ESGT 2012 – Rock Cycle Online Activity
Directions:
Go to Firefox à Preferences à Content à Allow pop ups
Go to DrShepard.Wikispaces.com and click on the “Rock Cycle” link
(http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0602/es0602page01.cfm?chapter_no=investigation)
1. Pg. 1 Describe the four processes that the examples show
2. Use the interactive rock cycle diagram to answer the following questions
- The formation of igneous rock is shown as what on the diagram? Is this the only way igneous rock forms?
- Double click on the flashing lava and answer the following question. What do gases bubbling in cooling lava cause?
- Sediment is produced by what process?
- Double click on the cloud to open up the map. Click on each red spot on the map. Describe what is occurring at each site on the map
Site / Description / Forces acting on rock
Glaciated valley
River Valley
Sea Cliffs
Desert monuments
Sand dunes
Underground cavern
3. Double click on the blinking river to see the inset. Describe the transport of sediments in a river. Make sure to include observations about any relationship you see between sediment size and where it is in the water column.
4. Double click on the blinking sediments to see the inset. What is responsible for sediments “falling” out of the water column? Think about what forces are acting on the sediment that keep it moving and what forces are acting on the sediment that has it settle out on the bottom.
5. Describe the relationship you will see between sediment size and where it is found in relation to the shore.
6. Double click on sediments to see inset. Describe what is meant by cementation?
7. How is compaction different than cementation?
8. Double click on flashing rock being drawn between plates to see inset. In metamorphism, what two forces act on rocks to change them?
9. Describe what happens to the minerals in metamorphic rock?
10. What does foliated mean?
11. What is the name of the foliated rock shown in the example?
12. What happens to rock that is dragged deeper into the crust/mantle?
13. Sketch this diagram from Pg.3 of the website at the end of the worksheet. Go back to step 2, and put the name of each process illustrated in the animation on the appropriate arrow.
Keep in mind that the example on the previous page didn't show all the ways rocks move through the rock cycle. For instance, igneous rocks can become metamorphic rocks without reaching Earth's surface or becoming sedimentary rocks. Another variation from the example is that any type of rock can become a new rock of the same type.
14. Use your own words to describe the sequence of processes that result in igneous rocks. Describe a specific example of a sedimentary rock becoming an igneous rock.
15. Use your own words to describe the sequence of processes that result in sedimentary rocks. Describe a specific example of a sedimentary rock becoming a new type of sedimentary rock.
16. Use your own words to describe the sequence of processes that result in metamorphic rocks. Describe a specific example of a sedimentary rock becoming a metamorphic rock.
Draw your diagram below: