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The Rock Cycle Lab: Materials

This document describes a lab experiment where students simulate the rock cycle by using different types of chips to represent igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Students cut the chips into pieces to represent weathering, then compressed them with books to form sedimentary rocks. They pressed on the chips by hand to simulate metamorphic rocks forming. Finally, they heated the chips on a hot plate to form igneous rocks.

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Yurley Garizabal
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58 views3 pages

The Rock Cycle Lab: Materials

This document describes a lab experiment where students simulate the rock cycle by using different types of chips to represent igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Students cut the chips into pieces to represent weathering, then compressed them with books to form sedimentary rocks. They pressed on the chips by hand to simulate metamorphic rocks forming. Finally, they heated the chips on a hot plate to form igneous rocks.

Uploaded by

Yurley Garizabal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name ___________________________________ Date __________________ Period _____ Score out of 25 _____

Corrected by _________________________________

The Rock Cycle Lab


The rock cycle is a never-ending process. Igneous rock forms from magma or lava. Weathering breaks
igneous rock into sediments such as pebbles and sand. These small pieces are compacted and cemented
under pressure into sedimentary rock. Under great heat and pressure inside the Earth’s crust, igneous
and sedimentary rocks are changed into metamorphic rocks. These rocks are brought to the earth’s
surface where they are weathered again into sediments to become sedimentary rocks.

Materials
hot plate 10 butterscotch or peanut sheet of aluminum foil
10 milk chocolate chips butter chips heavy books
10 white chocolate chips plastic knife, paper plate

Safety Concern: The hot plate will cause burns. Use it carefully.

4 points for completing the lab correctly ________________

Part 1 Making Weathering Rocks Procedure


A. Pour one color of chips on the plate and cut them into little pieces and shavings with the plastic
knife. (The smaller the pieces and shavings, the better)
B. Pour the little pieces and shavings on to the aluminum foil.
C. Take another color of chips and cut them up into little pieces.
D. Pour the little pieces and shavings on top of the other color on the foil.
E. Repeat with the last color.
1. Describe your observations.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. Draw and color what you see from the top. 3. Draw and color what you see from the side.

Part 2 Making Sedimentary Rock Procedure


A. Fold the aluminum foil over your three layers of chips.
B. Place two –three heavy books over the aluminum foil and leave for 3 minutes.
C. Take off the books and observe the chips.
4. Describe your observations in the space below.

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Draw and color what you see from the top. 6. Draw and color what you see from the side.

Part 3 Making Metamorphic Rock


A. Fold the aluminum foil over the chips again.
B. Have one member of the group press very hard on the foil with their hands for 30 seconds.
C. Have another member of the group do the same for another 30 seconds.
D. Continue doing this until all members of the group have done it twice.
E. Unwrap the aluminum foil and observe the chips.
7. Make some observations in the space below.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

8. Draw and color what you see from the top. 9. Draw and color what you see from the side.

Part 4 Making Igneous Rock


A. Wrap the aluminum foil over the chips again.
B. Take the foil package to a hot plate and lay it on the hot plate for 30-45 seconds.
C. Pick up the package by the sides and return it to your table.
D. Leave the package wrapped for at least 10 minutes.
E. Gently unwrap the aluminum foil and observe.
10. Make some observations in the space below.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

11. Draw and color what you see from the top. 12. Draw and color what you see from the side.
Name _______________________________________ Date _______________________________ Period _____

Questions

13. What did your group do to simulate weathering rocks?

_______________________________________________________________
14. What did your group do to make the sedimentary rocks stick together?

_______________________________________________________________
15. What did your group do to make the metamorphic rocks stick together?

_______________________________________________________________
16. What was the difference between what you did to the sedimentary rocks and what you did to the
metamorphic rocks?
_______________________________________________________________
17. What did your group do to make the igneous rocks?

_______________________________________________________________
18. What was different between what you did to the metamorphic rocks and the igneous rocks?

_______________________________________________________________
Remembering the information you learned in this lab, fill in the following flow chart.
Use the following words: Sedimentary Rocks, Metamorphic Rocks, Igneous Rocks

Sediments

Under Pressure

19.

Weathering and Under Heat and


Erosion Pressure

21. 20.
Melting

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