ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE
Rock Stories
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MATERIALS: 1. Rock samples. 2. Textbook. 3. Additional reference books. 4.
Notes. INSTRUCTIONS: Using the marked samples of rocks at the front lab bench,
fill in the blanks in the following rock stories. Use your notes, textbook and
the additional references on the center desk to identify the rocks. Completing
the stories may help to identify the rocks. Work first on the names of the rocks
so that you may complete the stories at home.
Rock A: This rock is the youngest in its family because it was the
to crystallize from the magma. It is
because it cooled deep in the
crust, forming
crystals, large enough to see
clearly without magnification. The bedrock of the section of Harwinton, and
some parts of Burlington is composed of this rock. It is light in color because
the and of the original magma was lost
to rocks like and . This rock is
Rock B: GREETINGS, HUMAN! I am a rock formed far from the
surface of what you so arrogantly call "your" planet. I spurned association with
the other minerals in my magma chamber and cooled close to the subduction zone that
spawned me. My color is due to oxidation of the
mineral , my primary component. My
journey to the surface was long and difficult, possible only because of of the surface and uplift due to
the force of buoyancy lifting the continent much as a raft floats higher after
you puny humans jump off. Also necessary was uplift due to a plate boundary.
Rock C: I am not what you think I am. Yes, I'm full of holes due to like my cousin, but heft me - I'm
heavier. Drop me in water and I sink like, well, a rock. My closest relative
here is Rock . In Hawaii they first called me AA. I
am .
Rock D This rock is . The ocean basins of the world
are made of this rock. It is an impatient rock, because it hurried to the
surface and flowed as before any other rocks could form
from the magma. It density is due to its high levels of and .
Rock E: BULLETIN: Be on the lookout for an impostor among the igneous rocks!
This metamorphic rock masquerades as granite, but it's crystals are mostly
flattened due to and are also fused
together due to . It can be found in
many areas of Burlington, and indicates a level of metamorphic change from
metamorphism. It is called
but as an impostor is not a nice
rock.
Rock F: If rock D had not been in such a hurry to get out of the ground, more
rocks like me would have formed right after . But no, he had to rush out
and empty that magma chamber. Oh well, at least my magma cooled enough to grow my crystals of , plagioclase and . I am .
Rock G: Don't let my color and weight fool you. I'm no
lightweight when it comes to violent eruptions. My lava flows in the Mountains of South America were
accompanied by explosions, landslides, earthquakes, mudflows and other mayhem. I
am .
Rock H: Hey, cutie ! You know you're attracted to me. Or at least the metal
around you is attracted to me. Try a paper clip near me and see what happens.
Don't bother trying to find me in your list or chart showing order of
crystallization, I'm not there. I am in your Mineral ID appendix however. Go on
- call me. My name is . People like you have been
after me for centuries, babe. I know your type. You call me "lodestone" and
other pet names, then when you have me, you melt me down for my high content. Well forget it. Rock B and
I have this thing going. We both formed long ago in the crust at the of a magma chamber, and I'm staying
true.
Rock I: What a lightweight! This rock cooled from lava flying through the air.
It cooled so that the solid rock solidified
around the bubbles in the lava, leaving behind
so many holes that this rock has a density than that of water. It floats! This
rock is . (Return to top
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