Rock Cycle Unit Vocabulary 7 th Grade Science

1. Rock Cycle UnitVocabulary7th Grade Science

2. Weathering • The breaking down of Earth’s materials by natural processes (water, wind, ice, chemicals, etc.) into smaller pieces or sediments

3. Erosion • Weathered rock and soil particles are moved from place to place by water, wind, or ice

4. Deposition • Weathered sediments are laid down in a new location helping create new landforms or rocks

5. Melting • Caused by heat and pressure around the rock to form magma

6. Solidification • Magma or lava cools and hardens

7. Recrystallization • Through heat and pressure, the rock’s atoms and crystals are rearranged

8. Igneous Rock • Formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava • 2 Types • Extrusive Igneous Rock • Intrusive Igneous Rock

9. Extrusive Igneous Rock • Formed above ground from lava cooling and hardening • Characteristics from Cooling Quickly • Small or no crystals • Fine-grained texture

10. Intrusive Igneous Rock • Formed below ground from magma cooling and hardening • Characteristics from Cooling Slowly • Large or small crystals • Coarse-grained texture

11. Sedimentary Rock • Formed from sediments (rock fragments, mineral grains, animal or plant remains) that are pressed or cemented together • 3 Types • Clastic Sedimentary Rock • Organic Sedimentary Rock • Chemical Sedimentary Rock

12. Law of Superposition • States that layers and fossils on top are younger than lower layers • Strata – horizontal layers formed from deposited sedimentary rock • Stratification – process of arranging sedimentary rocks into layers

13. Youngest Rocks Here ! Volcano Roots here! Oldest Rocks Here !

14. Metamorphic Rock • Rock changes due to intense heat and high pressure then recrystallizes • Not heated enough to melt the rock • 2 Types • Foliated Metamorphic Rock • Non-Foliated Metamorphic Rock

15. Bands (can) Form = Foliated Metamorphic means “changed” Metamorphic!

17. The Rock Cycle