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Type
science_lab
Pre Lab
Background: Rocks may seem permanent, but over millions of years they constantly change in a process called the **rock cycle**. Wind, water, and ice break rocks into small pieces through **weathering**. These pieces, called **sediment**, are carried away by **erosion** and settle in layers. Over time, the weight of layers above presses the sediment together (**compaction**) and minerals glue it together (**cementation**). The result is **sedimentary rock**, which often shows layers and visible pieces.
When rocks are buried deep inside Earth, they experience high heat and pressure. If the rock does not melt, its minerals rearrange and it becomes **metamorphic rock**. Metamorphic rocks are often denser and harder, and their pieces may be squeezed into bands or swirls. If the temperature gets high enough, rock melts into **magma**. When magma cools and hardens, it forms **igneous rock**. Igneous rocks usually have no layers, and their minerals are mixed together.
The rock cycle is driven by two energy sources: the **Sun**, which powers weather and water movement at Earth's surface, and Earth's **internal heat**, which melts and transforms rock deep underground. Gravity also pulls sediment down and creates pressure. Today you will build a **model**, a simplified representation of a real system, using white and brown chocolate to stand in for different minerals. Scientists use models to study processes that are too slow, too large, or too deep to observe directly.
Vocabulary
Term: Rock cycle
Definition: The continuous series of processes that change rocks from one type to another.
Term: Weathering
Lab Type
Post Lab
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