Minerals and Rocks Flashcards
What is a Mineral?
A natural, usually inorganic material that characterizes physical properties of rocks.
What are the three main types of rocks?
Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic.
What is an Igneous Rock?
Rock that forms when magma cools and solidifies.
What is Obsidian?
A sharp and black volcanic rock.
What are Intrusive and Extrusive rocks?
Intrusive- forms underground
Extrusive- forms on the surface
What is Weathering?
The process by which rocks breaks down. This can be from wind, water, etc…
What is Sedimentary Rock?
A rock formed from compressed layers of sediment.
What is Metamorphic Rock?
Rock that forms other rocks as a result of heat, pressure, or chemicals.
What is Slate?
A Metamorphic rock formed by heat and intense pressure that is commonly used for roofing.
What is the Rock Cycle?
A cycle that illustrates the process of rocks forming and changing.
What is the easiest way of measuring rough age of rock?
If the rock or canyon has layers, the layers closer to the bottom will generally be older assuming there has been no disturbance.
What is the Superposition Principle of Geology?
A principle that states that lower layers on a rock are older, assuming there has been no disturbance.
What is the most exact way of measuring rock?
Radioactive Dating, a process in which the decay of certain isotopes in rock is measured. This is a much more exact form of measurement.
