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TheRockCycle

WhatistheRockCycle?
LikemostEarthmaterials,rocksarecreatedanddestroyedincycles.Therockcycleisamodelthat
describestheformation,breakdown,andreformationofarockasaresultofsedimentary,igneous,and
metamorphicprocesses.Allrocks
aremadeupofminerals.A
mineralisdefinedasanaturally
occurring,crystallinesolidof
definitechemicalcompositionand
acharacteristiccrystalstructure.A
rockisanynaturallyformed,
nonliving,firm,andcoherent
aggregatemassofsolidmatterthat
constitutespartofaplanet.
Igneousrocksformintwovery
differentenvironments.All
igneousrocksstartoutasmelted
rock,(magma)andthen
crystallize,orfreeze.Bowen's
ReactionSeriesisaproposed
sequenceofmineralcrystallizationfrombasalticmagma,basedonexperimentalevidence.Volcanic
processesformextrusiveigneousrocks.Extrusiverockscoolquicklyonorverynearthesurfaceofthe
earth.Fastcoolingmakescrystalstoosmalltoseewithoutsomekindofmagnifier.Basaltisdarkrock,
grayorblackonafreshlybrokensurface,andweathersbrownorred,becauseitcontainslotsofdark
coloredminerals.
Somebasaltcontainslightcoloredcrystals.Daciteandandesitearemediumin
color,andcontainsmediumamountsofdarkminerals.Rhyoliteisthelightest
coloredvolcanicrock.Rhyolitecontainsveryfewdarkminerals,butsometimes,
rhyolitecoolssofastthatitquenchesandformsvolcanicglassinsteadof
crystallizing.Volcanicglasslooksdarkbecauseofthewaylightpassesthrough
it.Obsidianisvolcanicglass.Rhyoliteisthemostcommonsourceofvolcanic
ashandpumiceinIdaho.Intrusiveigneousrockscool
inplutons(PlutowastheRomangodofthe
Underworld.)deepbelowthesurfaceoftheEarth.Slow
coolingallowsthegrowthoflargecrystals.Crystalsin
intrusiverocksarevisiblewithoutmagnification.
Granitehasthesamemineralsasrhyolite,butinmuch
largercrystals.Dioriteistheintrusiveversionof
andesite,granodioriteistheintrusiveversionofdacite,
andgabbroistheintrusiveversionofbasalt.
MetamorphicRockMetamorphicrocksformwhensedimentary,igneous,orothermetamorphicrocks
aresubjectedtoheatandpressurefromburialorcontactwithintrusiveorextrusiveigneousrocks.
("Meta"meanschange,and"morph"meansform.)Heatandpressurefromburialcausemoleculesofflat
mineralslikemicatolineupperpendiculartothedirectionofgreatestcompression.Deepburialmeans
higherpressureandhottertemperatures,andveryhightemperatureandpressurescausetheformationof
newminerals,andmineralgrains.Lowgrademetamorphicrockslikeslateandphyllitebreakinflat
pieces,andhaveasheenonthesurface.Schistisshiny,andmanyschistscontaingarnets,staurolitesor
othermineralcrystalsthathavegrownwithintherock.Gneissisafoliatedmetamorphicrock.Layersof
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darkandlightmineralsstripetherock,andsometimesitispossibletoseehowthedirectionofpressure
deepintheEarthchangedasthemineralsformed.Thechangeindirectionformseyeshapedpodsof
minerals,calledaugens("augen"isGermanfor"eye.")Quartziteisanotherimportantmetamorphicrock
inIdaho.Quartziteismetamorphosedsandstone.SomeIdahoquartziteissopurethatitcanbeusedto
makecomputerchips.ThemostcommoncontactmetamorphicrockinIdahoismarble.ThePortneuf
GapareaprovidesgoodexamplesofIdahomarble.Marbleformswhenlimestoneisintrudedbyapluton
whichheatsthelimestone.
SedimentaryRockSedimentaryrocksarethoserocksmadeupofpiecesof
otherrocks.Wecallthepiecesofrock"clasts"(Clastmeans"brokenpiece").A
clastisapieceofrockbrokenoffofanotherrock.Clastsofrockareerodedfrom
largerrocks,transported(moved)bywindorwateranddepositedina
basin.Aftersomeperiodoftime,theclastsarelithified(lithosistheGreekword
forstone).Thesedimentaryrocksweseetodaywereoncegravel,sand,silt,
mud,orlivingthings.Wedecidewhattonamesedimentaryrocksbasedonthe
sizeoftheclaststhatmakeuptherock.Formostsedimentaryrocks,thisiseasy.
Sandstoneismadeofsand,siltstoneismadeofsilt,mudstoneismadeofmudandsoon.Evenvolcanic
ashcanbecomesedimentaryrock!Theonlyhardonestorememberareconglomerateandbreccia.
Conglomeratesaremadeupofrounded,gravelsizeparticles(Toageologist,gravelisanythingfrom
2mmto4metersindiameter),andbrecciaismadeupofangular,sharpedged,gravelsizedclasts.
Limestoneandchertareclassifiedassedimentaryrocks,butmostlimestoneandchertaregrownby
livingorganismsratherthanbrokenfromotherrocks.Somelimestoneshavefossils,butmostlimestones
andchertshaverecrystallized,andtheremainsofthecreaturesthatmadethemarenolongervisible.
Terms:
CementationTheprocessbywhichclasticsedimentislithifiedbyprecipitationofmineralcement,such
ascalcitecement,amongthegrainsofthesediment.
CompactionTighterpackingofsedimentarygrainscausingweaklithificationandadecreaseinporosity,
usuallyfromtheweightofoverlyingsediment.
DepositionThesettlingofmaterialsoutofatransportingmedium.
ErosionTheprocessesthatloosensedimentandmoveitfromoneplacetoanotheronEarth'ssurface.
Agentsoferosionincludewater,ice,wind,andgravity.
LithificationTheprocessesbywhichsedimentisconvertedintosedimentaryrock.Theseprocesses
includecementationandcompaction.
MagmaMoltenrock,generallyasilicatemeltwithsuspendedcrystalsanddissolvedgases.
MeltingTogofromasolidstatetoaliquidstate.
MetamorphismAlterationofthemineralsandtexturesofarockbychangesintemperatureandpressure,
and/orbyagainorlossofchemicalcomponents.
PressureTheforceperunitofareaexerteduponsomething,suchasonasurface.
SedimentMaterial(suchasgravel,sand,mud,andlime)thatistransportedanddepositedbywind,
water,ice,orgravitymaterialthatisprecipitatedfromsolutiondepositsoforganicorigin(suchascoal
andcoralreefs).
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TransportationTheprocessesthatcarrysedimentorothermaterialsawayfromtheirpointoforigin.
Transportingmediaincludewind,waterandmantleconvectioncurrents
UpliftAstructurallyhighareainthecrust,producedbymovementsthatraisetherocks,asinabroad
domeorarch.WeatheringTheprocessesbywhichrocksarechemicallyalteredorphysicallybrokeninto
fragmentsasaresultofexposuretoatmosphericagentsandthepressuresandtemperaturesatornear
Earth'ssurface,withlittleornotransportationoftheloosenedoralteredmaterials.

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