How can an igneous rock turn into a sedimentary rock?
A. through erosion, heat and pressure
B. through erosion, pressure and cementation
C. through heat, erosion and pressure
D. through cementation, pressure and erosion
B. through erosion, pressure and cementation
The correct answer is:
B. through erosion, pressure, and cementation.
Here are the step-by-step processes involved in the transformation of an igneous rock into a sedimentary rock:
1. Erosion: Weathering and erosion break down the igneous rock into smaller fragments through physical processes like wind, water, or ice.
2. Transportation: The eroded rock fragments are then transported by agents such as rivers, glaciers, or wind to a new location.
3. Deposition: The transported rock fragments settle and accumulate in layers in a depositional environment, such as lakes, rivers, or oceans.
4. Compaction: The weight of the overlying layers of sediment causes the lower layers to become compacted, gradually compressing the sediment together.
5. Lithification: With increasing pressure, the compacted sediment undergoes a process called lithification, which involves the binding of sediment particles together through minerals or cementing agents.
6. Cementation: The final step is cementation, where dissolved minerals in groundwater precipitate out and fill the spaces between the sediment particles, binding them together to form solid rock.
Through these processes of erosion, pressure, and cementation, the igneous rock is transformed into a sedimentary rock.