 In Geology, naturally occurring and coherent

aggregate of one or more minerals.

 Such aggregates constitute the basic unit of which
the solid Earth is comprised and typically
recognizable volumes.
 They are commonly divided into three major
classes according to the processes that resulted in
their formation.
 There are three main processes that can change rock:

1. Cooling and crystallization.

Deep within the Earth, temperatures can get hot
enough to create magma. As magma cools, crystals
grow, forming an igneous rock. The crystals grow
larger if the magma cools slowly, as it does if it
remains deep within the Earth. If the magma cools
quickly, the crystals will be very small. When crystals
form from magma it is called crystallization.
2. Weathering and erosion.
Water, wind, ice, and even plants and animals all act to
wear down rocks. Over time they can break larger rocks
into sediments. Rocks break down by the process
called weathering. Moving water, wind, and glaciers then
carry these pieces from one place to another. This is
called erosion. The sediments are eventually dropped,
or deposited, somewhere. This process is
called sedimentation. The sediments may then be
compacted and cemented together. This forms
a sedimentary rock. This whole process can take hundreds
or thousands of years.
3. Metamorphism.
This long word means “to change form.“ A rock
undergoes metamorphism if it is exposed to
extreme heat and pressure within the crust.
With metamorphism, the rock does not melt
all the way. The rock changes due to heat and
pressure. A metamorphic rock may have a
new mineral composition and/or texture.
 IGNEOUS ROCK
“fiery” ; makes up about 95% of the
earths crust
 formed when magma or lava cools down
Process of Formation:
Cooling & solidification of melted rocks
(magma or lava) either at or near the
surface or at thousands of feet below the
surface.
• Characterized by large crystal sizes.
• They cool slowly deep in Earth’s crust.
• When magma cools underground, the crust acts
like a blanket, insulating it, keeping it warm
longer.
• Since magma cools slowly, crystals of different
minerals have time to grow.
• Common example is granite, gabbro and diorite.
Formation of Sedimentary Rocks

Weathering
Transportation

Deposition
Lithification
• Weathering, the breaking down of rocks, is a
process continuously taking place on Earth.
• It is brought about by processes, both physical
and chemical taking place in the atmosphere
• Water, wind, gravity transport and deposit these
weathered materials called sediments and then it
undergoes the process of LITHIFICATION.
 Accumulated sediments harden into rock
by lithification. Two important steps are needed for
sediments to lithify.
1. Sediments are squeezed together by the weight of
overlying sediments on top of them. This is
called compaction.
2. Fluids fill in the spaces between the loose particles
of sediment and crystallize to create a rock
by cementation.
CLASTIC SEDIMENTARY ROCK
• Formed from the weathering of rocks already in existence.
• It is composed of particles of weathered rocks such as sand
grain and pebbles which have been transported, deposited
and lithified.
• Clastic sediments are called GRAVEL, SAND, SILT or CLAY.
• In fine sediments such as silt and clay, the great pressure
makes particles stick together.
• Gravels and pebbles when cemented together form a
sedimentary rock called CONGLOMERATE.
 CHEMICAL SEDIMENTARY ROCK
• Are formed from the hardened minerals in solution.
• Example is the Rock salt formed when salt
hardened after the evaporation of sea water.
• The most common chemical sedimentary rock is
LIMESTONE.
• ROCK gypsum, formed by the evaporation of water
of salt lakes.
 ORGANIC SEDIMENTARY ROCK
• Contains lithified remains of plants and animals.
• The most important rock that comes from organic
sediments is coal.
• It is made up of decomposed and compact plant
remains.