ASmall pieces of sand and mud pile up and get pressed together
BOld rocks get squeezed and heated until they change
CHot melted rock (magma or lava) cools down and hardens into solid rock
DWater freezes underground and turns into rock
Igneous rocks form from magma (melted rock underground) or lava (melted rock that reaches the surface). When this extremely hot liquid rock cools down, it hardens into solid igneous rock. 'Igneous' comes from the Latin word for fire. Granite and basalt are common igneous rocks.
Question 2 True / False
Nearly every rock on Earth was formed the same way.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
Rocks form in three very different ways: by cooling from melted rock (igneous), by layers of sediment being pressed together (sedimentary), or by heat and pressure changing an existing rock into a new type (metamorphic). The way a rock formed determines which of the three groups it belongs to.
Question 3 Short Answer
You find a rock that has visible layers of tiny pebbles and sand pressed together. Which type of rock is it most likely, and why?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: It is most likely a sedimentary rock. Sedimentary rocks form when small pieces of rock, sand, and mud settle in layers and are pressed together over time. The visible layers of pebbles and sand are a hallmark of sedimentary rock formation.
Learning to identify rock types from visible clues (layers suggest sedimentary, crystals suggest igneous, folded bands suggest metamorphic) builds observational science skills and connects observation to the formation process.