Rocks Rock!
By Anisa Noor
The Rock Cycle
The rock cycle is a natural process that rocks go through, and it is never ending. Sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rock constantly change by heat, compaction, cooling, weathering and form into other types of rock.
How are Igneous, Sedimentary and metamorphic rocks classified?
Igneous rocks are usually classified by texture and size. If an igneous rock is intrusive it was cooled under the earths surface; and if it is extrusive it formed on or close to the earth's surface.
Sedimentary rocks can be classified by forms; biological or chemical. Chemical was formed by evaporation or precipitation of sediments. Biological is formed as the result of biological activity millions of years ago. This includes all forms of animals and plants.
Metamorphic rocks are igneous and sedimentary rocks that have been put under a large amount of pressure and heat in the earths interior, so they tend to be harder and denser then most rocks.
Where is Soapstone found?
Soapstone is mostly gathered from Brazil, China, India, and Canada. Large deposits can be found in France, Austria, England, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the United States
How is soapstone formed?
In order for soapstone to form, water and pressure are needed. When to plates move towards each other in a fault line called the subduction zone. One of the plates has to push downwards, forcing the other one upwards. As a result, the rocks change their "make up".
Where is Obsidian found?
Obsidian can be found in Armenia, Canada, Chile, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, United States, and Argentina.
How is Obsidian formed?
Obsidian can form when lava cools very fast, which doesn't allow it to form into a normal rock.
Where is rock salt found?
Big and older deposits of rock salts can be found in England, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Poland.
How is rock salt formed?
Rock salt is formed when old sea beds evaporate and leave rings of salt. It takes a while for bodies to dry up, so some rock salt deposits found canbe up to 250 million years old!