Rocks

Rocks
 are naturally formed, nonliving,
firm, and coherent aggregate
mass of solid matter that
constitutes part of a planet
 are created and

destroyed in cycles called

rock cycle
 Rocks
 are made up of one or more
minerals

Examples:
Basalt is commonly composed of
three minerals – feldspar, pyroxene, and olivine

Granite is commonly composed of five

minerals – two kinds of feldspar, mica,
amphibole, and quartz
 Types of Rocks
 Igneous Rock

 Sedimentary Rock

 Metamorphic Rock
 Igneous Rocks
 form from the cooling of magma –
molten materials in the earth’s crust.
Molten materials are found below the earth
crust and are normally subjected to extreme
pressure and temperatures – up to 1200°
Celsius.

 the word igneous comes from the

Latin word ignis, meaning fire.
 are classified according to their
texture and mineral or chemical
content.
 Two types of igneous rocks
Intrusive igneous rocks
 form within Earth's crust
the molten material rises, filling any available gaps, into the
crust, and hardens then these rocks are not visible until
the earth above them has eroded away.
 also called plutonic rocks, named after the
Greek god Pluto, God of the underworld.
 this rock can take one million years or
more to cool.
Two types of igneous rocks
Intrusive igneous rocks

Examples:
Diorite is a coarse-grained,
intrusive igneous rock that
contains a mixture of feldspar,
pyroxene, hornblende, and
sometimes quartz.
Two types of igneous rocks
Intrusive igneous rocks

Examples:
Granite
is a coarse-grained,
light-colored, intrusive
igneous rock that contains
mainly quartz, feldspar,
and mica minerals.
 Two types of igneous rocks
Extrusive igneous rocks
 form when the magma or molten rock
pours out onto the earth's surface or
erupts at the earth's surface from a
volcano .
 also called volcanic rocks.
Two types of igneous rocks
Extrusive igneous rocks

Examples:
Basalt is a fine-grained,
dark-colored extrusive
igneous rock composed
mainly of plagioclase
and pyroxene.
 Two types of igneous rocks
Extrusive igneous rocks

Examples:
Pumice is a light-colored
vesicular igneous rock.
It forms through very rapid
solidification of a melt.
The vesicular texture is a
result of gas trapped in
the melt at the time of solidification.
 Igneous - Texture
Intrusive Extrusive

Magma cools beneath Earth’s Lava cools on the Earth’s surface

surface

Cools very slowly Cools very quickly

Course-grained Texture Fine-Grained Texture

Large Crystals Small or no crystals

Granite, diorite Basalt, Pumice

 Sedimentary Rocks
 rocks are formed by the accumulation of
sediments.
Fragments of rocks that have been broken down
as a result of weatheiring (wind, ice, running water etc)
are classified accdg to size, clay silt sand, pebble,
cobble and boulder.
 Sedimentary rocks exhibit layers called
strata
 Sedimentary Rocks
 Most sedimentary rocks formed
through a series of process:
1. Erosion

2. Deposition

3. Compaction

4. Cementation
 Basic types of sedimentary rocks
1.Clastic sedimentary rocks are
formed from mechanical
weathering debris. (compacted
and cemented sediments, classified
by size)

Examples:
breccia, conglomerate, sandstone,siltstone,
and shale
 Basic types of sedimentary rocks
2. Chemical sedimentary rocks
(crystalline)
form when dissolved materials
precipitate from solution.
(Evaporates and precipitates)

Examples:
rock salt, iron ore, chert, flint,
some dolomites, and some limestones
Basic types of sedimentary rocks
3. Organic sedimentary rocks form
from the accumulation of plant or
animal debris.

Examples:
coal, some dolomites, and
some limestones
 Examples of Sedimentary Rocks
Conglomerate
 derived from gravels.

 is a clastic sedimentary

rock that contains

large (greater than two
millimeters in diameter)
rounded particles.
The space between the pebbles is generally filled with smaller
particles and/or a chemical cement that binds the rock
together.
 Examples of Sedimentary Rocks
Limestone
 is a rock that is
composed primarily
of calcium carbonate.
 form organically

from the accumulation

of shell, coral, algal,
and fecal debris.
 form chemically

from the precipitation of

calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water.
 Examples of Sedimentary Rocks
Coal
 is an organic sedimentary
rock that forms mainly
from plant debris and
these plant debris usually
accumulates in a swamp
environment.
 Sedimentary rocks and its
derivation
1. Conglomerate derived from Gravels.
2. Sandstone from Sand,
3. Siltstone from Silt
4. Shale from Clay.
5. Limestone from shells and skeletons
of marine animals, coral reefs & fish.
6. Fossil fuels (Coal, Gas and
Petroleum.) from ancient forest
vegetation buried in shallow seas.
Formation of Sedimentary Rocks

1)Erosion and
weathering
2)Transportation
3)Deposition
4)Lithification
 1. Erosion and Weathering
The origin of sedimentary rocks begins with
the processes of weathering and erosion.
Pre-existing rocks can be broken down both
mechanically or chemically to produce
sediment.
Mechanical Weathering happens when a material is broken into smaller
pieces which still retain the characteristics of the original material.
Example: freeze – defrost action.

Water freezing
cracks fragments of
rock
 1. Erosion and Weathering

Chemical Weathering happens when a

material is altered by chemical action and a
new material is produced which is chemically
different than the original material.
Examples:
Oxidation reactions - Iron rusting
decomposition of limestone (statues and
headstones)
 2. Transportation of Sediment
Erosional agents influenced by gravity, transport
the sediment to new locations where it is
deposited.
Sediment is broken down further during the
transport phase.
Three main agents tend to transport the sediment, these being;

1) Water (rivers and groundwater)

2) Ice (glaciers)
Wind Blown Sand

3) Wind
 3. Deposition of Sediment
Eventually the sediment is deposited in
lakes, river valleys, seas, and more
frequently the oceans.

In dry areas of the world, sediment

(sand and silt) can accumulate in areas called
deserts.
 4. Lithification of Sediment
Following deposition, sediment may become lithified,
which means turned to solid rock.
Sediment is commonly lithified by two processes;
Compaction:

when the sediment size is small (silt and clay),

the weight from the layers of sediment above can
compact the lower layers forming solid
sedimentary rock.

Silt and
Clay
Compaction

Shale
 2. Lithification of Sediment

Cementation:
Over long period of time mineral matter
within groundwater can cement (stick)
sediment particles together to form solid
sedimentary rock.

Sediment Cement
Particles
 Metamorphic Rocks
 these rocks have been modified by
heat, pressure, and chemical processes,
usually while buried deep below Earth's
surface.
 exposure to these extreme conditions
has changed the mineralogy, texture,
and chemical composition of the rocks.
 Metamorphic Rocks
Two basic types of metamorphic rocks
 Foliated metamorphic rocks have a layered or

banded appearance that is produced by exposure to

heat and directed pressure.
Examples:
gneiss, phyllite, schist, and slate
 Non-foliated metamorphic rocks do not have a

layered or banded appearance.

Examples:
hornfels, marble, quartzite, and novaculite
 “Foliated” rocks contain much mica and
other rocks that produce layering or banding
 Non-foliated metamorphic rocks include
marble, which comes from limestone, and
quatzite, which comes from sandstone
 Metamorphic Rocks
EXAMPLES
Gneiss is a foliated metamorphic rock that has
a banded appearance and is made up of
granular mineral grains. It typically contains
abundant quartz or feldspar minerals.
 Metamorphic Rocks
EXAMPLES
Slate is a foliated metamorphic rock that is
formed through the metamorphism of shale. It
is a low-grade metamorphic rock that splits into
thin pieces.
 Metamorphic Rocks
EXAMPLES
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock
that is produced by the metamorphism
of sandstone. It is composed primarily
of quartz.
 Rock Cycle
is a model that describes
the formation, breakdown,
and reformation of a rock
as a result of
sedimentary, igneous, and
metamorphic processes.
ROCK CYCLE