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Lab: Formation Of Igneous Rocks

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Lab: F ormation o f I gneous R ocks!

adapted f rom

a l ab e ntitled “ Igneous R ocks”

by M abry G aboardi o f t he F lorida S tate U niversity G K-‐12 p rogram.

Today w e a re g oing t o b e s tudying i gneous r ocks. W e a re g oing t o m ake t wo i gneous r ocks

and e xplore h ow t hey a re f ormed. T ake a l ook a t r ocks A -‐D i n y our b ox. ( A-‐Granite, B -‐

Rhyolite, C -‐Gabbro, D -‐Basalt) Y ou c an r emove t hese f our r ocks a nd p ut t hem o n y our d esk.

1. What o bservations c an y ou m ake a bout t hese r ocks?

2. What d o y ou t hink m akes t he c olor i n t hese r ocks?

3. Do y ou s ee c rystals i n a ll f our o f t he r ocks? W hat i deas d o y ou h ave a bout w hy y ou

can s ee c rystals w ell i n s ome b ut n ot i n o thers?

We a re g oing t o f ind o ut w hy. I h ave m elted m inerals t o m ake m agma. I a m g oing t o p ut t his

magma o n w ax p aper a nd I w ant y ou t o o bserve w hat h appens.

4. What d id y ou s ee?

This i s h ow i gneous r ocks a re f ormed! R emember w hat f orms i gneous r ocks f rom m agma?

Cooling! T he a mount o f t ime m agma h as t o c ool a ffects t he s ize o f t he c rystals.

SCWIBLES is an NSF-GK-12 project, #DGE-0947923,

Rock Types and Formation

a partnership between the University of California, Santa Cruz,

Igneous Lab

and the Pájaro Valley Unified School District.

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Lab: Formation Of Igneous Rocks