EARTH SCIENCE 11- Earth and Life Science

Prepared by: Mr. ARHAM A. SABTURANI

ROCKS FORMATION

ROCKS
 Is defined as a naturally-occurring, aggregate or combination of minerals and mineraloids.
 Minerals are the building blocks of rocks
 Rocks are classified based on their:
1. Texture - Refers to the size, shape and the arrangement of mineral grains.
2. Mineral/Chemical Composition
3. Origin or formation
Petrology
 From Greek word “petros” which means “rock” and “logos” meaning study
 Is a branch of Earth Science that deals with the study of the origin, composition, distribution and structure
of rocks
 Sub-branches:
1. Palynology – study of dust
2. Geochronology – study of the age of rocks, sediments and fossils
3. Sedimentology- The study of natural sediments and of the processes by which they are formed
4. Stratigraphy – the study of rock layers and their formation
5. Volcanology – the study of volcanoes, lava and magma

Types of Rocks
1. Igneous Rocks
 From Latin word “Ignis” which means fire
 Formed from cooling and solidification of Lava or Magma
 2 types of Igneous rock according to origin or formation
a. Plutonic or Intrusive rocks
 Form from slowly cooling and solidification of Magma
 Example is the granite
b. Volcanic or extrusive rocks
 Form from rapid cooling and solidification of Lava
Examples is basalt

 There are 7 types of Igneous rocks according to texture

a. Pegmatitic – Has the largest grain size
b. Phaneritic – second largest grain size, visible without the aid of magnifying lens
c. Aphanitic –third largest grain size, not visible without the aid of magnifying lens
d. Porphyritic
e. Glassy or vitreous
f. Vesicular
g. Pyroclastic

 Igneous rocks can also be classified into four types according to composition
a. Felsic
 Rich in silica (SiO2)
 Has light colors (white, light gray, tan and pink)
b. Mafic
 Rich in iron (Fe) and Magnesium (Mg) with little Silica (SiO2)
 Dark in color (Black and Brown)
 c. Ultramafic
 Rich in iron (Fe) and Magnesium (Mg) with no Silica (SiO2)
 Very dark in color (Dark Black and Dark brown)
d. Intermediate
 Consisting of equal amount of iron (Fe) , Magnesium (Mg) and Silica (SiO2)
 Has intermediate color (Gray)

2. Sedimentary Rocks
 From Latin word “sedentarius” meaning “sitting”
 Form from accumulation or deposition of sediments

Sediments
 is a naturally occurring material (such as small pieces of rocks, shells, or remains of
plants and animals) that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion,
and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force
of gravity acting on the particles.
 Sediments are transported and deposited by
a. fluvial processes
 Transported and deposited by water
 Examples: beach sands, river channel deposits
b. Aeolian processes
 Transported and deposited by wind
 Examples: Desert sand dunes, loess
c. Glacier
 Transported and deposited by ice
 Examples: Glacial Moraine deposits, till

 there are 3 classifications of sedimentary rocks based on their origin or formation

a. Clastic
 Mechanically-formed
 Formed from cementation of sediments that have been deposited, buried
and compacted over a long period of time
 Examples: Shale, Sandstone, conglomerate

b. Crystalline
 Chemically-formed
 Formed from the precipitation of minerals from ions in solution
 Examples: limestone, rock salt

c. Originally-formed or Bioclastic
 Originally or naturally-formed
 Formed from the compaction and cementation of plant and/or animal
remain
 Examples: Coquina, Organic limestone

3. METAMORPHIC ROCKS
 Formed from the transformation of pre-existing rock types in a process called metamorphism.

Metamorphism
 Meaning “change in form”
 Is a process of transforming pre-existing rock types by subjecting it to a
different temperature and pressure conditions.
  5 Types of metamorphism
a. Contact Metamorphism
 When the dominant altering factor is heat or temperature
and pressure plays a smaller role
b. Burial Metamorphism
 When the dominant altering factor is pressure and Heat
plays a smaller role
c. Regional Metamorphism
 When both Heat and pressure play the role of the
transformation
d. Dynamic Metamorphism
 When metamorphism immediately happen from
instantaneous events such as faulting
e. Shock Metamorphism
 When metamorphism immediately happen from meteorite
impact

 There are 2 types of metamorphic rocks according to texture

1. Foliated – possessed a texture
2. Non-foliated- has no texture

ROCK CYCLE
 Is a model that describes all the processes by which rocks are formed, modified, transported,
decomposed, melted and reformed.