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Section 3 Classifying Rocks

Rocks are classified into three major groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, based on their formation processes. The rock cycle describes the natural processes that transform one type of rock into another over time, influenced by forces both at the Earth's surface and deep within. Key characteristics of rocks include their mineral composition, color, and texture.

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11 views2 pages

Section 3 Classifying Rocks

Rocks are classified into three major groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, based on their formation processes. The rock cycle describes the natural processes that transform one type of rock into another over time, influenced by forces both at the Earth's surface and deep within. Key characteristics of rocks include their mineral composition, color, and texture.

Uploaded by

Worrel Thomas
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Rocks and Minerals

Section 3: Classifying Rocks

Rocks have been around since the beginning of Earth’s history, and they take millions of
years to form. Geologists can classify a rock according to how the rock formed using
clues from the rock’s color and texture. Twenty minerals comprise most of the rocks
of the Earth’s crust called rock-forming minerals. Color also provides clues to a rock’s
mineral composition. For example, granite is a light-colored rock with high silica content,
while basalt is a dark-colored rock low in silica. Texture is the look and feel of the
rock’s surface, made up of particles of minerals or other fine rocks called grains.

Rocks are classified into three major groups: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and
metamorphic rocks. Igneous rocks are created when magma or lava cools and
crystallizes. Sedimentary rocks form when rocks are broken down into smaller pieces
or dissolve in water as rocks erode. They also can develop from the remains of plants
and animals that are pressed and cemented together. Finally, metamorphic rocks
form when existing rock is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.

© Nitty Gritty Science


Rocks and Minerals

Section 3: Classifying Rocks Continued

The rock cycle is a series of natural processes


that change one type of rock into a different
kind of rock. Forces deep inside the Earth and
at the surface produce a slow cycle that builds,
destroys, and changes the rocks in the
crust. Forces at Earth’s surface and deep
within Earth drive this cycle, which follows
many different pathways. For example,
sedimentary rocks form when sediment is
deposited and then solidifies as a rock in a
process called lithification. Metamorphic rocks
form when a preexisting rock is changed by
increased temperature and pressure or by
adding chemical fluids. Igneous rocks form
when magma cools and solidifies or when lava
and other rock materials are deposited after
an eruption.

Review:
1. Identify three characteristics of rocks.
2. Explain how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks form.
3. What is the rock cycle?

© Nitty Gritty Science

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