Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geology > Lab 4 Identification of Rocks > Flashcards

Lab 4 Identification of Rocks Flashcards

1
Q

Granite

A
  • Texture: Phaneritic
  • Grain Size: Fine-meduim
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Felsic
  • Colour: Light
  • Other Features: HAS QUARTZ (one of the only ones with visible quartz)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Diorite

A
  • Texture: Phaneritic
  • Grain Size: Medium
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Intermediate
  • Colour: Medium
  • Other Features: Has visible LIGHT AND DARK MINERALS
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Gabbro

A
  • Texture: Phaneritic
  • Grain Size: MEDIUM-COARSE
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Mafic
  • Colour: Dark
  • Other Features: Mostly dark with small light flecks, PREDOMINANTLY AMPHIBOLE
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Dunite

A
  • Texture: Phaneritic
  • Grain Size: Medium
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Ultramafic
  • Colour: Light
  • Other Features: LOOKS LIKE OLIVINE, green grains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Rhyolite

A
  • Texture: Aphanitic
  • Grain Size: Not visible
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Felsic
  • Colour: Light (green- grey)
  • Other Features: No amphibole or pyroxene, sometimes VISIBLE QUARTZ
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Andesite

A
  • Texture: Aphanitic
  • Grain Size: Not visible
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Intermediate
  • Colour: Medium
  • Other Features: Mostly darker minerals, no quartz, massive
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Basalt

A
  • Texture: Aphanitic
  • Grain Size: NOT VISIBLE
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Mafic
  • Colour: DARK
  • Other Features: Sharp angles, dull shine, pyroxene
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Difference between Gabbro and Basalt

A

Gabbro is a coarse grained rock, and Basalt doesn’t have visible grains

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Porpheritic Basalt

A
  • Texture: Aphanitic (basalt, phenocrysts don’t count)
  • Grain Size: Not visible
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Mafic
  • Colour: Dark
  • Other Features: Basalt SURROUNDS CHUNKS OF OTHER ROCK (ex: plagioclase)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Vesicular Basalt

A
  • Texture: Aphanitic
  • Grain Size: Not visible
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Mafic
  • Colour: Dark
  • Other Features: Basalt is POROUS, holes can be grey from water
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Obsidian

A
  • Texture: Glassy
  • Grain Size: None
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Felsic
  • Colour: DARK
  • Other Features: Black, glassy luster, concoidal fracture
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Pumice

A
  • Texture: Glassy
  • Grain Size: None
  • I, S, or M: Igneous
  • Composition: Felsic
  • Colour: Light
  • Other Features: SPONGE LIKE, extremely light
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Conglomerate

A
  • Texture: Clastic
  • Grain Size: Gravel rocks, sand cement
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Clastic
  • Colour: Any
  • Other Features: Larger ROUNDED rocks cemented with sand like grains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Breccia

A
  • Texture: Clastic
  • Grain Size: Gravel rocks, fine cement
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Clastic
  • Colour: Any
  • Other Features: Larger ANGULAR rocks cemented with fine grains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Sandstone

A
  • Texture: Clastic
  • Grain Size: Sand
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Clastic
  • Colour: Light
  • Other Features: Can be ROUGH sand stuck together, can be SMOOTH sand stuck together (rub on teeth to check for grains)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Shale

A
  • Texture: Clastic
  • Grain Size: Mud (clay and silt)
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Clastic
  • Colour: Medium - Dark
  • Other Features: SCRATCH WITH PENNY, looks layered`
17
Q

Fossiliferous Limestone

A
  • Texture: Fossiliferous
  • Grain Size: Any
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Biochemical
  • Colour: Any
  • Other Features: Has VISIBLE SHELL FRAGMENTS, POROUS, limestone
18
Q

Coquina

A
  • Texture: Fossiliferous (bioclastic)
  • Grain Size: None
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Biochemical
  • Colour: Any
  • Other Features: 80-90% SHELL FRAGMENTS, looks like GRANOLA BAR
19
Q

