Name ___________________________________ Class ___________ Date _______
Rock Groups
Let’s hope you handle this assignment better than our “Rocker” above! You and each
member of your group will soon be experts on the three rock types; igneous, sedimentary or
metamorphic. Your group will be given one rock type at a time to study and become experts!
Work with your group to complete the following questions, tests and tables.
Type : Sedimentary Rocks
Origins of Sedimentary Rock
1. How does sedimentary rock form?
2. Where does sedimentary rock form?
3. What are strata?
Composition of Sedimentary Rock
1. What are clastic sedimentary rocks?
2. What are chemical sedimentary rocks?
3. What are organic sedimentary rocks?
4. How are clastic, chemical and organic SEDIMENTARY rocks alike? How are they
different? Answer using the Rock-Venn diagram for SEDIMENTARY ROCKS below.
Clastic
Chemical
Organic
5. Complete the table for SEDIMENTARY ROCKS below. Use hand lenses.
Name of rock
Texture
(Coarse or fine
grained)
Chemical, Clastic or
Organic
#1
#2
#3
6. In which form of sedimentary rock are you likely to find a fossil? ______________
______________ End SEDIMENTARY ROCKS ___________________
Rock Type: Igneous Rocks
Origins of Igneous Rock
1. How does igneous rock form?
2. What role does temperature play in the formation of igneous rocks?
3. What are intrusive igneous rocks?
4. What are extrusive igneous rocks?
5. How are intrusive and extrusive IGNEOUS rocks alike? How are they different? Answer
using the Rock-Venn diagram for IGNEOUS ROCKS below.
Intrusive
Extrusive
6. Complete the table for IGNEOUS ROCKS below. Use hand lenses.
Name of rock
Texture
(Coarse or fine
grained)
Rank of how fast
rock cooled (1-3)
Intrusive or Extrusive
#1
#2
#3
______________ End IGNEOUS ROCKS ___________________
Rock Type: Metamorphic Rocks
Origins of Metamorphic Rock
1. How does metamorphic rock form?
2. What roles do temperature and pressure play in the formation of metamorphic rocks?
3. What is contact metamorphism?
4. What is regional metamorphism?
5. What are foliated metamorphic rocks?
6. What are non-foliated metamorphic rocks?
7. How are foliated and non-foliated METAMORPHIC rocks alike? How are they different?
Answer using the Rock-Venn diagram for METAMORPHIC ROCKS below.
Foliated
Non-foliated
8. Complete the table for METAMORPHIC ROCKS below. Use hand lenses.
Name of rock
Are the crystals
aligned or not
Texture
(Foliated or Non-foliated)
#1
#2
#3
Critical Thinking!
9. The Appalachian Mountains (in the south eastern U.S. States) were formed by folding.
The piece of shale was found at the base of the Appalachian Mountains. It was dug or
blasted up to build a road. If this rock was near extreme heat and pressure within the
earth, what do you predict the shale rock would become as it progresses through
metamorphism? Explain your theory.
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