keywords geology

Geological era

The different periods of time, spanning over millions of years, which show where the different rock types of the UK’s geology are from.

Igneous Rock

Formed from magma/lava, either erupted from a volcano or cooled below ground in an intrusion. (latin: ignis = fire).

Metamorphic Rock

a rock which has re-crystallised due to heat and/or pressure. E.g. marble, slate

Sedimentary Rock

any rock made up of sediment grains + dead plant/animal remains that have built up may layers over many years e.g. mudstone, sandstone

Exe Tees Line

an imaginary line running from the River Exe in the SW to the River Tees in the NE showing the divide between the North and South of the UK in geology.

Biological Weathering

the breakdown of rock by the action of bacteria, plants and animals e.g. tree roots growing in a crack in a rock.

Chemical Weathering

breakdown of rock by chemical reaction with air, water and dissolved acids e.g. limestone dissolved by acid CO2 rain.

Physical Weathering

mechanical breakdown of rock material at the surface, e.g.by changes in temperature causing rainwater to freeze and expand, cracking rocks.

Scree

Rock fragments that cause the ground to have a rough landscape which have been created by weathering processes.

Human Activity

How humans over time (as far back as 2000 years ago) have had their actions determined by the resources available to them and the geology of the area.