Aphanitic Limestone

A
  • Texture: Massive (Aphanitic)
  • Grain Size: Fine-grained, Massive
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Chemical
  • Colour: Medium
  • Other Features: slightly CONCOIDAL FRACTION,
20
Q

Oolitic Limestone

A
  • Texture: Oolitic
  • Grain Size: Fine grained
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Chemical
  • Colour: Light - Medium
  • Other Features: Small OOLITES STUCK TOGETHER
21
Q

Travertine

A
  • Texture: Porous
  • Grain Size: Fine - Coarse
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Chemical
  • Colour: Light
  • Other Features: VERY POROUS, BUT NOT SPONGE LIKE
22
Q

Diotomite

A
  • Texture: Massive
  • Grain Size: Fine
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Chemical
  • Colour: White
  • Other Features: looks like CHALK, smooth, soft
23
Q

Chert

A
  • Texture: Massive
  • Grain Size: Fine
  • I, S, or M: Sedimentary
  • Class: Chemical
  • Colour: Light and Dark
  • Other Features: Smooth, grains not visible
24
Q

Slate

A
  • Texture: Foliated (slaty cleavage)
  • Grain Size: Very fine grained
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: Shale
  • Colour: Dark
  • Other Features: smooth, FLAT SLABS, vary in colour, DULL shine
25
Q

Phyllite

A
  • Texture: Foliated (phyllitic foliation)
  • Grain Size: Very fine grained
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: Shale
  • Colour: Medium
  • Other Features: MEDIUM SHINY, satiny
26
Q

Mica Schist

A
  • Texture: Foliated (schistose)
  • Grain Size: Medium
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: None
  • Colour: Medium
  • Other Features: Shiny, mix of yellow and dark colour
27
Q

Garnet Muscovite Schist

A
  • Texture: Foliated (schistose)
  • Grain Size: Medium
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: None
  • Colour: Light
  • Other Features: Pearly shine (MUSCOVITE), has RED GARNET within
28
Q

Talc Schist

A
  • Texture: Foliated (schistose)
  • Grain Size: Fine
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: None
  • Colour: Light
  • Other Features: Smooth and soft, like TALC, glassy luster
29
Q

Gneiss

A
  • Texture: Foliated (gneissic)
  • Grain Size: Coarse
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: None
  • Colour: Light and Dark
  • Other Features: BANDED LIGHT AND DARK
30
Q

Marble

A
  • Texture: Nonfoliated (granoblastic)
  • Grain Size: Fine - medium
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: Limestone, Dolomite
  • Colour: Light (variable)
  • Other Features: SUGARY, SPARKLY appearance, SCRATCH WITH NAIL
31
Q

Quartzite

A
  • Texture: Nonfoliated (granoblastic)
  • Grain Size: Fine - medium
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: Quartz Sandstone
  • Colour: Light (variable)
  • Other Features: SUGARY appearance, TOUGH (no scratching)
32
Q

Amphibolite

A
  • Texture: Nonfoliated (granoblastic)
  • Grain Size: Medium - coarse
  • I, S, or M: Metamorphic
  • Protolith: Basalt, Gabbro
  • Colour: Dark
  • Other Features: SALT AND PEPPER look, may be WEAKLY FOLIATED, sparkly
33
Q

Gabbro vs Amphibolite

A
  • Gabbro has larger grains

- Amphibolite grains look squished, and have grain alignment

34
Q

Obsidian vs Chert

A
  • Obsidian is more glassy and more black
35
Q

Tell if Igneous

A
  • Crystalline apperance
36
Q

Tell if Sedimentary

A
  • Look for grains of sediment

- Teeth test for grains

37
Q

Chemical or Clastic

A
  • Chemical way stronger than clastic
38
Q

Tell if Metamorphic

A
  • Look for foliation

Geology (20 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions