Student Indicators

Student Indicators

Core

Innermost, dense, mainly iron and nickel.

Mantle

Thick, semi-solid, and convects heat.

Crust

Thin, solid outer layer.

Lithosphere

Rigid layer, includes crust and upper mantle.

Sedimentary Rocks

Formed in environments like lakes, rivers, estuaries, and inter-tidal zones.

Examples of Sedimentary Rocks

Sandstone, shale, conglomerate, limestone.

Metamorphic Rocks

Formed by heat and pressure without melting.

Examples of Metamorphic Rocks

Marble, schist, gneiss, quartzite, slate.

Types of Metamorphism

Contact (localized heat) and regional (widespread pressure).

Igneous Rocks

Formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.

Examples of Igneous Rocks

Rhyolite, basalt, obsidian, pumice, granite, gabbro.

Crystal Size in Igneous Rocks

Larger crystals form from slower cooling; smaller from rapid cooling.

Weathering

Breakdown of rocks at Earth's surface.

Erosion

Movement of sediment by wind, water, ice.

Deposition

Dropping of sediment in new locations.

Physical Weathering

Breaks rock into smaller pieces without changing its composition.

Chemical Weathering

Alters the mineral composition of rocks.

Water Erosion

Includes river and coastal erosion.

Wind Erosion

Creates desert landforms.

Ice Erosion

Results in glacial landforms.

Rock Cycle

Describes how rocks transform between sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic through melting, cooling, weathering, and pressure.

Minerals

Naturally occurring, inorganic solids with a specific chemical structure.

Properties of Minerals

Streak, cleavage, hardness, lustre, and colour.

Mohs Scale of Hardness

Ranks minerals by their ability to scratch others.

Ore

Rock with high concentration of economically valuable minerals.

Importance of Ores

Economic value, usability, and mining feasibility.

Australian Mining

Utilises geology for resource extraction and is significant in occupations related to exploration and processing.