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Leaving Cert Geography - > Rocks > Flashcards

Rocks Flashcards

1
Q

3 rock types

A

Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic

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2
Q

Formation of igneous rock in general

A

Cooling and solidification of magma or lava.
Intrusive/plutonic are formed beneath crust eg granite
Extrusive/ volcanic are formed on the crust eg basalt
Hypabyssal form just below the surface eg dolerite

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3
Q

Example of a plutonic/intrusive igneous rock

A

Granite

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4
Q

Example of an extrusive/ volcanic igneous rock

A

Basalt

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5
Q

Example of a hypabyssal igneous rock

A

Dolerite

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6
Q

Minerals in granite

A

Feldspar
Mica
Quartz

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7
Q

Colour of granite

A

Dark grey

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8
Q

How does granite form

A

At convergent boundaries, where two plates collide
Fold mountains made
Magma rises up under folds
Magma slowly cools
Sedimentary above changes to metamorphic by heat
Metamorphic protects granite

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9
Q

Example of granite rock in Ireland

A

Leinster Batholith, Dublin Wicklow mountains

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10
Q

Uses of granite

A

Building stone eg GPO made of granite

When broken down it forms kaolin (clay for porcelain)

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11
Q

What’s the most common rock on earth

A

Basalt

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12
Q

Minerals in basalt

A

Pyroxene and olivine

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13
Q

Colour of basalt

A

Dark brown, black

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14
Q

Where is basalt being created

A

Mid ocean ridges

Mid Atlantic ridge

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15
Q

How does basalt form

A

When plates separate
Magma rises
Cools quickly on surface - small crystals

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16
Q

Example of basalt in Ireland

A

Antrim Derry plateau

Basalt cooled and split into a series of hexagonal shapes causing the giants causeway in Antrim

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17
Q

Use of basalt

A

Building industry
Road filler
Floor tiles

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18
Q

How are sedimentary rocks defined

A

Parent material

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19
Q

Two types of sedimentary rock

A

Inorganic (made of fragments of other rocks eg sandstone)

Organic (made of fossils from plants or animals eg limestone)

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20
Q

Formation of sedimentary rock in general

A

Sediments of rock or fossils are deposited in layers called strata,
Layers are crushed and compacted by their own weight or weight of water
Layers are cemented together by minerals

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21
Q

How is oil created in rock

A

When sea creatures are compacted

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22
Q

What is lithification.

A

The compacting and cementation of sedimentary rock

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23
Q

How common is sandstone in Ireland

A

2nd most common

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24
Q

Is sandstone organic or inorganic

A

Inorganic, made of grains of quartz (sand)

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25
Q

How is sandstone made

A

Layers of quartz build up beneath a shallow sea, this quartz has been deposited by flood or wind.
Strata were cemented together by the weight of the water and lithification occurred and iron and silica cemented the strata into rock.
The iron oxide gives Irish sandstone it’s reddish appearance

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26
Q

What is Irish sandstone known as due to addition of iron oxide

A

Old red sandstone

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27
Q

Where can old red sandstone be found

A

Munster ridge and valley region.

28
Q

What’s the most common rock in Ireland

A

Limestone.

29
Q

Is limestone organic or inorganic

A

Organic, made of fish fossils

30
Q

How is limestone formed

A

Sea creatures die and fall to the bed of the sea
The ,layers build up and eventually are compressed by the weight of the seawater
Compression removed water and air.
Lithification occurred as calcium carbonate in sea creatures bones cemented the rock together

31
Q

Minerals in limestone

A

Calcium carbonate

32
Q

Minerals in sandstone

A

Iron

Silica

33
Q

Is limestone permeable

34
Q

Colour of limestone

A

Greg usually

35
Q

Example of limestone in Ireland

A

Karst landscape the burren co Clare

36
Q

How was the burren formed

A

Under the Atlantic Ocean and was protected by a layer of soil until large glaciers scraped it away during the ice age

37
Q

What’s the parent material

A

Material that was compacted to make sedimentary rock

38
Q

What’s are strata

A

Layers of rock

39
Q

What does permeable mean

A

Allows water to pass through it

40
Q

What are metamorphic rock

A

Igneous and sedimentary rock that change form chemically (what they’re made of) or physically (how they look) due to intense heat and/or pressure

41
Q

What conditions can metamorphism occur at

A

Above 200° Celsius

Above 300 megapascals of pressure

42
Q

3 types of metamorphism

A 
Thermal/contact metamorphism (changed by heat)
Regional metamorphism (changed but heat and pressure)
Dynamic metamorphism (changed by great pressure)
43
Q

Parent rock of marble

A

Limestone or chalk

44
Q

Type of metamorphism that makes marble

A

Regional metamorphism

45
Q

How is marble made

A

Limestone is destroyed by great heat and pressure. Large crystals develop changing it physically

46
Q

What colour is pure marble

A

White eg Carrara marble in Italy

47
Q

How can marble be different colours

A

Impurities in parent rock

Eg serpentine in limestone makes green marble eg in Connemara Galway

Iron oxide in limestone makes red marble eg in cork

48
Q

Uses of marble

A

Sculptures

As it’s soft

49
Q

Two examples of metamorphic rock

A

Marble and quartzite

50
Q

Two examples of sedimentary rock

A

Limestone and sandstone

51
Q

Two examples of igneous rock

A

Granite and basalt

52
Q

What is the parent rock of quartzite

53
Q

How is quartzite made

A

Sandstone came into contact with magma.
Magma filled gaps between grains of quartz with Silica.
Heats and pressure (regional metamorphism) caused silica and quartz to join.

54
Q

What is the structure of quartzite like

A

No pores

Very hard to erode

55
Q

Where is quartzite in Ireland

A

Cap on many mountains eg sugarloaf Wicklow

56
Q

How many active quarries are there in Ireland

57
Q

3 methods of rock quarrying

A

Plug and feather method
Channeling method
Explosives

58
Q

What happens in the plug and feather method

A

A hole is drilled into rock and wedges are pushed in between the bedding planes. Making big slabs of rock. Used in sedimentary rock

59
Q

How does the channeling method work

A

Huge slices of rock are cut off by a large rotating disk eg marble

60
Q

How do explosives quarry the rock

A

Holes are drilled into rock and dynamite is placed inside. Rock is ballestee into pieces and gathered up and crushed and dusted fo road fillers and concrete

61
Q

How many people employed in quarrying

62
Q

Positive impacts of quarrying

A 
15000 people employed in the industry 
€3 billion worth
Own supply of materials for constructions and achieved national development plan 
Agricultural limestone 
Infrastructure improved in local areas
63
Q

Negative impacts of quarrying

A 
Noisy and dusty
Tallaght - roadstones Belgard quarry - peoples homes are damaged, driveways sinking and dust clouds created
Constant heavy traffic
Visual pollution 
Disused quarries become illegal dumps
64
Q

Size of Antrim Derry plateau

A

4000km squared

65
Q

When did Antrim Derry plateau begin to form

A

65 million years ago when Eurasian and North American plates began to diverge

66
Q

How many hexagons in giants causeway

67
Q

How tall is giants causeway

Leaving Cert Geography - (23 decks)

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