Sedimentary Rocks (Weathering + Erosion), Igneous Rocks, Metamorphic Rocks, and the Rock Cycle

What is gneiss's parent rock?

Basalt or granite can be the parent rock.

What is carbonation?

Carbonation is the process in which carbon dioxide dissolves in water, which forms carbonic acid that reacts with other substances, which creates chemical changes.

What are examples of intrusive igneous rocks?

Granite and gabbro are intrusive rocks.

How can gravity cause weathering?

Gravity can cause landslides, which causes rocks to collide and break into smaller pieces.

What powers Earth's rock cycle?

Gravity, the heat from Earth's core, and the sun power the rock cycle.

How much have human activities sped up the process of erosion?

Human activities have sped up the process by an estimated 10 to 40 times globally.

What are humic acids?

Humic acids are plant acids that can break down the minerals in rocks.

What is ice wedging?

Ice wedging is the process in which water repeatedly freezes and melts, which can cause larger cracks or holes in the rock and eventually break the rock into pieces due to the expansion of the water.

How are igneous rocks used as resources?

Igneous rocks are used as everyday tools and resources for construction. Granite is used for kitchen countertops.

How is gypsum formed?

It's formed from the evaporation of a solution.

What is coquina made of?

It's made of animal remains.

What is limestone made of?

It's made of calcite.

What is shale made of?

It's made of compacted and cemented mud.

What is conglomerate made of?

It's made of compacted and cemented pebbles, sand, and mud.

What is sandstone made of?

It's made of compacted and cemented sand.

What is bituminous coal made of?

It's made of plant remains.

What is one of the most dangerous side effects of erosion?

Landslides are one of the most dangerous side effects of erosion.

Are the elements that make up rocks ever destroyed?

No. Matter cannot be created or destroyed, so the elements cannot be destroyed. They're constantly being recycled.

What is oxidation?

Oxidation is the process in which oxygen is combined with another substance, which creates a new substance.

What are examples of felsic rocks?

Pumice and granite are felsic rocks.

What are examples of extrusive igneous rocks?

Pumice, obsidian, and basalt are extrusive rocks.

What are examples of non-foliated metamorphic rocks?

Quartzite and marble are non-foliated rocks.

What are common features of sedimentary rock?

Ripple marks, mud cracks, cross bedding, and fossils are common sedimentary features.

How is metamorphic rock formed?

Rock deep in the earth is exposed to intense heat and pressure that changes the composition and it becomes a metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rock is the hardest if the three rock types.

What do foliated rocks have to have?

They have to have banding (stripes) or cleavage (flaky). They always have a change in structure and texture of the original rock and sometimes have a change in the composition.

How are rocks categorized?

They're categorized by the way they're formed.

What are the three types of sedimentary rock?

They're clastic, chemical non-clastic, and organic non-clastic.

What are the three types of sedimentary rock?

They're clastic, organic non-clastic, and chemical non-clastic.

How are non-clastic sedimentary rocks formed?

They're either formed from the evaporation of a solution or the precipitation of minerals.

What is an example of an abrasive?

Windblown sand is an abrasive that can weather away some of the hardest rocks.

What is the rock cycle?

The rock cycle is the cycle in which rocks are changed into other rocks through various processes.

What are the igneous rock textural terms?

The terms are phanaritic (grains are larger than 1 mm), aphanitic (grains are smaller than 1 mm), vesicular (contains numerous cavities and holes), and glassy (appears as glass).

What are the two types of metamorphic rocks?

The types are foliated and non-foliated.

What do non-foliated rocks have to have?

They cannot have banding nor cleavage and there is change in the structure and texture of original rock. There could be change in composition.

How do extrusive igneous rocks form?

They form from the quick cooling of lava, which results in smaller to no crystals. They're fine-grained.

How do intrusive igneous rocks form?

They form from the slow cooling of magma, which results in larger crystals. They're coarse-grained.

What are examples of mafic rocks?

Basalt and gabbro are mafic rocks.

What is abrasion?

Abrasion is the process in which solid particles carried by wind, water, or other forces wear away rocks.

What is an example of carbonation?

Acid rain is the result of carbon dioxide dissolving in rainwater.

What is deposition?

Deposition is the process of laying weathered material down in a new location.

What are some of the major problems of excessive erosion?

Desertification and the ecological collapse of entire areas can result from excessive erosion.

What is erosion?

Erosion is the process of carrying away weathered material by moving water, ice, gravity, and wind. It's usually a gradual process, but erosion can act rapidly as well.

What is exfoliation?

Exfoliation is the peeling of a rock's layers after it's endured repeated heating and cooling.

How does mafic igneous rock differ from felsic igneous rock?

Mafic igneous rocks are dark in color and have higher densities because of high quantities of heavy elements. Felsic igneous rocks are light in color and have lower densities because of high quantities of lighter elements.

How is magma formed?

Magma is formed from subduction, in which rock melts in the mantle.

What is the difference between magma and lava?

Magma is under Earth's surface while lava is on Earth's surface.

How does mechanical weathering differ from chemical weathering?

Mechanical​ weathering only alters the size of the rock while chemical weathering alters the size and composition of the rock.

What are examples of plants that produce humic acids that break down the minerals in rocks?

Mosses and lichens are plants that produce acids that break down the minerals in rocks.

What is root-prying?

Root-prying is the process in which tree roots grow and pry material loose. It's one of the kinds of organic activity. Animals burrowing homes and people digging, cutting stone, or driving in roads can contribute to organic weathering.

What is an example of oxidation?

Rust is a result of the combination of iron and oxygen.

What is quartzite's parent rock?

Sandstone is the parent rock.

What are examples of foliated metamorphic rock?

Schist and gneiss are foliated metamorphic rocks.

What is slate's parent rock?

Shale is the parent rock.

What is phyllite's parent rock?

Slate is the parent rock.

How are clastic sedimentary rocks formed?

They're formed when weathering breaks down rocks into sediments, which are transported by wind, waves, water, and ice that erode and deposit these sediments. Over time, sediments are deposited on top of sediments, which compact the underlying sediments from the weight. Finally, the sediments are cemented to form sedimentary rock.

What are the two types of igneous rock?

They're intrusive and extrusive.

What are the two types of weathering?

They're mechanical weathering and chemical weathering.

What are the main human activities that speed up erosion?

Unsustainable agricultural practices and the industrialization of agriculture are the main culprits. Deforestation also plays a role.

What is weathering?

Weathering is the process of breaking down the lithosphere by wind, water, ice, plants, animals, or chemical change.