Rock Cycle and Lithosphere

EEn.2.1.1 Explain how the rock cycle impacts the

lithosphere.

Lithosphere
Lithosphere- rigid, outermost
layer of Earth (crust and solid
mantle(uppermantle))
3 rock types:
Igneous- crystallized magma
Sedimentary- cemented
sediments in layers
Metamorphic- rock is changed
without being melted

Rock Types: Igneous

rocks

Granite is an igneous rock formed from

magma slushy mix of molten rock, gases, and
mineral crystals BELOW Earths surface.
Igneous rocks are formed from the
crystallization of magma.
Remember: Lava is magma that flows ABOVE
Earths surface

Rock Types: Igneous

Rocks

Types of Igneous Rock:

Extrusive fine-grained igneous

rocks that cool quickly ON Earths
surface
Intrusive coarse-grained igneous
rocks that cool slowly BELOW Earths
surface
Extrusive Rock

Intrusive Rock

Rock Types: Igneous Rocks

Rocks melt only under
certain conditions the
right combination of
temperature, pressure,
and composition must
be present.
The mineral rock
contains have different
melting points
So, not all parts of a
rock melt at the same
time partial melting
One way different types
of igneous rocks form

Rock Types: Igneous

Rocks

When magma cools,

it crystallizes=
igneous rocks
If it cools quickly (on
Earths surface), there is
not enough time for
large crystals to form
(extrusive)-Ex:
Rhyolite
If it cools slowly
(beneath Earths
surface), there is
sufficient time for large
crystals to form
(intrusive)-Ex: Granite

Rock Types: Igneous

Rock Uses

Building materials
(strong, resistant to
weathering)
Granite most
durable igneous
rocks
Ore deposits are found
within igneous rocks
Gold, silver, lead,
and copper found in
igneous veins
Diamonds found in
igneous rocks

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks

Much of Earths surface is covered with

sediments pieces of solid material deposited
on Earths surface by wind, water, ice,
gravity, or chemical precipitation
Sediments are formed through weathering
(breakdown of rocks)
When sediments become cemented together,
they form sedimentary rocks (form in layers)

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks

Erosion and Transport:

After rock fragments have been weathered off, they

are transported to new locations : called erosion.
Four main agents of erosion: wind, moving water,
gravity, and glaciers.
Eroded materials are almost always carried downhill

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks

Erosion and transport:

Water- more power to move large particles

than wind
Wind- moves fine, dry particles easily
Ice- carry huge boulders and piles of debris
Gravity- pulls materials downslope (down hill
sides and downstream); landslides, mudflows,
avalanches

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks

Deposition:

When sediments are

laid down on the ground
or sink to the bottom of
bodies of water
deposition occurs.
Sediments are
deposited when
transport stops.
Sediments form a
layered deposit with the
largest grains on the
bottom and smallest at
the top

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks
Deposition and landforms:
Water:
Water going down steep
slopes erodes more because
the steeper the slope the
faster the water moves
carrying more material longer
distances than wind
Creates watershed- where
water and sediment empty as
it works its way toward ocean
Creates river deltas and
sandbars- where sediment is
dumped as it flows out of
river or sounds into ocean

Deltas

NC Outer Banks sandbars

NC
Outer
Banks
sandba
rs

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks

Deposition and
landforms:
Ice: (Glaciers)
large-scale and
dramatic; scrape,
gouge out large
sections of
landscape
Waterfalls, lakes,
various shaped
sediment
deposits (glacial
till: extremely
heterogeneous
sediments of glacial
origin)

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks

Deposition and
landforms:
Wind: moves dry,
small particles
easily in areas
where there are
not many plants to
hold soil in place
Shores: winds
can blow fine
particles uphill
creating sand
dunes

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks
Lithification:
As more and more sediment is deposited, the bottom layers
are subjected to increasing pressure and temperature
Causes lithification the physical and chemical
processes that transform sediments into
sedimentary rocks.
Begins with COMPACTION weight of overlying sediments force
sediment grains together causing physical changes
Sediments buried to 3-4 km experience high temperatures that
cause CEMENTATION mineral growth cements sediment grains
together into solid rock

