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Geology > Minerals & Igneous Rocks > Flashcards

Minerals & Igneous Rocks Flashcards

1
Q

What defines a mineral?

A
  • Naturally occurring
  • Definite chemical composition
  • Solid
  • Crystalline structure
  • Inorganic
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2
Q

What is the formation of minerals?

A
  • From magma
  • During metamorphism
  • From a solution
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3
Q

Define luster

A

The way light interacts with the surface of a mineral

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4
Q

Define streak

A

The color of a mineral when it is powdered (ground up)

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5
Q

Define cleavage

A

The way a mineral breaks along planes of structural weakness

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6
Q

Define fracture

A

General breakage of a mineral

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7
Q

Define crystal habit

A

The external shape of a mineral or how it grows

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8
Q

What is a rock?

A

A naturally occurring, cohesive aggregate of one or more minerals; the basic unit that makes up the solid earth

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9
Q

What holds sedimentary rocks together?

A

Various cements

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10
Q

What holds igneous & metamorphic rocks together?

A

They’re held together throughinterlocking crystals

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11
Q

What characteristics should you look for when identifying rocks?

A
  • Grain size/texture
  • Mineral composition
  • Color
  • Layering
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12
Q

What is an igneous rock?

A

A rock formed by the solidification & crystallization of a cooling magma or lava

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13
Q

What is an extrusive igneous rock?

A

Volcanic, cools quickly at the surface. Seen in lava flows & pyroclastic debris

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14
Q

What is an intrusive igneous rock?

A

Plutonic, cools slowly under the Earth’s surface

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15
Q

What are the two main ways to classify igneous rocks?

A
  • Texture
  • Mineral composition
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16
Q

What is phaneritic textures?

A
  • Coarse grains ; visible to the naked eye
  • Forms from magmas that cool slowly
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17
Q

What are aphanitic rock textures?

A
  • Very fine grains; not visible to the eye
  • Forms from lavas that cool quickly
18
Q

What is vesicular textures ?

A
  • Gas/bubble -rich lava froze solid before the - bubbles could escape
  • Volcanic
  • Fast cooling
19
Q

What is glassy rock textures?

A
  • Forms when lava freezes too quickly for any - minerals to form
  • Volcanic
  • Very fast cooling
20
Q

What is fragmental rock textures?

A
  • Composed of fragments of solid volcanic rocks ejected from a volcano, such as ash, rocks, & minerals
  • Volcanic
  • Very fast cooling
21
Q

Define felsic minerals

A
  • Light in color
  • Not very dense
  • High amounts of silica
22
Q

Define mafic minerals

A
  • Dark in color
  • dense
  • low amounts of silica
23
Q

What are sedimentary rocks?

A
  • They form at Earth’s surface
  • Cover underlying basement rock
  • Tell us about Earth’s history
24
Q

What is clastic sedimentary rocks?

A

Loose rock/fragments cemented together & formed by mechanical or chemical breakup of other rocks

25
Q

How are clastic sedimentary rocks formed?

A
  1. Weathering
  2. Erosion
  3. Deposition
  4. Cementation
26
Q

Define weathering

A

Pre-existing rocks are broken down physically or chemically

27
Q

What are chemical sedimentary rocks?

A

Minerals precipitated from water

28
Q

What are biochemical sedimentary rocks?

A

Chemical components from water or sediments derived from living organisms (like fossils)

29
Q

What are organic sedimentary rocks

A

Made of organic carbon

30
Q

Define metamorphic rock

A

Solid state alteration of a protolith

31
Q

What changes do we see in metamorphic rocks?

A
  • Shape of rock & internal features
  • Grain size changes via recrystallization
  • Minerals react with each other to form new, different minerals through process of neocrystallization
32
Q

Why are there metamorphic changes?

A
  • Temperature
  • Pressure
  • Water
  • Fault movement
33
Q

Define facies

A

Group of minerals formed at specific p&t conditions

34
Q

Define foliation

A

Layered metamorphic rock developed by alignment of platy minerals or creation of alternating light/dark bands

35
Q

Define non-foliated

A

No orientation or alignment of minerals in the rock

36
Q

What are causes of metamorphism?

A
  • Heat (contact metamorphism)
  • Pressure (regional metamorphism)
  • Compression & shear from faults (dynamic metamorphism)
  • Hydrothermal activity
37
Q

Define thermal metamorphism

A

Only occurs near heat source like:
- From magma
- Geothermal gradient

38
Q

What is regional metamorphism?

A

Happens over a broad area of the crust

39
Q

What is dynamic metamorphism?

A

Deformation of rock at a fault zone at depth (10-15 km)

40
Q

What is hydrothermal metamorphism?

A

Alteration by hot, chemical laden water ( mid-ocean ridge setting)

41
Q

What is shock metamorphism?

A

Meteorite impact

Geology (3 decks)

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