The Rock Cycle: Thinking About Relationships Among The Major Rock Groups

The Rock Cycle
Thinking about relationships among

the major rock groups
Major Rock Groups
Igneous
Formed from molten rock (magma/lava) that has cooled
Literally means from fire
1. Extrusive igneous rock is formed from lava (on earths
surface) and tends to solidify quickly.
2. Intrusive igneous rock is formed from magma (inside the
earth) and tends to take a long time to solidify into rock.
2
Major Rock Groups
Sedimentary
All types of rock are continuously being broken down into
small fragments called sediment.
This sediment can be compressed or cemented together
to form sedimentary rock
Major Rock Groups
Metamorphic
Processes such as extreme heat/pressure can
alter the chemical composition of the original
rock to form a new rock.
Rock Cycle
Geologic forces cause rock to constantly
change from one type to another
Complete the rock cycle diagram by adding
the appropriate processes that connect each
rock type to the others
SEDIMENT Erosion
Weathering
Transport
Deposition
SEDIMENTARY
IGNEOUS
Increased P&T
METAMORPHIC
Crystallization
Melting
Burial
Uplift MAGMA
6
Crystal Formation
As magma cools, minerals that have been
melted tend to solidify into specific shapes
called crystals. Since extrusive igneous tend
to solidify more quickly, the crystals tend to be
small or fine grained.
Examples: Basalt and Rhyolite
Crystal Formation
Some extrusive igneous rocks cool so quickly
that crystals are not formed at all.
If this happens and the lava has very little
dissolved gasses, the rock will be a glassy rock
called obsidian.
If there are a lot of dissolved gasses the rock

will be very porous or vesicular and be called
pumice.
Crystal Formation
Intrusive igneous rock that cools slowly can
form a mixture of large crystals and are said
to be coarse grained.
Example: Granite
Bowens Reaction
N. L. Bowen studied mineral crystallization
and found out that minerals form at specific
times during that solidification process and
they generally form in the same order.
Composition of Igneous Rock
Felsic rock: generally light colored and
contains a high concentration of silica
Mafic rock: generally dark colored and
contains a low concentration of silica
Intrusive Rock Structures
Volcanic Neck: Magma that solidifies in the
main vent of a volcano is much harder than the
surrounding rock.
Eventually the surrounding rock is eroded
leaving the harder intrusive igneous rock
exposed.
Devils Tower (Wyoming)
A sill forms when magma flows between
layers of existing rock and forms a new layer
parallel to the existing layers (even if the
existing layers are tilted).
A dike forms when magma forces its way
through rock by following an existing fracture or
making new ones. The layer made by a dike is
NOT parallel to the existing rock layers.
Formation of Sedimentary Rock
Compaction: is when pieces of sediment are
squeezed together by the weight of overlying
layers (including water)
Cementation of sediment occurs when minerals
are deposited in a bed of sediment and as the
water evaporates the dissolved minerals form
crystals that glue the sediment particles to
each other.
Three Types of Sedimentary Rock
Chemical Sedimentary Rock: Formed by

minerals that were once dissolved in water
but as the water evaporated the minerals
formed rocks called evaporates.
Examples include gypsum (drywall) or halite
(rock salt). The Bonneville salt flats were
formed this way.
Organic Sedimentary Rock: The remains of

living organisms can sometimes form rocks
such as coal or limestone.
Coal is partially decayed plant and animal
material while limestone is made entirely of
CaCO3 (Calcium Carbonate) shells from dead
organisms.
Clastic Sedimentary Rock: Made of rock

fragments that are carried away from their
source by water wind or ice and left as
deposits. Over time these fragments become
cemented/compacted together.
Conglomerate
A clastic rock that contains rounded
fragments that are cemented together by
smaller sand sized sediment.
Breccia
A clastic rock that contains angular fragments
that are cemented together by smaller
pieces.
Sandstone
Contains uniformly small pieces of mineral
grains that are cemented together.
Shale
Composed of clay sized (smaller than sand
grains) particles that are compressed into flat
layers
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks are formed from existing
rock that is subjected to pressure and heat
(but not melted) into a new type of rock.
Marble
Marble is formed when limestone is subjected
to heat and pressure.
Slate
Slate is formed from shale.
Quartzite
Quartzite is formed from sandstone.
Diamonds
Diamonds are formed from Coal

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The Rock Cycle

Thinking about relationships among

If there are a lot of dissolved gasses the rock

Chemical Sedimentary Rock: Formed by

Organic Sedimentary Rock: The remains of

Clastic Sedimentary Rock: Made of rock

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