how does igneous rock change into seditmentary rocks?

Question

lauren jeffery aged 13

Answer 1

The effect of erosion (by wind, water or sand) makes the igneous rock turn into much smaller particles. These little bits of rock are then transported (usually by water) to riverbeds where they are deposited in the slower flowing water.
Over time these sediments become buried by subsequent layers.Eventually they are squeezed and heated and turn into a sedimentary rock layer.

Answer 2

There are a few ways that this can happen. After the igneous rock is cooled it can be eroded down by wind and water primarily.

In order for wind to have its erosive effects however, it needs to be exposed to air. Often, wind erosion is in the form of what we think of as sand blasting. As small particles carried by the wind hit the rock, it slowly breaks it on a very small scale. Often this kind of rock has edges or even pits (depending on the wind carried particles). Of course, wind from a tornado might carry very large particles like trees. Generally, it is small bits of silt and sand. The Great Pyramids of Giza have a lot of wind erosion.

Water erosion is done obviously with water. If you watch a stream of wather in the gutter in front of your home, you will see that it too carries tiny particles. However, the water erosion leaves a much smoother surface. It also disolves some minerals that have crystalized within the igneous rock. In granite, the basalt falls apart into tiny particles first and is washed away by the water. It takes a bit longer for other elements such as feldspar to break down.

Another way that water erodes igneous is with freeze thaw cycles. Whenever there is a crack in the materal; whether it be the boudary between crystaline material and non crystaline material, or just natural formed cracks, water will seep inside. As it freezes it expands and forces the crack to get larger. When it thaws it fills with more water and continues this process. Eventually, water can break up igneous rock into a bunch of rubble.

If you look at sedimentary rock, you will notice that a layer has a sort of uniformity to it. When the rock has larger pieces and the ones that easily break down easily are still present, you probably still have granite (a common igneous rock). But if those paterials are missing and they particles have some bits of air within it, it is usually a sedimentary rock. As you go further away from the source the more quartz will be in the material and less of the other elements. Sandstone has been thoroughly eroded to the point that most of the the particles are quartz.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

A metamorphic rock won't be able to alter right into a igneous rock. A igneous rock is formed whilst magma solidifies right into a stable state. A metamorphic rock is formed whilst yet another rock stories severe stress below the earths crust. you won't be able to alter a metamorphic rock decrease back right into a igneous one that's any different way around

Answer 4

All of these answers are more or less correct.

Just a quick comment on the good answer from "henry d" - he said all rocks were once igneous. I disagree. Chemical sedimentary rocks such as limestone, gypsum, and chert were not necessarily derived from igneous rocks, and neither was coal.

Of course it could be argued that the atomic constituents of all matter have been repetitively recycled, but thats getting more complex than necessary...

Answer 5

igneous rocks are formed from magma in a volcano.Sedimentary are formed by compaction-for eg in a lake bed years of layers of sand/mud build up,they compact and eventually become sedimentary rocks.When a volcano erupts, pieces of igneous rock could find their way to a lake/river/soil and become part of the sand/mud/soil to eventually compact.

Answer 6

igneous rock can be made into particles by glaciers,
the action of lichens and mosses and airborne chemicals,
water action, and so on. later they are compressed into beds by sheer weight, or cemented by various methods.
All rock was once igneous.

Answer 7

A simple answer would be by means of erosion.

Answer 8

erosion, then deposition