Rocks: Rocks From Particles

Upon viewing the Rocks video series, students will be able to do the following: Define rock as a solid, naturally-occurring mixture of minerals. Define minerals as solids with a definite chemical composition and crystal structure. Describe geology as the study of Earth; its materials, such as rocks; and its history. Geologists are scientists who study Earth's processes and past. Identify the three primary groups of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Differentiate between magma and lava. Explain that igneous rocks are formed when molten rock cools and solidifies. Differentiate between the texture of igneous rocks formed inside Earth and those formed on Earth's surface. Understand that most sedimentary rocks are made up of sediments, such as sand, silt, pebbles, and even fossils. Explain the process by which sedimentary rocks are formed, using the terms "compaction" and "cementation." Define fossils as the remains or traces of once-living things. Explain how fossils give us information about living things that inhabited Earth long ago. Describe how rocks change in form to become metamorphic rocks as a result of heat or pressure. Explain that metamorphic rocks are classified by the arrangement of grains they contain.