Rocks & The Rock Cycle

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to the rock cycle and types of rocks studied in the lecture.

Igneous Rocks

___ formed when magma solidifies.

Sedimentary Rocks

___ formed when sediment becomes cemented or compacted.

Metamorphic Rocks

___ formed from pre-existing rocks altered by heat, pressure, or tectonic deformation.

Rock Cycle

A continuous process where rocks change from one type to another over geological ____.

Magma

A hot liquid formed from melted rocks in the Earth’s ____ and upper mantle.

Basalt

A common ____ igneous rock, fine-grained volcanic rock.

Granite

A common ____ igneous rock, coarse-grained, usually found in continental crust.

Parent Rock

The original rock before it is changed by ____ or any other geological process.

Pressure-release melting

Melting that occurs when pressure on rocks ____.

Felsic Rocks

Igneous rocks rich in feldspar and silicon, low in ____ and magnesium.

Mafic Rocks

Igneous rocks low in silica but high in iron and magnesium, ____ in color.

Partial Melting

A process where only some minerals in a rock melt, leading to magma with higher ____ content.

Porphyry

An igneous rock with larger crystals embedded in a ____-grained matrix.

Asthenosphere

A semi-fluid layer in Earth's mantle where ____ can form.