can someone tell me the difference between sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rock?

Question

please we have a test tomorrow really cant fail it. really clear descriptions would be appreciated thx.

Answer 1

sedimentary rocks- rocks formed by sediments, laid down and compressed into rock.
igneous rocks- literally from fire, rocks formed molten rocks, either on or near the surface (from lave) or deep underground (from magma)
metamorphic rocks- either sedimentary or igneous rock which has gone under additional heat and presure after being formed. They have changed( metamorphised).

Answer 2

Sedimentary are formed under water and are composed of sedimentary, igneous and/or metamorphic rocks that have been weathered and transported (streams, rivers,wind, etc.)
Igneous rocks are cooled magma, very fine crystals if it cooled quickly on the surface (basalt), very big crystals if it cooled slowly and deep in the Earth (for instance Granite)
Metamorphic rocks can begin as igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary rocks then undergo increased pressure which changes the crystalline structure.
As you may have gleaned, igneous rocks are formed primarily by high heat, metamorphic by high pressure, and sedimentary by time.

Answer 3

A Sedimentary rock is one of the three main rock groups (along with igneous and metamorphic rocks) and is formed in four main ways:

by the deposition of the weathered remains of other rocks (known as 'clastic' sedimentary rocks);
by the accumulation and the consolidation of sediments;
by the deposition of the results of biogenic activity; and
by precipitation from solution.
Sedimentary rocks include common types such as chalk, limestone, sandstone, clay and shale. Sedimentary rocks cover 75% of the Earth's surface. Four basic processes are involved in the formation of a clastic sedimentary rock: weathering (erosion)caused mainly by friction of waves, transportation where the sediment is carried along by a current, deposition and compaction where the sediment is squashed together to form a rock of this kind.

Igneous rocks are formed when rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallisation, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. This magma can be derived from partial melts of pre-existing rocks in either the Earth's mantle or crust. Typically, the melting is caused by one or more of the following processes -- an increase in temperature, a decrease in pressure, or a change in composition. Over 700 types of igneous rocks have been described, most of them formed beneath the surface of the Earth's crust.

Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre-existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat (greater than 150 degrees Celsius) and extreme pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change. The protolith may be sedimentary rock, igneous rock or another older metamorphic rock.

Metamorphic rocks make up a large part of the Earth's crust and are classified by texture and by chemical and mineral assemblage (metamorphic facies). They are formed deep beneath the Earth's surface by great stresses from rocks above and high pressures and temperatures. They are also formed by the intrusion of molten rock, called magma, into solid rock and form particularly at the place of contact between the magma and solid rock where the temperatures are high.

The study of metamorphic rocks (now exposed at the Earth's surface following erosion and uplift) provides us with very valuable information about the temperatures and pressures that occur at great depths within the Earth's crust.

Some examples of metamorphic rocks are gneiss, slate, marble, and schist.

Answer 4

Igneous: rock formed from the slow cooling of upwelling magma from the earths mantle. Two types: Plutonic (mostly large crystals), volcanic (grainy, small crystals) .
Rate of cooling and magma composition defines what minerals will crystallise and how large the crystals will be( slower=larger)

Sedimentary: Rocks formed from the erosion of metamorhpic or igneous rocks. These eroded sediments are carried down rivers and into the ocean where they are compacted into layers of rock.

Metamorphic: Alterartion of ingeous/ sed rocks when placed in an environment of high pressure and heat. This deforms original rock and allows new minerals to form.

Answer 5

Sedimentary - Laid down by water in lakes and seas - muds, clays, sandstone and limestone.
Igneous - Created by the heat of the interior of the earth - granites, lava,
Metamorphic - Altered by heat and pressure. Marble, slate

Look things up for yourself on Wikipedia and learn
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphic_rock

Answer 6

sedi is more like sand igneous is all those rough rocks like granit and stuff and the meto is the rocks that our in the mantle that always change becuase of the intense heat

Answer 7

sedimentary rocks- are rocks formed when sediments are cemented together.

Igneous rocks- are rocks formed when molten rock cools and hardens.

Metamorphic rock- are rocks that change into a new form

Answer 8

Get a sample of each type and you will see the difference. Just by looking!

Answer 9

yeah - two uses boss pedals the other use ibenez