Year 8 Mid Term Rocky Revision Sheet Name: ANSWER KEY

8.1 - Earth and its rocks

1. What are the 3 types of rocks and how is each formed?

igneous – formed from molten rock

sedimentary – formed from the products of erosion

metamorphic – altered by heat and pressure.

2. List the layers of the Earth in order?

Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

3. State which is the thinnest and thickest layer of the Earth.

Crust is the thinnest, mantle is the thickest layer

4. Describe what is the crust a part of and what this part includes.

The crust is part of the lithosphere which is the solid outer layer of Earth; includes the crust and
uppermost mantle.

5. Describe the asthenosphere in terms of how it behaves, where it is located and other
physical characteristics.

Within the uppermost portion of the mantle is a layer called the asthenosphere. The rock here
behaves plastically, this means the rock can move slowly, like plasticine.

6. Describe the mantle in terms of how the rock flows and its thickness.

The deepest part of the mantle is very hot. The rock flows much more slowly than in the
asthenosphere, so slowly that the rock here can be considered rigid (not flexible).

7. What is the inner and outer core composed of?

Iron and nickel

8. Describe the difference in state of matter of the inner and outer core.

The inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid/molten.

9. Why is the inner core solid even though it is very hot (when outer core is very hot but it is
liquid)?

Because the inner core is so dense, experiencing a lot of pressure so it remains solid.

10. What are the 7 processes in the rock cycle?

Sedimentary Rocks to form:

Weathering – rock is broken down into smaller pieces

Erosion – the broken rock material is transported

Deposition – the broken rock material settles, forming sediment

1
Compaction and cementation – the sediment becomes packed together, and then chemically
bound/bonded.

Igneous Rocks to form:

Crystallisation – the magma becomes solid

Metamorphic rocks to form:

Metamorphosis – the rock is changed by intense heat and/or pressure.

Affects all rocks over time:

Melting – the solid rock is heated, forming magma

11. Draw the rock cycle below including all processes (weathering, erosion, deposition,
compaction, cementation, heat + pressure, melting, cooling/crystallization) and labelling
sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic rocks and sediments.

12. What is physical weathering? Give examples.

Physical weathering is the breaking down of rocks into smaller particles by contact with other
rocks, wind, water or ice.

13. How can wind cause weathering?

Wind can carry fine particles of rock that blast away or collide at a rock surface, causing pieces to
wear away and break over time.

14. How can water and ice cause weathering?

Water can enter cracks in a rock. If the water freezes and becomes ice, the ice expands and makes
the crack wider and as it keeps happening, causes the rock to break over time. Water running or
washing over rock can also gradually wear the rock.

15. What is chemical weathering? Give examples.

2
Water dissolving chemicals from the soil and air will react with rock, changing it or breaking it
down – this is known as chemical weathering.

When oxygen and carbon dioxide dissolves in water, they can react with materials in the rock,
changing them. This may cause the rock to crumble or change colour.

Chemical weathering can be caused by substances including water, acid rain, lichens (bacterial
organisms that eat rock).

16. What is a karst?

A karst is an area of land formed of rock such as limestone that is worn away by water to make
caves and other formations

17. What is biological weathering? Give examples.

Living things and their products can also break down rock – this is known as biological weathering.
For example a tree’s roots growing through the cracks or creating their own cracks into a rock.

18. What is erosion?

Erosion is the transport of rocks from one place to another as a result of weathering.

19. What are the agents of erosion?

Water, wind , gravity, ice

20. What is the size of the particle that can be carried highly dependent on?

The size of particle that can be carried is highly dependent on the way it is transported.

21. When a particle can be moved what does this depend on? The speed of wind or water
22. Define deposition, sediments and sedimentation.

When broken rock material stops moving(eroding) and settles is called deposition.

The layers of material formed are called sediments and so the process is sometimes also called
sedimentation.

23. What is the difference between deposition and erosion?

Deposition is the settling of rock once erosion has stopped, while erosion is the transport of rock

24. Describe compaction.

Compaction is the process of parts becoming closer together, taking up very little space

25. Describe cementation

Cementation then occurs which is the sticking together of sediment

26. How do crystals form?

When solid rock melts from magma and lava and it cools down it forms crystals.

27. How is igneous rock made and how is metamorphic rock made?

If the rock is completely melted and recrystallized, then an igneous rock is made. If the rock is only
partially melted and recrystallized, then metamorphic rock is made.

3
 8.2 - Types of Rocks
Igneous Rocks

1. What is magma? Molten rock beneath the ground

2. What is lava? Molten rock (magma) that has reached the surface
3. How is igneous rock formed? Igneous rock is formed when magma or lava cools and
crystallises (forms crystals).
4. Describe the difference between extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks.

Rocks formed at or near the surface usually from lava cooling down are classified as extrusive
igneous rocks.

Rocks formed from magma cooling below the surface are classified as intrusive igneous rocks.

5. How do extrusive igneous rocks form?

Rapid cooling of extrusive igneous rocks from lava makes the minerals crystallise quickly, so large
crystals don’t have a chance to grow.

6. Give 2 examples of extrusive igneous rocks and the difference between the two.

Basalt is an example of an extrusive rock with small, visible crystals, while obsidian (often called
volcanic glass) has no visible crystals.

7. How do the crystals from intrusive igneous rocks form?

These crystals are the result of magma cooling slowly

8. Give 2 examples of intrusive igneous rocks. Granite and dolerite

Sedimentary Rocks

1. What are sedimentary rocks made from? From sediments over millions of years
2. What are sediments?

Sediments are small particles of weathered rock or crystals that have come to

3. How does sedimentary rock form and what occurs to the overlaying layers during this
process?

To form sedimentary rock, the sediments need to be compacted and cemented – this occurs
during burial. Overlaying layers of sediment compact the sediments and force out excess water.

4. Describe the 3 types of sedimentary rocks?

Clastic – made of many sediments compacted over time.

Chemical/Crystalline – made of salt minerals that collect in hot dry areas.

Biogenic/Organic – made from living things

5. How are clastic sedimentary rocks formed?

Clastic sedimentary rocks are formed when sediments are laid down by wind, water, gravity and
ice, and then compacted and cemented – most are in the ocean. The broken pieces of rocks are
called clasts

4
 6. Give an example of an organic/biogenic sedimentary rock and describe how it forms.

Coal, the remains of decayed plants get buried beneath the ground, producing pressure from other
sediments on top of it. It continues to be buried further creating more pressure and over time
forming coal as it gets exposed to heat from beneath the Earth.

7. Two sedimentary rock types are formed from small stones. What are they called and
describe their characteristics.

Sedimentary rock formed from small stones is called either conglomerate or breccia.
Conglomerate is formed from rounded stones, whereas breccia consists of angular stones.

Metamorphic Rock

1. How do metamorphic rocks form?

Metamorphic rocks form when intense heat and/or pressure alter existing rocks.

2. What can heat and pressure cause?

Heat and pressure can also cause chemical changes, such as recrystallisation of minerals.

Slide 3

3. What happens as rocks get buried deeper? the temperature and pressure increase
4. How else can heat and pressure increase?

Movements within Earth’s crust

Slide 4

5. What is metamorphism? The process of forming metamorphic rock

6. What can be changed by metamorphism? The texture of a rock can be changed by
metamorphism.