Final answer:
Material from an igneous rock formation can be transformed into sedimentary rock through the rock cycle, involving weathering, erosion, deposition, burial, compaction, and cementation, driven by tectonic plate motions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, material from an igneous rock formation under the Earth's outer layer could eventually form sedimentary rock on the Earth's surface through a complex process known as the rock cycle. Igneous rocks form when magma or lava from the Earth's interior cools and solidifies. Over time, these rocks can be broken down by weathering and erosion, creating sediments. These sediments can be transported by wind, water, or ice and eventually deposited in layers. With time, these layers accumulate and can be buried and compacted under more sediments, or cemented together by minerals precipitating out of water, thus forming sedimentary rocks like sandstone, shale, and limestone.
Tectonic activity plays a fundamental role in the rock cycle by moving rocks up towards the Earth's surface or down into the mantle. This cycle of events can lead igneous rocks to undergo physical and chemical changes, becoming sedimentary and possibly even metamorphic rocks. The concept of plate tectonics is essential here, as it explains how geological activity brings rocks from deep within the Earth to the surface, where they can be exposed and begin the process of sedimentation, eventually forming sedimentary rock strata that can span thicknesses from millimeters to many meters.