GEOGRAPHY

SHS 1

SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY

TOPIC (ROCKS)

The earth’s crust consists of diverse rocks which differ in degrees of hardness, resistance,
coherence, colour, texture and permability. A rock essentially consists of aggregates of
minierals or chemicals some of which occur in combination.

Quartz is made up of silicon and oxygen. On the otherhand, diamond , gold, coal, graphite and
several others are minerals in themselves. Some are crystalline because their minerals are
arranged in definite and regular patterns which form structures called crystals.

CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS

On the basis of origin, three broad classes of rocks are recognized. These are igneous,
sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.

IGNEOUS ROCKS

CHARACTERISTICS

• They are crystalline in structure ie they contain crystals

• They do not occur in layers ie they arre non- stratified rocks
• They do not contain fossils
• They are usually hard and impervious
• They are resistant to erosion and other elements of climate

Mode of Formation

Igneous rocks are primary rocks formed through the cooling and solidification of magma
either in the eatth or on the earth’s surface.
They are very hard rocks. They form when magma cools and solidifies. Magma is molten or
semi-liquid rock which comes from inside the earth. Deep inside the earth, temperature is
very high so the rocks melt and exist in a molten or semi-liquid state. The molten rock is
called magma. Magma can flow onto the earth’s surface through cracks in the crust or through
volcanic eruptions. When magma gets to the surface or near the surface of the earth, it cools
and solidifies to form igneous rocks.

There are two types of igneous rocks;

(i) Plutonic ( intrusive) Igneous rocks

(ii) Volcanic ( extrusive) Igneous rocks

PLUTONIC – They are formed when molten magma cools and solidifies slowly before it
gets to the surface of the earth to form large crystals.
As a result of prolonged erosion, it will later be exposed to the surface. Examples are
granite, gabbro
VOLCANIC – These are rocks formed when the molten magma cools and solidifies rapidly
on getting to the surface of the earth to form small crystals. Examples are basalt, andesite
rhyolite, obsidian

SEDIMENTARY ROCK

CHARACTERISTICS

• They occur in layers or strata

• They may be coarse, fine soft or hard
• They do not exist in crystals ie they are non-crystalline in structure
• They contain fossils of plants and animals
• They are not resistant to erosion.

FORMATION They are rocks formed from sediments deposited either by water, by rain or
by ice. These sediments are deposited in layers or strata one on top of the other and after a
long period of time, they become hardened by compression to form sedimentary rocks.
Sedimentary rocks are stratified rocks and the plane between two strata is called bedding
plane.

There are three types of sedimentary rocks and they are

(i) Mechanically formed sedimentary rocks:

these are fomed from the sediments of other rocks that have accumulated and
cemented together over a long period of time. Examples include Sandstone, breccia,
shale clay

(ii) Organically formed sedimentary rocks:

these rocks are formed from the remains of living organisms. When sedimentary
rocks are formed from the remains of animals like corals, or shellfish, such rocks
are called CALCAREOUS ROCKS eg Limestone and chalk. But when they are
formed from the remains of vegetable matter such as swamps and forests they are
called CARBONACEOUS ROCK eg Coal, peat, lignite, petroleum etc.

(iii) Chemically formed Sedimentary Rocks:

Here they consist of minerals once dissolved and carried as invisible to ions in
water and later precipitated in depression or caves after the water has evaporated.
Eg are sodium chloride, ( common salt), nitrate, gypsum and dolomite.

IMPORTANCE OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS TO MAN

• They serve as raw material for industrial use eg. Limestone for the making of cement
and clay for the ceramic industry.
• They are used for building and construction purposes.
• Some provide site for tourist attraction.
 • Some contain valuable minerals such as coal and petroleum.
• They are used as medicine eg kaolin.

METAMORPHIC ROCKS

CHARACTERISTICS

• They are compact

• They are resistant
• They are not crystalline in structure
• They may contain fossils
• Some may occur in layers or strata

FORMATION
They are formed from the transformation of igneous and sedimentary rocks due to the
influence of heat and pressure. The original character and appearance may be greatly changed
by such forces.
There are three major types;
(i) Dynamic metamorphism- this occurs when earth movements such as folding
subject rocks to pressure, and the changes that occur prduces dynamic
metamorphism.
(ii) Thermal metamorphism – here recrystallization of structure occur ad rocks such as
sandstone andlimesttone are transferred into quartzite and marble respectively.
(iii) Contact metamorphism – this is caused by the penetration by chemically active
gaes and liquids escaping from magma eg. Schist from shale.
Metamorphism may be large or small scale. Where as the large scale type
is known as Regional Metamorphism, small scale metamorphism is termed
Localised Metamorphism.

IMPORTANCE

• They provide parent material for the formation of soil.

• Metamorphic rocks such as shale are used for roofing.
• They are quarried for building and construction purposes

EXAMPLES OF METAMORPHIC ROCKS

Original Metamorphosed

Coal graphite
Granite Gneisis
limestone Marble
Sandstone Quartzite
Shale Schist
Clay Slate
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

• Source of mineral
• Source of fuel
• Construction purposes
• Tourist centres
• As ornamental
• Source of food nutrients
• Formatin of Soil
• Sources of metals
• Domestic uses
• Raw materials

QUESTIONS

Q1. (I) What are Igneous Rocks?

(II) State four characteristics of Igneous Rocks
(iii) Outline four economic importance of Rocks

Q2. State the difference between Sedimentary or Igneous Rocks

Q3. (i) Describe the formation of Metamorphic Rocks

(ii) State the process that occurs in rock formation in Metamophic Rocks.

Q4. Explain the Classes of Sedimentary Rocks according to the mode of formation

* Chemically formed Sedimentary Rocks

* Organically formed Sedimentary Rocks

* Mechanically formed Sedimentary Rocks