Rock & Rock Cycle Practice 10 Questions

1. Igneous rocks form when minerals crystallize from cooling magma or lava. The more slowly the magma or lava cools, the larger the crystals are able to grow. The images below show two different igneous rocks. Examine the images, and then answer the question that follows. Assuming that these images are shown at the same scale, which of the following can be concluded based on the information above?

• Both rocks cooled at the same rate.
• Rock X cooled more slowly than rock Y.
• Rock X formed from magma; rock Y formed from lava.
• Rock Y cooled more slowly than rock X.

2. Sand on a beach is covered by other layers of sand over time. The extra layers compress the first layer, packing it tighter and tighter. Over time, the bottom layers of sand have formed into sandstone, with colored bands showing the different layers. What kind of rock can sandstone be classified as?

• igneous rock
• metamorphic rock
• volcanic rock
• sedimentary rock

3. Rocks are made of minerals, and they are formed in different ways. According to the diagram below, how are igneous rocks formed?

• Other rocks experience intense heat and pressure.
• Wastes deposited by plants and animals decompose and weather.
• Molten rock cools and turns solid.
• Sand and other particles are buried, compacted, and cemented together.

4. Which type of rock is created when lava cools and hardens?

• metamorphic
• sedimentary
• cement
• igneous

5. Rocks are made of minerals, and they are formed in different ways. According to the diagram below, how are sedimentary rocks formed?

• Wastes deposited by plants and animals decompose and weather.
• Other rocks experience intense heat and pressure.
• Molten rock cools and turns solid.
• Sand and other particles are buried, compacted, and cemented together.

6. The diagram below shows the basic materials and processes involved in the rock cycle. Which process is involved in breaking down solid rock and turning it into sediment?

• melting
• weathering
• cementation
• compaction

7. Igneous rocks are made of

• fossil fuels and other materials that came from once-living things.
• materials that came from living things and that accumulated on the seafloor.
• materials that crystallized from magma or lava, not from once-living things.
• a mixture of materials made from both living and nonliving processes.

8. Rocks are made of minerals, and they are formed in different ways. According to the diagram below, how are metamorphic rocks formed?

• Sand and other particles are buried, compacted, and cemented together.
• Wastes deposited by plants and animals decompose and weather.
• Other rocks experience intense heat and pressure.
• Molten rock cools and turns solid.

9. Jordan found this rock and is wondering how it formed. Which statement best describes the rock?

• It was formed when magma cooled on Earth's surface and gas bubbles made small holes in the rock.
• It was formed as calcium-rich shells of living organisms built up on each other over millions of years.
• It was formed on Earth's surface as black crystals grew on top of white crystals in a repeating pattern.
• It was formed by high temperature and pressure, which resulted in crystal layer bands.

10. Emily found this rock and is wondering how it formed. Which statement best describes the rock?

• It was made by the slow cooling of magma after it reached Earth's surface.
• It was made when a simpler rock was squeezed into several different kinds of crystals.
• It was made from small pieces of rock and sediment with a natural cement holding it together.
• It was made deep below the Earth's surface under high temperatures and great pressure.