The igneous rocks are the basic material for the formation of the two other rocks types, the sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. These rocks are the first that form. They form from the magma that has cooled inside the crust, or by the lava flows on the surface. Over time, the weathering and erosion start to break them apart little by little, creating sediments from them. These sediments are the founding block for the formation of the sedimentary rocks. Once these sediments are exposed to certain temperatures and pressures they start to become compact again, which is made possible through the cementation process that keeps them together. As more and more sediments are merged together, the sedimentary rocks are formed, and they can come in multiple different types, sizes, shapes, as well as compositions, and structures.
A mid-ocean ridge separates the Pacific plate and the Nazca plate off the western coast of South America. Which statement best describes the relative motions of the Pacific and Nazca plates? The Pacific plate is moving to the east, and the Nazca plate is moving to the west.