Every rock tells a story about Earth’s past. For this week’s discussion, begin by viewing
this short video from the Brown University Science Center (Links to an external site.)
about the stories one particular rock tells us. Then, select a specific type of igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rock to research.
Here is a list (Links to an external site.)
of different rock types you might choose from. Tell us about the rock you have chosen. Which kind is it? What minerals does it contain? How did it form? What stories can it tell us about the Earth’s past? For instance, sedimentary rocks and extrusive (erupted at the surface) igneous rocks typically tell us about the nature of ancient environments or eruption events on Earth’s surface, while metamorphic and intrusive igneous rocks tend to tell us about geological events that happened deep underground, typically as a result of plate tectonic forces. Be sure to select a specific kind of rock that no one else has chosen yet.
Be sure to post an initial, substantive response by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. MST and respond to 2 or more peers with substantive responses by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MST. A substantive initial post answers the question presented completely and/or asks a thoughtful question pertaining to the topic. Substantive peer responses ask a thoughtful question pertaining to the topic and/or answer a question (in detail) posted by another student or the instructor.