answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

When an igneous rock is eroded by rain, wind, etc. the small grains and dust are swept into streams and rivers. Eventually they are deposited in lakes, seas or oceans.

After a long time these sediments build up and are covered by later sediments. Due to compaction from overlying sediments they gradually turn into a rock, a sedimentary rock.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: How can an igneous rock change into a sedimentary rock over millions of years?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Earth Science

Which type of rock takes millions of years to form?

Sedimentary rocks. Igneous and metamorphic rocks take hundreds mostly. However, this does apply to all sedimentary rocks, due to the lengthly processes they go through.


How does magma change into a sedimentary rock?

The magma hardens into igneous rock, and then breaks up into small pieces due to weathering (over millions of years); the weathering process deposits it in strata through the action of water or wind. Then under pressure (normally of the continued depositing of more layers of rock and sand above it), the particles compress together to form a sedimentary rock layer. Again this process can take tens of millions of years. An example of this is Granite, which is an igneous (magma-type) rock, on weathering and reconstitution it can become sandstone.


Does sedimentary rock become metamorphic rock after millions of years?

Sedimentary rock can become metamorphosed after millions or hundreds of millions of years. Most geologic processes, like metamorphism, are extremely slow in human terms.


When were rocks born?

Rocks have been here for millions of years so they didn't really just pop up. There are three main types of rocks, Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary. Igneous rock is rock formed when magma or lava cools or hardens. Metamorphic rock is rock formed when heat, pressure or fluids act on igneous, sedimentary or other metamorphic rock to change its form or composition. Sedimentary rock forms when sediments are compacted or cemented together or when minerals form from solution. Rocks are made from on or more minerals, volcanic glass, inorganic matter, orother natural material. So for rocks to have became there had to have been minerals first.


What force is needed when forming sedimentary rocks?

Geo-thermal force is needed in forming the sedimentary rocks. The fragments of igneous rocks by erosion are carried by water currents and deposited in the basin for millions of years. The upheaval in the earth strata bring these deposits deep. The pressure of earth mass and its heat converts these deposits in to sedimentary rocks. The red sand stone is the best example of sedimentary rock formation.

Related questions

Do igneous rocks change into soil?

Yes,igneous rocks are also changed into soil.But they take millions of years to change into soil


Sedimentary or igneous what do they mean?

Sedimentary rock is formed using dead sea animals' shells and are formed by thousands-millions of years of crushing together under the sea bed. Igneous rock means "born from fire" and is made in volcanoes.


Why is it impossible for someone to see the transition from an igneous rock to a sedimentary rock?

It takes a very long time (millions of years) and occurs at high pressure deep within dense sediments. Igneous rocks form from magma or lava, then are slowly eroded into tiny particles (sand, silt, clay) that when buried and compressed may form a hard sedimentary rock. The time scale can be from millions to hundreds of millions of years.


Which type of rock takes millions of years to form?

Sedimentary rocks. Igneous and metamorphic rocks take hundreds mostly. However, this does apply to all sedimentary rocks, due to the lengthly processes they go through.


How does magma change into a sedimentary rock?

The magma hardens into igneous rock, and then breaks up into small pieces due to weathering (over millions of years); the weathering process deposits it in strata through the action of water or wind. Then under pressure (normally of the continued depositing of more layers of rock and sand above it), the particles compress together to form a sedimentary rock layer. Again this process can take tens of millions of years. An example of this is Granite, which is an igneous (magma-type) rock, on weathering and reconstitution it can become sandstone.


How does metamorphic and igneous rock chmge to sedimentary rock?

By slowly over thousands or millions of years of breaking down into basically sand and then have presser or heat so it sticks together.


What does classification mean when you are takling about a rock?

Rocks are classified as Igneous-coming from inside the earth Sedimentary-rocks that are compacted in the crust for millions of years, and Metamorphic-rocks exposed to great temperatures and pressures change into a different rock. GOOGLE the rock cycle


Why does it take thousands or millions of years to create sedimentary rocks when it may only take minutes to form igneous-?

It takes a long time for sedimentary rocks because the rocks have to break down in small pieces. The rocks are from the surfaces or the crust.


Why does it take thousands or millions of years to create sedimentary rocks when it may only take minutes to form igneous?

It takes a while for sedimentary rocks to form because it has to be broken into smaller pieces. It can be formed at the surface of the rock or the crust of the rock.


Do sedimentary rocks hold important clues to Earth's history?

Sedimentary rocks provide a very straightforward look at how the layers of the earth formed millions of years ago. I would say the answer to your question is sedimentary.


How do sedimentary rocks becomes igneous?

Sedimentary rocks, as a rule, must first undergo a change into a metamorphic rock (a process which can take hundred of thousands to millions of years), before they may become molten from subduction processes or contact with a body of magma, whereby the magma would cool and form an igneous rock.


What are the 3 type rocks?

Metamorphic, Igneous, and Sedimentary. Sedimentary is produced by river sediments compacted into hard rock by years of pressure. Igneous rock is formed by lava cooling down when it reaches the surface. Metamorphic rock comes from Igneous, Sedimentary, or other Metamorphic rocks and is defined as rock that has been changed from some other rock, called a protolith, by years of heat and pressure beneath the Earth's surface.