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rocks
Features:

Primary feature
horizontal layering
called bedding
Graded bedding coarser,
heavier particles on
bottom layer
Cross-bedding inclined
layers of sediment move
forward across horizontal
surface

Fossils best known

feature of sedimentary
rocks

Rock Types: Sedimentary

Rock Uses

Oil, natural gas, and

coal are found in
sedimentary rock
Uranium (nuclear
power) is mined from
sandstone
Limestone used to
make cement; used
for building
Phosphate (fertilizer)
and iron (steel) found
in sedimentary rock

Rock Types:
Metamorphic Rocks
When high temperature and pressure combine to
alter the texture, mineralogy, or chemical
composition of a rock without melting it, a
metamorphic rock forms.
During metamorphism, a rock changes form while
remaining solid.
Temperature comes from Earths internal heat
Pressure comes from either overlying rock or
compressive forces during mountain building

Rock Types:
Metamorphic Rocks

Two groups:

Foliated wavy layers and bands of minerals

Nonfoliated lack mineral grains with long
axes in one direction

Foliated

Nonfoliated

Weathering

Weathering set of
physical and chemical
processes that break
rock into smaller
pieces.
Chemical weathering
minerals in a rock are
dissolved or chemically
changed
Physical weathering
minerals are not
chemically changed, rock
fragments simply break
off the solid rock

Causes soil formation

Fine grain soil
Medium grain soil
Coarse grain soil

Weathering
Chemical Weathering

Physical Weathering

Things that affect chemical Things that affect physical

weathering:
weathering:
Water: dissolves minerals
Temperature: water
Oxygen: oxygen reacts with
expands as it freezes so it
substances (oxidation)
will break rocks open
Carbon dioxide: released by
Ex. Formation of pot
living organisms forming
holes in roads
carbonic acid that dissolves
Pressure: removing rocks
minerals
above decreases pressure
Acid precipitation: change
and allows layers to be
pH of water
peeled off
Temperature: influences
Ex. Removing rock from
rate of chemical reactions
a mine can decrease
pressure and cause
large pieces of rock to
explode off walls of

Weathering
Climate effects on weathering
Precipitation, temperature, and evaporation
Temperature and precipitation have greatest
effect on weathering
Chemical weathering occurs more in areas
with warm temperatures, high rainfall, and
lush vegetation
Physical weathering occurs more in cool, dry
areas, especially where repeated
freezing/thawing occur
Little/no chemical weathering occurs in areas that
are frigid(very cold in temperature) all year round

Weathering

Rock type and surface Topography and other

area
variables
Weathering depends on Rocks on slopes are
how hard or resistant
more likely to move
rock is
This exposes
Sedimentary rocks are
underlying rocks to
more easily weathered
more weathering
Mechanical weathering
Organic matter and plant
breaks rocks up into
roots release carbon
smaller pieces which
dioxide
increases surface area
Which combines with
More surface area
water to produce
equals more
carbonic acid which
weathering
increases weathering

The Three Rock Types Re-Cap

The three types of
rocks igneous,
sedimentary, and
metamorphic are
grouped according to
how they form:
Igneous rocks
crystallize from
magma
Sedimentary rocks
form from cemented
sediments
Metamorphic rocks
form by changes in
temperature and
pressure.

The Rock Cycle

ANY ROCK CAN BE CHANGED
INTO ANY OTHER TYPE OF
ROCK
Ex. Heat and pressure may change
an igneous rock into a metamorphic.
Ex. A metamorphic may be melted
into an igneous rock
Ex. A metamorphic rock can be
weathered and eroded into
sediments, then into a sedimentary
rock

The continuous changing and

remaking of rocks is called the
rock cycle.
The rocks of Earths crust are
constantly being recycled from
one type to another.
At any given time, magma is
crystallizing, sediments are
being cemented, and deeply
buried rocks are
metamorphosing.

Rock Cycle
Energy driving the
cycle:
Temperature (heat
from earths interior
causing melting and
cooling)
Mechanical
(erosion, deposition,
cementation)
Gravitational
potential energy
(pressure from
layers of rock
above)