GEOLOGY

ROCKS
 GEOLOGY
• The science which deals with the physical
structure and substance of earth , their history
and the processes which act on them.
• Physical geology deals with the study of the
physical features of the earth and the
processes acting on them. This includes
volcanoes, earthquakes, rocks, mountains and
the oceans; just about any feature of the earth.
• Historical geology is the study of the history of
the earth.
Rocks are a combination of minerals that
are bonded together in some way.
• All rocks are made of minerals
– Monomineralic- contain one mineral
Polymineralic- contain more than one mineral

Rocks are classified into three groups by how they are

formed

Types of Rocks

Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic

 3 types of Rocks

Types of Rocks

Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic

•Sedimentary Rocks: •Metamorphic Rocks:

Igneous Rocks: are formed when old
Form from sediments
Form from molten rocks change by heat
(pieces of other rocks) that
rock that cools and are cemented together. and pressure.
hardens.

Rocks are classified by how they form

 Classification of igneous rocks-
2 types
Intrusive Extrusive
• Form from magma • Form from lava
• Cooled and • Cooled and
solidified hardened quickly at
(hardened) slowly or near the surface
deep underground of the earth.
• Large crystal size • Small or no crystals
Igneous rocks are also formed
when volcanoes erupt,
causing the magma to rise
above the earth's surface.
 Types of igneous rocks
• Granite- most
abundant igneous
rock
• Can be made up of
feldspar, quartz, mica,
and hornblende
 Obsidian
• • Obsidian rocks are
igneous rocks that
form when lava
cools quickly above
ground.
• Obsidian is not a
mixture of minerals.
The edges of this
rock are very sharp.
 Pumice
• Pumice rocks are •
igneous rocks which
were formed when lava
cooled quickly above
ground.
• This rock is so light, that
many pumice rocks will
actually float in water.
Extrusive

Insrusive
Can be:
• Felsic: light colored rocks that are rich in elements such as
aluminum, silicon. Lower density
• Mafic: dark colored rocks that are rich in iron and Mg. Higher
density
• Coarse-grained texture: takes longer to cool, larger visible
mineral crystals
• Fine-grained texture: cools quickly with small mineral crystals
• Glassy Texture: cools the quickest, no mineral crystals form
• Vesicular texture: Gas pockets (holes)
• (note) Texture refers to the size/appearance of the minerals
Fragments of
rock get broken 1. ARE USUALLY
FORMED IN A
down into
WATERY
sediments ENVIRONMENT.
Sediments are 2. OFTEN LAYERED
transported, 3. ARE THE ONLY
compacted, and ROCKS THAT
cemented into CONTAIN FOSSILS
rock
Fossil formation
Clastic Rocks – fragments cemented
together and include the sediments: sand,
silt, clay, pebbles, and boulders
• Generally these rocks are formed from one
mineral

Rock salt
(halite)

Rock gypsum- made

from gypsum
 Or Bioclastic

Bituminous coal- fossil fuel Limestone- made from

Formed from plant remains in Mineral calcite and
Swampy areas- most are millions Fragments of shells
Of years old
3. Metamorphic rocks
 Metamorphic rocks are rocks
that have "morphed" into
another kind of rock. These
rocks were once igneous or
sedimentary rocks.
The rocks are under tons and
tons of pressure, which fosters
heat build up, and this causes
them to change.
 How are they formed?
• Metamorphic rocks are pre-existing
rocks that have been changed by heat
and/or pressure without melting.

• These pre-existing rocks are called

parent rocks
 Classification- 2 groups
• Foliated • Non-foliated
• Mineral crystals are aligned,
or arranged in bands or • Mineral crystals do not have
layers. mineral crystals arranged in
bands of layers. Example marble
• Banding: High grade and quartzite.
metamorphism. Alternating
layers of dark and light minerals.
Metamorphism

• Regional
Metamorphism
– Caused by extreme
pressure and heat.
– Happens over wide
“regions”.
• Contact
Metamorphism
– Caused by contact
with extreme heat.
Holey schist!