Rocks: sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals EAL Nexus resource Rocks: sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic Subject(s): Geography, Science Age group(s): 8–11, 12–14, 15–16 Topic: Types of rocks Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. ©British Council 2014 Source | This resource was originally developed from a resource on TES by j33ffa , Charlotte Hurley and Alison Fisher and has been adapted by EAL Nexus.

Limestone – sedimentary rock (rock formed from sediment) Limestone is formed from the shells and skeletons of sea animals so may contain fossils. © Hannes Grobe. It is very heavy so it cannot be used for tall buildings. light heavy It reacts with acid rain which corrodes the buildings. Uses: Buildings Roads Wall filler Cement © Coyau It is easy to cut and carve into detailed shapes. © Serouj

Sandstone – sedimentary rock (rock formed from sediment) Sandstone is made of sand-sized minerals or rock grains. Sandstone comes in many colours such as brown, yellow, red, grey, pink, white and black, but is usually a reddish-brown. © Whitegoast.unk The surface of sandstone is rough. Uses: Buildings Paving Carvings Sharpening tools Sandstone wears away easily in the rain and cold. It is easy to carve but can crumble. © Connie Ma

Shale – sedimentary rock (rock formed from sediment) Shale is made of very fine rounded grains of sediment that have compacted together. Shale often contains fossils. Shale contains mud and flakes of clay. Shale is grey to black in colour. © Michael C. Rygel Shale can be split into thin sheets. Shale is often found in lakes, by rivers, on floodplains and offshore from beaches. Uses: Tiles Bricks Pottery

Chalk – sedimentary rock (rock formed from sediment) Chalk is formed from the shells of one type of sea creature. Chalk is white. Chalk is crumbly. Chalk is porous and can hold a large amount of water. © Michael King Chalk doesn’t weather easily, so chalk cliffs still stand by the sea. Uses: Toothpaste Fingerprint powder Blackboard chalk

Obsidian – igneous rock (rock formed when magma cools) Obsidian is formed when molten rock cools quickly. Obsidian is a type of volcanic glass. It is dark black and shiny. Uses: Knives/sharp tools Jewellery gems © Simon Burchell © AlejandroLinaresGarcia It is hard and brittle and can be broken to make sharp edges.

Gabbro – igneous rock (rock formed when magma cools) Gabbro is formed when molten magma is trapped beneath the Earth’s surface. Gabbro has large interlocking crystals. Gabbro is dark grey to black in colour. © Maria Ly © Kevin Walsh Gabbro is usually found near ocean ridges and in mountainous areas. Uses: Building Decorating buildings Kitchen worktops Paving stones © Roll-Stone Gabbro has a rough surface. © Ggrrdll

Basalt – igneous rock (rock formed when magma cools) Basalt rock is formed by the rapid cooling of lava near the surface. Basalt has a rough surface. It is dark grey and very hard. Basalt weathers in air and water to change to a red-brown colour. © Eurico Zimbres Uses: Cobbles Statues Paving roads Basalt sometimes forms columns of stone as it hardens. © ray blow

Granite – igneous rock (rock formed when magma cools) Granite is made when molten rock from a volcano is cooled down and forms large interlocking crystals. Granite is a very heavy material. Granite is hard and tough. Granite can be polished to make it smooth and to make it look good. light Uses: Buildings Kitchen worktops Kitchen utensils heavy Granite comes in many colours from pink to grey and sometimes black. © Ggrrdll © Halvard

Marble – metamorphic rock (rock changed by heat or pressure) Marble is made from limestone that has been heated to change it into marble. It is very heavy. It is often white and has coloured swirls and streaks. heavy light Uses: Sculptures Buildings Statues Chopping boards Tiles It is easy to polish and make the surface smooth and shiny. It is easy to carve because it is soft and doesn’t crumble when cut.

Slate – metamorphic rock (rock changed by heat or pressure) Slate is made when mudstones called shale are changed by heat and pressure. Slate is blue, purple and grey in colour. Slate is waterproof. The crystals that the slate is made from are arranged in layers. Uses: Roof and floor tiles Walls Decorative gravel Gravestones It is easy to cut into thin sheets due to its layers.

Gneiss – metamorphic rock (rock changed by heat or pressure) Gneiss is formed when sedimentary and igneous rocks are exposed to extreme temperatures and pressure. © Siim Sepp Gneiss often has alternating bands of colour that make interesting patterns. Gneiss has a coarse texture and is rough to the touch. © Michael C Rygel The bands are due to the various rocks it is made from. Uses: Building construction Decorative facing Gravestones Base for roads © Daniel CD The quartz in gneiss makes it sparkle.

Soapstone – metamorphic rock (rock changed by heat or pressure) Soapstone is formed when sedimentary and igneous rocks are exposed to extreme temperatures and pressure. © Ra’ike Soapstone has a high resistance to heat and acid. Soapstone is grey, green, pink or white in colour. Uses: Bowls Carved objects Lining fireplaces Jewellery Soapstone is a soft stone and is easy to carve with a sharp tool such as a knife. It feels slippery like soap. Soapstone can be polished to a smooth finish.

Limestone

Sandstone

Shale

Chalk

Obsidian

Gabbro

Basalt

Granite

Marble

Slate

Gneiss

Soapstone

Limestone It is a sedimentary rock. It is formed from the shells of sea animals. It may contain remains of fossils. It is used in buildings and to make cement. It is heavy. It corrodes.

Sandstone It is a sedimentary rock. It is made of sand-sized grains of similar sizes. It can be many colours, but is often reddish brown. It feels rough. It is easy to carve. It can crumble. It can be used to sharpen tools.

Shale It is a sedimentary rock. It is made of very fine rounded grains. Fossils are often found in it. It forms layers which can be split into thin sheets. It can be used to make tiles. It is formed in lakes.

Chalk It is a sedimentary rock. It is formed from the shells of a particular sea animal. It is white. It is porous. It is used to write on blackboards.

Obsidian It is an igneous rock. It is formed by magma cooling quickly. It is dark and shiny like glass. It is used to make very sharp knives.

Gabbro It is an igneous rock. It has large interlocking crystals. It is usually dark grey. It can be used for paving stones. It is rough. It can be found in mountainous areas.

Basalt It is an igneous rock. It has small interlocking crystals. It is dark grey and very hard. It sometimes forms columns of stone as it hardens. It turns red when it weathers.

Granite It is an igneous rock. It has interlocking crystals. It is formed by magma cooling slowly, so it has large crystals. It is used for kitchen worktops because it is so hard. It is heavy.

Marble It is a metamorphic rock. It is formed from limestone. It can be many colours but is often white with streaks in it. It is used for making statues and chopping boards. It is heavy.

Slate It is a metamorphic rock. It is formed from shale. Its crystals are arranged in layers. It is used to make roof tiles. It can be blue, purple and grey.

Gneiss It is a metamorphic rock. It is formed from sedimentary and igneous rocks. It is formed under pressure. It has alternating bands of colours. It is rough to touch. It sparkles.

Soapstone It is a metamorphic rock. It is quite a soft rock. It is used for making bowls and other objects with carvings. It feels smooth and slippery. It has a high resistance to heat.