Rocks and minerals Flashcards
a solid inorganic substance
Minerals
the outer layer of the earth
lithosphere
just below the earths surface a very hot liquid substance
magma
broken down material that is moved by wind or water
sediments
uncombined elements found in the earths crust
native elements
it is created by the arrangement of atoms and molecules and is geometrically shaped.
crystals
the appearance of a mineral caused by the way it reflects light
lustre
the colour of the fine powder of a mineral
streak
the measure of how hard it is to scratch the surface of a solid material
hardness
movement of ricks by water
erosion
rocks that are made from movement
clastic
occurs when components of water evaporate and previosly dissolved come together to form rocks
chemical
rocks formed from dead things
organic
dead bones and rocks
fossils
rocks that come from magma or lava solidify by being thrown in the air by a volcanic
igneous rocks
igneous rocks that form when lava cools above the earths crust
extrusive rocks
a pale rock that forms when frothy lava cools in the air.
pumice
a dark igneous rock that is formed from gassy lava that cools quickly
scoria
the property of a material or substance that easily scratches other things
abrasive
a dark igneous rock that has small crystals formed by fast cooling of hot lava.
basalt
a hard ,dark,glass-like volcanic rock formed by the rapid solidification of lava without crystallization
obsidian
igneous rock that forms when magma cools below the Earth’s surface
intrusive rocks
intrusive rock mass that measures more than 100 kilometres across
batholiths
a hard, igneous rock with different-colored crystals large enough to see and slowly forms below the Earth’s crust
granite
flat, open land besides a river where sediments are deposited during floods
floodplains
large amounts of ice that move down slopes and push boulders and rocks in front of them
glaciers
deposit left by movement of a glacier
moraines
a sedimentary rock formed from the remains of sea organisms. It consists mainly of calcium carbonate.
limestone
a sedimentary rock formed from dead plants and animals that were buried before rotting completely
coal
a sedimentary deposit formed when a salt lake or seabed dried up. Its main chemical is sodium chloride.
rock salt
a sedimentary rock with medium-sized grains. The sand grains are cemented together by silica, lime or other salts.
sandstone
a fine-grained, sedimentary rock without layering
mudstone
a fine-grained sedimentary rock formed in layers by the consolidation of clay
shale
a sedimentary rock with a particle size between that of sandstone and mudstone
siltstone
sedimentary rock containing large particles of various sizes cemented together
conglomerate
the process that changes rocks by extreme pressure or heat
metamorphism
rocks formed from other rocks that have experienced heat or pressure.
metamorphic rocks
a metamorphic rock formed as a result of great pressure on limestone
marble
a coarse-grained metamorphic rock formed mainly as a result of great pressure on granite
gneiss
a fine-grained metamorphic rock formed as a result of moderate heat and pressure on shale.
slate
a cycle where rocks can change from one rock to another that is endless
rock cycle
rocks mined to obtain a metal or other chemical within them
mineral ores
extraction of natural resources from the Earth
mining
study of the possible effects of a planned project on the environment
environmental impact statement (EIS)
restored to its previous condition
rehabilitated
waste rock removed from below the topsoil. This rock is replaced when the area is restored.
overburden
mining that scours out soil and rocks on the surface of the land
open-cut mining
mining that uses tunnels to find underground rocks
underground mining
the time beginning about two million years ago during which early humans made implements of stone
Stone Age
a mixture of a metal with a non-metal or another metal
alloy
a fine-grained sedimentary rock which leaves a very sharp edge when broken
flint
a process in which tool stones such as flint or obsidian were struck with harder stones
percussion flaking
folding is the buckling of rocks and is caused by rocks that are being pressured by both sides.
folding
someone who studies fossils
paleontologists
2 rocks compared of age
relative age
animal that eats other animals
carnivores
animals that eat things that are already dead
scavengers
cavity in a rock that shows the shape of the hard parts of an organism
mould
fossils that provide evidence such as footprints that an organism was present when the rock was formed
trace fossils
species or things that no longer exist
extinct
