Rocks

Rock Cycle
Magma is the molten rock below the Earth’s surface.
If the magma reaches the Earth’s surface and erupts, it is called lava.
If it solidifies, it becomes igneous rock. We have two types of igneous rocks.
- Extrusive Igneous Rocks if the molten rock solidifies on the surface, it is
classified as extrusive or volcanic rocks. It was named after the Roman god,
Vulcan.
- Intrusive Igneous Rock if the molten rock solidifies under the Earth’s surface
is called intrusive or plutonic rocks. Named after Pluto, God of underground.

If the igneous rocks get exposed to the Earth’s surface, it is called weathering or the
breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces. The rocks that undergo weathering move
downslope and are transported by the wind. These are now called sediments. The
sediments will then go under the process called lithification, or the conversion to
rocks. This happens when they are compacted and cemented by the overlying rocks. If
the resulting sedimentary rocks become deeply buried, they will be subjected to great
heat and intense pressure. These are now metamorphic rocks.

If the metamorphic rocks are subjected to a higher temperature and great temperature,
they will melt and turn into magma and the rock cycle will begin again.

3 types of Rocks
Igneous Rocks
- Extrusive
- Intrusive
The rate of cooling strongly influences the crystal size that is present in our rocks. If
the magma cools very slowly, it will result in large crystals. If the cooling process
occurs rapidly, it will result in the formation of small crystals. (Longer is larger.
The shorter, the smaller.)

The texture of igneous rock will describe the size, shape, and arrangement of the rock.
The texture is an important property of the rock that allows geologists to make
inferences about the rocks. They do this based on careful observations.
Fine-grained igneous texture
- so small that it can only be seen by the microscope.
- usually formed above the Earth’s surface. The cooling there is rapid, hence the
size.
- Rocks have no visible crystals.

Coarse-grained igneous texture

- When magma slowly crystalizes beneath the earth’s surface, it will form
igneous rocks that have a coarse-grained texture.
- Consists of large crystals. Can be identified without the aid of the microscope.

Porphyritic
- Rocks have both visible and non-visible crystals.
- PHENOCRYSTS or large crystals
- GROUND MASS or the smaller crystals

Glassy Igneous Texture

- During volcanic eruptions, molten rock is ejected into the atmosphere. The
molten rock is put out and becomes solid rock.
- Usually done when the lava enters the water.
- Glassy texture happens when the unordered atom is frozen in place before they
are united into an ordered atom.

Vesicular Igneous Texture

- Rocks that exhibited this often form in the upper zone of lava wherein the
cooling process occurs rapidly which is enough to preserve the openings
produced by the expanding gas bubbles.

Pyroclastic igneous texture

- Rocks are formed by the accumulation of materials and are usually generated
by the explosive fragmentation of magma during volcanic eruptions.

Sedimentary Rocks
Derived by the Latin word “sedimentum” which means “settling”.

Agents of Erosion
- remove the products of weathering and moves them into a new location where
they are deposited. water, wind, or anything that helps the transportation.
Weathering
- breaking down of rocks
Erosion
- transportation of weathered rocks from one place to another
Deposition
- deposition of transported rocks
Cementation
- Nagcocompress yung mag accumulated rocks and the air spaces are reduced
and compacted.

Sedimentary rocks are likely to form in beaches, rivers, glaciers, and deep oceans.

There are two classifications of sedimentary rocks:

1. Detrital Rocks
- Comes from erosion and accumulation of rock sediments and fragments.
- Can classify into two categories: Organic Detrital Rocks and
Inorganic Detrital Rocks
- Organic - these rocks are usually formed when parts of the plants and
animals decay in the ground, leaving behind the biological materials that
is compressed and become rock. (in simplest forms: nafoform when the
leading organism dies, piles up, compresses, and is cemented together.)
- Inorganic - formed by the broken pieces of rocks. also called clastic
sedimentary rocks.

Metamorphosis Rocks
1. Foliated rocks - because of the different pressure exerted, they break easily.

2. Non-foliated - metamorphic rocks that do not display layers or bonds.

Examples are Quartzite, marble, Anthracite.

Weathering and Erosion

- Breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces.
- In weathering, there is no transportation happening