Materials of the Earth’s Crust - Rocks

Note 5

Lithosphere is used to mean both the landmass and the ocean floor .The word ‘Lithosphere’ means
‘rocksphere’ and is derived from the Latin word ‘Lithos’ meaning ‘rocks’ or ‘stones’ .

Definition of Rocks
"Rocks may simply be defined as all those materials which form the crust of the earth, whether hard like
granite or soft like clay, gravel or sandstone."

A rock can be defined as an aggregate of minerals that forms a more or less definite unit of the
lithosphere.

Rocks are the main constituent of the earth’s crust. A rock may be defined as any mass of natural
deposit present in the solid mass of the earth’s crust. Most rocks are made of aggregate of minerals.
These minerals are specifically reffered to as the rock forming minerals.

Definition of Minerals
Minerals are naturally occurring solid inorganic substances having definite chemical composition and
physical properties.

Minerals are generally crystalline in appearance . Minerals are homogenous in form while rocks are
heterogeneous in their composition.

Minerals are made up of chemical elements. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
Oxygen accounts for about 47% and silicon forms 28 % by weight. Other elements found in the Earth’s
crust are aluminum , iron, calcium, sodium. Quartz , Feldspar and mica are examples of silicate minerals.

Types of Rocks
On the basis of their mode of formation, rocks can be classified as igneous, sedimentary and
metamorphic rocks.

Primarily, rocks are of three types - Igneous Rocks, Sedimentary Rocks and Metamorphic Rocks.

IGNEOUS ROCKS
The word "igneous" is derived from the Latin word "ignis" which means fire. Thus, igneous rocks are
formed due to the cooling and solidification of molten material called magma. They are formed as a
result of volcanic eruptions . Igneous rocks is also known as ‘primary rocks’ because all other rocks are
derived from the igneous rocks.

Cooling and solidification are the two processes involved in the formation of igneous rocks .
Classification of Igneous Rocks

> Based on Chemical Composition

1. Acidic IgneouRocks contains high percentage of silica . acidic rocks are light coloured and less dense.
Granite is an example of an acidic igneous rock.

2. Basic igneous rocks contain a lower percentage of silica and higher percentage of oxides of denser
elements , eg iron, aluminium, or magnesium.

3. Ultra Basic Rocks consists of Ferre, Magnesium.

> Based on Location

1. Extrusive Igneous Rocks are formed due to solidification of lava at the surface of the earth. These are
also known as volcanic rocks because lava reached the surface of the earth as a result of volcanic rocks
because lava reaches the surface of the earth as a result of volcanic eruption.

2. Intrusive Igneous Rocks are formed due to solidification of magma inside the earth's surface.

a. Plutonic Rocks are formed by solidification of magma at great depths below the surface.

b. Hypabyssal Rocks are formed when magma solidifies in cracks and joints.

Intrusive Igneous rocks are of two types –

*Sill – This type of intrusive igneous rocks are formed when the cooling and solidification of
molten material takes place in a horizontal manner below the surface of the earth.

*Dyke – This type of intrusive igneous rocks are formed due to cooling and solidification of
molten materials nearly in vertical form below the surface of the earth.

Igneous rocks
> Characteristics of Igneous Rocks

1. Igneous Rocks are hard, massive and compact.

2. Igneous Rocks contain crystals whose size depends upon the rate of cooling of lava or magma. The
slower the rate of cooling, larger is the size of crystals.

3. Igneous Rocks do not have layers.

4. Igneous Rocks are free from fossils.

5. There are no pores in igneous rocks and as such they are impervious in which water cannot easily
enter.

6. Igneous Rocks are not easily weathered.

7. Igneous Rocks are quite rich in minerals.

Igneous Rock Bodies

1. Batholith is the largest intrusive igneous rock body. Batholiths may be 50 to 80 km across and
hundreds of kilometres in length.

2. Stock is a smaller size of batholith.

3. Laccoliths are huge masses of igneous rocks that have been formed between horizontal and slightly
tilted layers of sedimentary rocks.

4. Lapolith is a saucer shaped solidification of magma found in South America.

5. Phacolith is formed when magma is deposited in a wave like form.

6. Sill is formed when magma trying to reach the surface squeezes between two rock layers and
solidifies into a thin sheet in horizontal position parallel to the layers of already existing rocks.

7. Dykes are near vertical formations, from few kilometres in length to few centimetres to hundreds of
metres in thickness.