variable internal pattern

• A man-made crystalline substance with no fixed chemical makeup

• Any rock fragment that contains organic remains and dissolved gases

According to the lesson, which statement best defines a rock?

• A naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals that may also include organic matter

• Any solid piece of a single pure mineral with no other materials

• A man-made solid formed from melted glass and metals

• A loose collection of sand grains that has not been compressed

Which statement about rocks over time is supported by the material?

• Rocks are always changing through time

• Rocks remain chemically and physically identical forever

• Rocks only change when moved by humans

• Rocks change only during volcanic eruptions

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

DoK 3 — Strategic Thinking: A river cuts through a mountain range. Over time, pieces of rock are loosened on the slopes, carried by the river, and later settle in a lake on the valley floor. Put the named processes in the correct order for this scenario.

• Fragments settle and come to rest in the lake

• Deposition

• Rock is broken down on the mountain slopes

• Weathering

• Sediment is transported by the river to new places

• Erosion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Recall: Which phrase best describes how metamorphic rock forms according to the text?

• Buried rock changes under high temperature and pressure

• Surface rock weathers and erodes into sediments

• Magma cools slowly beneath Earth’s surface

• Lava cools quickly at Earth’s surface

Skill/Concept: Choose the correct term to complete the statement. When molten rock is underground it is called ____; when it reaches Earth’s surface it is called ____.

• underground molten rock

• molten rock

• molten rock at the surface

• magma

• general term for melted rock

• lava

A block of rock is buried deep underground. Which change is more likely if the rock is heated but does not fully melt?

• Forming metamorphic rock

• Becoming magma

• Turning into sedimentary rock

• Breaking into smaller pieces

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

Strategic Thinking: A geologist finds a rock made of compacted fragments of older rocks. It is named based on the size and type of its fragments. Which class and subtype best describe this rock?

• Igneous, intrusive

• Igneous, extrusive

• Sedimentary, clastic

• Sedimentary, chemical

Recall: Metamorphic rock forms when which process changes a rock’s texture and mineral content?

• Cooling and solidifying of magma

• Weathering and erosion at Earth’s surface

• High temperature and pressure within Earth

• Deposition and compaction of sediments

Match each rock type to a process that can directly form it, based on the rock cycle description.

• Alteration by heat and pressure

• Metamorphic rock

• Crystallization of magma or lava

• Igneous rock

• Lithification of deposited sediment

• Sedimentary rock