Ch 9- Sedimentary, Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks Flashcards
Batholiths
Intrusive rock mass that measures more than 100 kilometres across
Coal
a sedimentary rock formed from dead plants and animals that were buried before rotting completely
Conglomerate rock
sedimentary rock containing large particles of various sizes cemented together
Crystal
geometrically-shaped substance made up of atoms and molecules arranged in one of seven different shapes. The elements that make up a crystal and the conditions present during the crystal’s growth determine the arrangement of atoms and molecules and the shape of the crystals.
Extrusive rock
igneous rock that forms when lava cools above the Earth’s surface
Erosion
surface processes ,such as water flow or wind, that remove soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth’s crust, then transport it away to another location
Fossil
any remains, impression, or trace of an animal or plant of a former geological age; evidence of life in the past
Igneous rock
rocks that form from the cooling of lava or magma as it is thrown through the air from a volcanic eruption
Intrusive rock
igneous rock that forms when magma cools below the Earth’s surface
Lava
Magma that is above the surface
Limestone
a sedimentary rock formed from the remains of sea organisms. It consists mainly of calcium carbonate.
Lithosphere
the outermost layer of the Earth, includes the crust and uppermost part of the mantle
Mohs scale
A way to understand the hardness of a rock
Magma
a very hot mixture of molten rock and gases, just below the Earth’s surface, that has come from the mantle
Metamorphic rock
rock formed from another rock that has been under great heat or pressure (or both)
Mineral ore
rocks mined to obtain a metal or other chemical within them
Native elements
elements found uncombined in the Earth’s crust
Open-cut mining
mining that scours out soil and rocks on the surface of the land
Palaeontologist
A scientist who studies fossils
Rock cycle
The cycle of how rocks are made and how they change
Sediment
material broken down by weathering and erosion that is moved by wind or water and collects in layers
Sedimentary rock
rocks formed from sediments deposited by water, wind or ice. The sediments are cemented together in layers, under pressure
Trace fossil
fossils that provide evidence, such as footprints, that an organism was present when the rock was formed
Underground mining
mining that uses shafts and tunnels to remove rock from deep below the surface
Floodplain
flat, open land beside a river where sediments are deposited during floods
