Read the rock record

Follow the clues that show how rocks form and change.

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Igneous rock forms when molten material cools. Sedimentary rock can form from sediments that become compacted and cemented. Metamorphic rock changes through heat and pressure without melting. The rock cycle has many paths.

Worked example

Sand grains become sandstone through compaction and cementation. If rock melts and later cools, the new rock is igneous.

Three labeled rock types linked by cooling, sediment formation, and heat and pressure, with no single compulsory starting point.

Would you believe it?

Some pumice can float! Gas-filled spaces can make this volcanic rock less dense overall than water.

USGS: rocks that float

Question 1 In undisturbed sedimentary layers, where are older layers usually found? Below younger layers Always on top Only outside the stack

Question 2 Why say undisturbed? Rocks have no age All layers are the same age Folding or overturning can change positions

Question 3 A dike cuts across layers. Which is generally younger? Both must be simultaneous The intrusion that cuts them Every layer it cuts

Question 4 Why is metamorphism different from melting? The rock changes while remaining solid They are identical Metamorphism only changes location

Question 5 Why can pumice float initially? All rocks are lighter than water It contains a motor Gas-filled pores can lower its overall density

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