Week 10: Rocks and the Rock Cycle

Lab: 

Sedimentary / Metamorphic/ Igneous Rocks

This week, we learned more about convection and how the inside of the earth heats and cools, causing the movement of the tectonic plates. The movement of the plates can cause different natural formations, such as mountains, ridges, volcanoes, and more. 

Rocks: 

Igneous: Cooled Magma

Metamorphic: Heat and Pressure

Sedimentary: Compaction and Cementation (includes water) 

Through an investigation, we created our own kinds of rocks by using starburst candies. Igneous rocks were created from melting one or more flavors of candy, and metamorphic rocks were crafted by sightly heating up the candy so that it could be molded and formed with another. Lastly, the sedimentary rocks were created by just simply shoving the starburst candies into one another, creating layers within the formation. It was a really fun experience to see how different rocks are created in nature while also getting a delicious treat afterward! ◡̈

Lecture:

In a lecture this week, I learned more about plate tectonics and how they move. With the movement of these plates come different natural formations like volcanoes, ridges, trenches, and mountains. Another thing that I learned this week in the discussion was how mantle plumes under the surface of the ocean floor cause underwater volcanoes that essentially create different islands when they get big enough. This is how Hawaii was formed!

Pressbook Reading:

New learning:

- Intrusive igneous rocks cool more slowly and form bigger crystals because it is under the surface of the earth. Extrusive igneous rocks cool in water or on the surface of the Earth, and form smaller crystals because it cools much quicker.

- Weathering is making the mess (breaking down of rocks), and erosion is cleaning it up (moving it someplace new)

How are deposition and erosion different?


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