geology lab

lithosphere

ridged brittle part of crust and mantle

asthenosphere

softer plastic layer of upper mantle

divergent plate boundary

normal fault

convergent plate boundary

reverse fault

convergent oceanic oceanic

subduction in deep ocean trench (volcanos)

convergent continental continental

no subduction, mountains

convergent oceanic continental

subduction, mountain belt and volcanos

transform plate boundary

strike slip fault

felsic

pink color, lots of silica, explosive eruptions, thick

mafic

lots of iron and magnesium, gentle eruptions

intrusive cooling

large crystals, cools underground

extrusive cooling

small crystals, cools aboveground

mineral

naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, orderly crystalline structure, definite chemical compound

rock

any solid mass of mineral or mineral like matter that occurs naturally

luster

appearance of light reflected from surface of mineral (metallic or non metallic)

streak

color of mineral in powdered form

cleavage and fracture

breakage along a rocks plane of weakness

crystal habit

how crystals grow

hardness

minerals’ ability to resist scratching (always use a range)

density

ratio of mineral weight that’s equal to a volume of water

color

actual color of mineral (not great for identification)

effervescence

minerals ability to fizz when in contact with acid

magnetism

magnetic or not

igneous rock

rock formed from molten rock that cooled and solidified

magma

molten rock underground

lava

molten rock above the surface

phaneritic

large crystals

aphonitic

small crystals

glassy

smooth and shiny

porphyritic

large crystals in an aphontic rock

vesicular

has holes

sedimentary rocks

rocks formed by compression and cementation of sediment or when masses of minerals precipitate from an aqueous solution

physical weathering

a change in a rock without changing chemical composition

chemical weathering

breaking down surface rock via chemical alteration

clastic

rock made of smaller rock that start large and angular (proximal) and become small and rounded (distal)

biochemical and bioclasts

made of material from previously or actively living organisms.

metamorphic rock

rock changed by heat, pressure, hydrothermal fluids, change in temperature or climate.

no melting involved

foliated

has layering, platy minerals line up, and changes with metamorphic grade

non foliated

no layering, minerals randomly arranged, forms rocks like sandstone and limestone

shale

parent rock

slate

level two, flat and platy

phyllite

level 3, flat, platy and velvety sheen

schist

level 4, shiny, sparkly, has garnets

gneiss

final level, alternating dark and light bands

mafic

magnesium and iron that make dark rocks

felsic

feldspar and silica that make light colored rocks

Hematite

Brownish red streak, fracture, 5.5-6.5 hardness

Galena

Metallic luster, very shiny, very heavy looks cubic, 2.5-3.5 hardness

Calcite

Cleavage, fizzes with acid looks slanted when placed on flat surface

Magnetite

Magnetic, looks like cleavage but is fracture, non metallic

Augite

Heavy, black with green undertones, no streak

Biotite mica

Light brown, marble like, splits into thin sheets

Muscovite mica

thin, transparent sheets, 1 plane of cleavage, dark and shiny

Potassium feldspar

Red color, cloudy, 2 planes of cleavage

Halite

3 directions of cleavage, white and clear staircase type of cubes

Garnet

Pimple like, dodecahedron, copper tones, almost see through

Graphite

Waxy surface, light weight, lead like streak

Gypsum

Very soft, almost see through, ivory/white color can be scratched by a nail

hornblende

very dark, two planes of cleavage at 60 and 120 degree angle

olivine

green tones, no streak and non metallic

plagioclase

white or grey, cleavage at 90 degrees

pyrite

fool’s gold, crystal habit, no streak

quartz

non metallic, clear or white, will not fizz with acid and has fracture

andesite

intermediate, aphanitic (fine grained) medium cooling

basalt

mafic, aphanitic (fine grained) extrusive cooling

diorite

intermediate, phaneritic (coarse grained), salt and pepper appearance, intrusive cooling

gabbro

mafic, phaneritic (coarse grains), medium pace cooling

granite

light colored with sodium feldspar and quartz, felsic, phaneritic (coarse grain)

obsidian

glassy, deep black color, cooled extremely quick

pumice

frosty glass look, light colored, light weight

rhyolite

felsic, aphanitic (fine grain), cools at medium pace

vesicular basalt

dark basalt with gas hole bubbles

coal

biochemical, dull, light, black, from water enviroment

breccia

gravel, large angular clasts, reddish color, not transported far

coquina

loosly, cemented shell and fossil fragments, biochemical

chert

very fine grained, biochemical, from deep marine, does not fizz with acid

arkose

reddish, feldspar included, poorly cemented, clastic

conglomerate

round, gravel sized grains, with fine grains as well, clastic

fossiliferous limestone

bioclastic, fossil mix of sand and gravel

limestone

bioclastic, clasts, fizzy, made from coral reefs

sandstone

clastic, well sorted, well rounded, orangey tan color

shale/mudstone

clastic, microsocpic grains, great sorting, chalk feel

slate

very fined grained, flat, platy, foliated

phyllite

flat, platy, velvety sheen, foliated, level 2

schist

shiny, sparkly, often has garnets, foliated, some layers visible, level 3

gneiss

alternating dark and light bands, well sorted, level 4

quartzite

nonfoliated, will not fizz, durable, quartz and sandstone

marble

will fizz with acid, non foliated, fine grained, opaque, ivory