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rock cycle
model that illustrates the origin of the 3 basic types of rocks & the interrelatedness of Earth’s materials and processes  |
igneous rock
rock formed from the cooling and hardening (recrystallization) of molten (melted) minerals  |
sedimentary rock
rock formed from weathered products of pre-existing rocks that have been transported, deposited, compacted, & cemented  |
metamorphic rock
rock formed from the alteration of pre-existing rock under the influence of heat and pressure  |
clastic sedimentary rock
sedimentary rocks that are made up of pieces of pre-existing rocks  |
chemical sedimentary rock
sedimentary rocks that form by precipitation of minerals from water  |
Biologic/Biochemical Sedimentary Rock
sedimentary rocks that form when living organisms die, pile up, and are then compressed and cemented together.  |
rock erosion
the geological process in which earth materials are transported by natural forces such as wind or water.  |
rock deposition
the geological process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to a landform or landmass  |
rock compaction
layers are squeezed together and any water mixed in with the sediments is forced out  |
rock cementation
the hardening and welding of clastic sediments (those formed from preexisting rock fragments) by the precipitation of mineral matter in the pore spaces.  |
mechanical weathering
also called physical weathering; it is a process that causes rocks to break down  |
chemical weathering
breaking down of rocks by changing the molecular structure of rocks and soil.  |
rock exfoliation
process in which large flat or curved sheets of rock fracture and are detached from the outcrop due to pressure release  |
frost wedging
happens when water gets in crack, freezes, and expands  |
regolith
the layer of unconsolidated rocky material covering bedrock  |
soil
the upper layer of earth in which plants grow a black or dark brown material typically consisting of a mixture of organic remains, clay, and rock particles  |
soil horizon
a layer parallel to the soil surface whose physical, chemical and biological characteristics differ from the layers above and beneath.  |
humus
the organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms  |
bedrock
solid rock underlying loose deposits such as soil or alluvium.  |
mass movement
bulk movements of soil and rock debris down slopes in response to the pull of gravity  |
glacier
a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near the poles  |
alluvial fan
a fan-shaped mass of alluvium deposited as the flow of a river decreases in velocity.  |
wind deflation
the removal of solid particles by wind  |
wind abrasion
the process of friction caused by scuffing, scratching, wearing down, marring, and rubbing away of materials  |
