Name_____________________________
Date_______
#______
Rock Cycle Stations Lab
Station 1: Granitic Igneous Rocks
1. Observe the igneous rocks and record your observations. You may look at the rocks under the
microscope as well.
Rock Type
Crystal Size
Color
Uses/Other
Information
Pegmatite
Granite
Rhyolite
Obsidian
Pumice
2. How is cooling time related to crystal size?
3. Why do you think the pumice floats?
Station 2: Basaltic Igneous Rocks
4. What 2 metals are found in these rocks composition?
5. What type of chemical reaction do the two metals cause in these rocks? What does it look like?
6. What is an observation about the vesicular basalt? Why do you think it occurred?
Station 3: Weathering and Erosion
7. Define weathering, erosion, and deposition.
8. What are 3 types of weathering you see in the pictures and samples? Give examples of each.
9. What are 3 types of chemical you see in the pictures and sample? Give examples of each.
Station 4: Sediments
10. List the 6 sediment sizes in order from smallest to largest. You may look at samples under the
microscope.
Station 5: Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
11. What are the differences between breccia and conglomerate rocks?
Breccia
Conglomerate
12. What do clastic sedimentary rocks form from?
13. Feel the sandstone samples. Describe your observations.
14. What 2 grain sizes is shale rocks composed of?
15. What 2 observations can you make about the shale samples?
Station 6: Organic Sedimentary Rocks
16. What are organic sedimentary rocks formed from?
17. Describe the bituminous coal. Pick it up, but DO NOT break apart!
18. Describe coquina.
Station 7: Chemical sedimentary Rocks
19. How are chemical sedimentary rocks formed?
20. What is a geode?
Station 8: Geologic History Clues
21. What are some of the clues to geologic history that can be observed in the following rocks?
Rock Sample Number
Geologic History Evidence
Shale #1
Shale #2
Shale #3
Station 9: Metamorphic Rocks
22. Record your observations for the following metamorphic rocks.
Type of Rock
Slate
Observations
Phyllite
Schist
Garnet Schist
Gneiss
Station 10: Metamorphic Monomineralic (1 Mineral) Rocks
23. Read the description of quartzite. Record your observations.
24. Compare the anthracite coal to the bituminous coal you observed at station 6.
25. Read the description of marble. Record your observations.