Rocks (Honors) Flashcards

Flashcards for Rocks (Honors) lecture review.

What is a rock?

A naturally occurring piece of the solid earth, usually composed of one or more minerals.

How are rocks described by geologists?

Mineral composition, color, and texture.

What are rock-forming minerals?

About 20 minerals that make up most of the rocks of Earth's crust.

What is granite?

Light-colored rock with high silica content, primarily composed of quartz and feldspar.

What are grains in rocks?

Particles of minerals or other rocks that make up most rocks.

What are coarse-grained rocks?

Rocks with grains that are large and easy to see.

What are fine-grained rocks?

Rocks with grains that can only be seen by a microscope.

What are the three major groups of rocks based on origin?

Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

What is an igneous rock?

Rock formed from cooled magma or lava.

What are intrusive rocks?

Igneous rocks that form when magma hardens beneath the surface of Earth.

What is extrusive rock?

Igneous rock formed from lava that erupted onto Earth's surface.

How does cooling rate impact crystal size in igneous rocks?

Rapidly cooling lava forms fine-grained igneous rocks with small crystals or no minerals, whereas slowly cooling magma allows for larger crystals to develop, resulting in coarse-grained rocks.

How do sedimentary rocks form?

Small particles of rocks or the remains of plants and animals pressed and cemented together.

What is sediment?

Small, solid pieces of material that come from rocks or living things.

What is weathering and erosion?

Rocks are broken down by freezing and thawing, organisms, and other forces.

What is transportation?

Eroded material transported by wind and water far from its origin.

What is deposition?

Sediment settles out of water or the wind into layers.

What is compaction?

Layers of sediment are squeezed and compacted under the weight of layers above.

What is cementation?

Dissolved minerals glue compacting sediment together.

What are clastic sedimentary rocks?

Composed of fragments of other rocks cemented together by minerals.

What are chemical sedimentary rocks?

Formed when water evaporates and leaves behind salt crystals or when high temp. forces minerals to precipitate out of water.

What are organic sedimentary rocks?

Contain shells, bones, and plant remains that have been buried for millions of years.

How are metamorphic rocks formed?

Forms when a rock is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.

What are foliated metamorphic rocks?

Metamorphic rocks whose grains are arranged in parallel layers or bands.

What are non-foliated metamorphic rocks?

Metamorphic rocks that have mineral grains that are arranged randomly.

What is the rock cycle?

A web of processes that outlines how each of the three major rock types form and break down based on different applications of weathering, heat, and pressure over time.

What energy source drives rock formation?

From Earth’s interior drives the processes that control the formation of igneous and metamorphic rock. The energy that drives the forces that affect the formation of sedimentary rock comes from the heat of the Sun.

How does plate tectonics drive the rock cycle?

Plate tectonics drives the rock cycle through moving tectonic plates. When oceanic crust moves apart, new igneous rock, made of magma rises to the surface. Subduction of plates can also lead to metamorphism of rocks, while erosion and the destruction of landforms expose creates material sedimentary rocks.

What is the lithosphere?

The crust and upper portion of the mantle.

What is the asthenosphere?

The ductile region of the mantle.

What is the law of conservation of mass?

It states that matter can change form through physical and chemical changes, but through any of these changes matter is conserved.

Law of conservation of mass discoverer Lavoisier is known for?

establishing gas produced by heating mercury (II) oxide was a product of air and laid foundation for study of respiration & metabolism.

What is a chemical reaction?

a change in which one or more substances are converted into a new substance.

What are the signs a chemical reaction has taken place?

Change in color, Formation of a precipitate, Change in temperature, Gas production (bubbles), and Change in odor.

How is scientific nomenclature established?

language & terminology would be critical to communicate science

What is a chemical equation?

a way to describe a chemical reaction using chemical formulas and other symbols

What is a diatomic element?

consists of two atoms of the same element in a covalent bond