Name_______________________________________________________Period__________________
ASweetModeloftheRockCycle Purpose 1.Todemonstrateandsummarizetherockcycle
2.Toanalyzeandpredictthesequenceofeventsintherockcycle
3.Torepresentthenaturalworldusingmodelsandidentifyingtheirlimitations
BackgroundInformation
Therockcycleisanever-endingprocess.Ithasnobeginningandnoend.Itisaseriesofprocesses
onandbeneaththeEarth’ssurfacethatslowlychangerocksfromonekindtoanother.Therock
cyclecanfollowmanydifferentpathsandtakemillionsofyearstocomplete.Pleasereadandbe
familiarwiththefollowingterms:
Weatheringisthephysicalandchemicalbreakdownofrocksandmineralsatandbelowthe
theEarth’ssurface.
Sedimentissoil,sand,andminerals,andorganicmaterialsthataretransportedanddeposited
bywindandwater.
Erosionistheprocessbywhichwater,ice,windorgravitymovesfragmentsofrockandsoil.
Depositionisalsoknownassedimentationandisthegeologicalprocessbywhichsediment
settlesoutofthewaterorwindthatiscarryingit,andisdepositedinanewlocation.
Lavaismolten(liquid)rockthatreachestheEarth’ssurface;alsotherockthatisformedwhen
liquidlavahardens.
MagmaisthemoltenmixtureofrockbeneaththeEarth’ssurface(crust).
Igneousrocksareformedbythecooling,hardening,andcrystallizationofmagma.Igneousrock
thatformsfromcooledmagmabelowtheEarth’ssurfaceiscalledintrusiverock.When
igneousrockformsfromcooledlavaonthesurfaceoftheEarth,itiscalledextrusive
rock.
Sedimentaryrocksformafterparticlesofrockandothermaterials(sediments)havebeen
depositedandarepressed(compacted)orstucktogether(cemented).
Metamorphicrocksareformedwhenasedimentaryoranigneousrockischangedbyheatand
pressuredeepbeneaththeEarth’ssurface(crust).
Rev4/17/17AlGonzalez
Name_______________________________________________________Period__________________
Materials
40gofWhiteChocolatechips
15cmx15cmsquareoffoil
2Plasticknives
40gofButterscotchchips
Goggles
Hotplate
40gofDarkChocolatechips
HeatGloves
Papertowels
DigitalScale
3smallplasticcups
ATextbook
3roundfoiltins
1woodstirstick
Preparation
•
•
•
Materialsmanagerneedstocollectallmaterials
Groupleadershouldmakesurethedirectionsarebeingfollowedstep-by-step
Usingtheplasticcups,massout40geachofthedark,white,andbutterscotchmorsels
Procedure&Observations 1.
Eachtypeofchocolateandbutterscotchchiprepresentsanigneousrock.Howarethey
likethistypeofrock?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2.
Whatisalimitationofusingchocolateandbutterscotchchipstorepresentthistypeof
rock?___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3.
Massout3geachfromthe40gyoumassedoutearlierforthewhitechocolate,dark
chocolateandbutterscotchchips.Usingtheplasticknives,cut-upthe3gofeachtypeof
chipandplacethesmallpiecesonapapertowel.Whatprocessdoesthisrepresent?
________________________________________________________________________
Whatdothesmallpiecesrepresent?_________________________________________
4.
Gentlymovetheshavings.Whatprocessdoesthisrepresent?
________________________________________________________________________
5.
Dropthedarkchocolate,whitechocolate,andbutterscotchchipsyoujustcutuponto
thepieceoffoiltomakeasmallpile.Whatprocessdoesthisrepresent?
________________________________________________________________________
Rev4/17/17AlGonzalez
Name_______________________________________________________Period__________________
6.
Foldthefoilovertocoverthepileofchips.Placeatextbookontopofthefoilandthen
standonthebookfortwominutes.Whatprocessdoesthisrepresent?
________________________________________________________________________
Whattypeofrockdoesthisprocessproduce?__________________________________
Howisyourmodellikethistypeofrock?______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Whatisalimitationofusingthechipstorepresentthistypeofrock?_______________
________________________________________________________________________
Gentlyopenyourfoil.Recordyourobservations.Bespecific(grain,color,texture,…..)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
7.
Gentlyfoldthefoilbackoverthe“rock”thatyoujustcreated.Holdthefoiltightly
betweenthepalmsofyourhandsfortwominutes.Repeattheprocessbythree
differentgroupmembers.Gentlyunfoldthefoilandrecordyourobservations.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Whattypeofrockdoesthisprocessproduce?_________________________________
Whatwasdifferentabouttheprocesswhenmakingthistypeofrockvssedimentary?
________________________________________________________________________
8.
PUTONYOURGOGGLES!!TIEBACKLONGHAIRANDLOOSECLOTHING!!
9.
Dividetheremainingunusedmaterial(chips)equally,mixthemup,andputintothe
roundfoilpans(1perperson).Usingaglove,placethepansdirectlyonthehotplate.
Donotadjustthetemperatureofthehotplate!Afterthe“rock”startstobecome
molten,gentlystirwiththewoodenstickeveryfewseconds.
10.
Usingtheglove,takethepanoffofthehotplatewhenthematerialhasmeltedand
placeitonthelabcounterinfrontofthehotplate.
Leavethefoilpansonthelabcounterforatleast3minutestocool.
Rev4/17/17AlGonzalez
Name_______________________________________________________Period__________________
11.Whatprocessesdoesthisrepresent?_________________________________________
Whattypeofrockdoesthisprocessrepresent?________________________________
Howisyourmodellikethistypeofrock?_____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Conclusion
Drawadiagramoftherockcycleonthispage.Includethefollowingterms:weathering,erosion,
deposition,compaction,cementing,heat,pressure,cooling,hardening,melting,sediment,magma,
lava,andthethreeclassificationsofrocks.
Rev4/17/17AlGonzalez