Name:______________________________________________ Date:_________________ Period:______
Rock Identification Lab KEY
Rock
Sample
Type of rock
(circle one)
What two
processes formed
this rock?
Metamorphic
Example:
Conglomerate
Igneous
Intrusive
Compaction and
Cementation
Sedimentary
Limestone
Gneiss
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Banded
Non-banded
Intrusive
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Sedimentary
Banded
Non-banded
Metamorphic
Intrusive
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Sedimentary
Banded
Non-banded
Metamorphic
Intrusive
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Banded
Non-banded
Metamorphic
Obsidian
It is identified as
(circle one)
Igneous
Igneous
Igneous
Sedimentary
Cooling and
hardening
Compaction and
cementation
Heat and pressure
What characteristic(s)
would help you identify this
rock? Explain.
Where/how do you think this rock
formed?
I can see different colored
The rounded pebbles in this rock look like
rounded pebbles that are
they were smoothed in a river. I think that this
cemented together, this is a
rock formed on the bottom of a river as
characteristic of conglomerate
sediment built up and compacted and
rocks.
compressed it together.
It is glassy and black
Formed near a volcano, by lava cooling very
quickly
Fossils and it is a grayish color
I think that this rock formed when tiny sea
creatures died and their shells were compaction
and cementation
Gneiss has parallel layers or
bands and it is black and white
I think that this rock was granite that went
under extreme heat and pressure. Its grains
were pushed in to parallel layers.
Name:______________________________________________ Date:_________________ Period:______
Rock Identification Lab KEY
Rock
Sample
Type of rock
(circle one)
What two
processes formed
this rock?
Metamorphic
Granite
Mystery
Rock
1
Name:
Coal
Mystery
Rock
2
Name:
Marble
Mystery
Rock
3
Name:
Shale
It is identified as
(circle one)
Intrusive
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Sedimentary
Banded
Non-banded
Metamorphic
Intrusive
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Sedimentary
Banded
Non-banded
Metamorphic
Intrusive
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Sedimentary
Banded
Non-banded
Metamorphic
Intrusive
Extrusive
Organic
Nonorganic
Banded
Non-banded
Igneous
Igneous
Igneous
Igneous
Sedimentary
Cooling and
Hardening
Compaction and
Cementation
Heat and Pressure
Compaction and
Cementation
What characteristic(s)
would help you identify this
rock? Explain.
Where/how do you think this rock
formed?
This rock has large crystals and
is white, pink and black
This rock formed deep underground. It took a
long time to cool because it has large crystals
This rock is shiny and black
I think that this rock formed from compacted
plant matter from ancient swamps
This rock is white with some
grey, black and pink.
I think this rock formed when limestone was
put under intense heat and pressure deep within
the Earth.
This rock is grey with layers and
has fossils
I think that this rock formed when layers of silt
and clay were compacted and cemented.