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Geography > Rocks and the Rock Cycle > Flashcards

Rocks and the Rock Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

Draw diagram showing rock cycle

A

See notes

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2
Q

Point out rock types on map of Ireland

A

See notes

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3
Q

What are the three main rock types?

A

Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic

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4
Q

What is the difference between the two different types of igneous rocks?

A

Intrusive: Made from cooled magma
Extrusive: Made from cooled lava

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5
Q

Give an example of places where each type of igneous rock can be found

A

Instrusive: Granite in Wicklow Mountains
Extrusive: Basalt - Giant’s Causeway

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6
Q

What are the three different types of sedimentary rock?

A

Mechanical, Organic and chemical

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7
Q

Give an example of each of the three different types of sedimentary rock and where they can be found

A

Mechanical:
* Sandstone - Comeragh Mts, Munster
* Shale - Cliffs of Moher
Organic:
* Limestone:
-Carboniferous - Burren, Co Clare
- Dolomite - Johnstown, Co Kilkenny
- Chalk - Cliffs at Portrush, Co Antrim
Chemical:
* Gypsum - Kingscourt, Co Cavan
* Rock Salt - Carrickfergus, Co Antrim

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8
Q

What is sedimentary rock made from?

A

Other rocks and sediments of plants and animals

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9
Q

What type of climate are chemical sedimentary rocks found in?

A

Desert climate

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10
Q

What are the different ways metamorphic rocks can form?

A
  • Thermal - Heat only
  • Regional - Heat and pressure
  • Dynamic - Pressure only
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11
Q

Give examples of each different type of metamorphic rock foundation and where they can be found

A

Thermal:
* Quartzite (formerly sandstone) - Mt Errigal, Donegal

Regional:
* Marble (formerly limestone) - Connemara, Co Galway
* Gneiss (formerly granite) - Annagh Head, Co Mayo

Dynamic:
* Mylonite (formerly granite) - Roundstone, Co Galway
* Slate (formerly shale) - Valencia Island, Co Kerry

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12
Q

How are intrusive/plutonic igneous rocks formed?

A
  • When molten magma cools and solidifies deep within the crust of the earth
  • Eventually come to the surface as a result of uplift and removal of overlying rocks
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13
Q

How are extrusive/volcanic igneous rocks formed?

A

Formed when magma cools and solidifies on or near earth’s surface

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14
Q

Draw diagram of plutonic and volcanic igneous rock formations

A

See notes

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15
Q

How is granite formed?

A
  • At convergent boundaries
  • Magma forces it’s way between rocks at plate boundaries
  • Slow cooling of molten magma deep within earth’s crust at a depth 5-30km -> plutonic rock
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16
Q

What texture does granite have?

A

Coarse (due to crystals)

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17
Q

What colour is granite?

A

Black/grey - Red/pink
Varies depending on proportions of different minerals in rock

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18
Q

What kind of crystals does granite have?

A

Large crystals due to slow cooling

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19
Q

What kind of mineral content does granite have?

A
  • Due to high silica content (70%) -> acidic rock
  • Key mineral components: quartz (colourless), feldspar (reflective, flat mineral) and mica (black/white crystals)
  • High feldspar + High silica mineral content = felsic rock
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20
Q

What are some uses of granite and why is it used in this way?

A
  • Ornamental: Used in counter tops, table tops and headstones
  • When broken down by weathering and erosion used to make kaolin/china clay used by porcelain industry
    -> Hard, heavy rock resistant to weathering + erosion
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21
Q

What type of rock makes up 90% of ocean floors?

A

Basalt

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22
Q

How is basalt rock formed?

A
  • At constructive boundaries magma forces through fissures (openings in earth’s crust) reaching surface as lava
  • When it meets air/water it cools rapidly
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23
Q

Give an example of where in the world basalt can be found

A

Mid Atlantic Ridge

24
Q

Give an example of where in Ireland basalt can be found

A

Derry-Antrim Plateaux - Giant’s Causeway

25
Q

What kind of texture does basalt have?

A
  • Smooth, fine grained
  • No visible crystals (microscopic) due to rapid cooling no time to form
26
Q

What colour is basalt?

A

Black/dark green - varies due to lava properties

27
Q

What are the properties of basalt?

A

Mafic rock - Has magnesium and iron

28
Q

What are some economic uses of basalt and examples of these?

A
  • Broken down basalt makes very fertile soil eg. In Brazil, coffee plantations grown in basalt areas
  • Used in construction industry eg. Road chippings/tarmacadam
  • Basalt plateauxs bring in tourism eg. Giant’s Causeway created from basalt eruptions
29
Q

How was the Antrim-Derry Plateaux formed?

A
  • 65m years ago low viscosity lava poured out from North American - Eurasian divergent plate boundary
  • Lava flowed into nearby river valley, cooled and built up to form flat-topped basalt plateaux
  • As basalt cooled and contracted, it split apart into hexagonal columns -> Giant’s Causeway, Co. Antrim
30
Q

How are sedimentary rocks formed?

A

Due to compaction and cementation (=lithification) of sediments in a lake/river/sea

31
Q
A
32
Q

Do sedimentary rocks erode easily?

A

Yes

33
Q

What are the three different classifications of sedimentary rocks and how do they differ from each other?

A

Mechanical (clastic): Other rock particles
Organic: Once living things
Chemical: Due to environment eg. desert climate - evaporation

34
Q

What are the layers sedimentary rock is made up of known as?

A

Strata/stratal layers

35
Q

Draw a diagram showing the formation of sedimentary rocks

A

See notes

36
Q

What is lithification?

A

The process of compaction and cementation where layers of sediment compact over time, and silica cements particles together to form solid sedimentary rock

37
Q

How is sandstone formed?

A

Sand-sized particles of feldspar and quartz are compacted in rivers, deserts or beaches

38
Q

Give a global example of where sandstone can be found

A

Grand Canyon, USA

39
Q

When was sandstone formed?

A

400 million years ago

40
Q

How was limestone formed?

A

It is created from compacted shells and skeletons of marine organisms in warm, shallow seas

41
Q

Give a global example of where limestone can be found

A

White Cliffs of Dover, England

42
Q

When was limestone formed

A

350 million years ago

43
Q

How was rock salt formed?

A

Formed by evaporation of saline water in arid environments like salt lakes or lagoons

44
Q

Give a global example of where rock salt can be found

A

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

45
Q

When was rock salt formed?

A

200 million years ago

46
Q

Define metamorphism

A

The process by which rocks are transformed due to changes in temperature, pressure and/or chemical conditions without the rock melting

47
Q

Explain changes that can occur to rocks due to metamorphism

A

Recrystallization
* Existing minerals grow larger or form new minerals without melting
* Results in denser and more interlocking mineral grains, such as the transformation of limestone into marble

Texture changes
* Development of foliation: Minerals align in planes or layers due to directed pressure, as seen in slate or schist
* Development of non-foliated texture: In rocks without platy minerals (eg. quartzite and marble), as granular texture develops

Mineral changes
* New minerals form that are stable under the new temperature and pressure conditions such as garnet, staurolite or sillimanite
* Original minerals may break down or recombine, like the transformation of clay minerals into mica

Chemical changes (metasomatism)
* Interaction with chemically active fluids can add or remove elements, altering the rock’s composition

Banding
* Under high-grade metamorphism, minerals segregate into light and dark bands, as seen in gneiss

Hardness increase
* Rocks typically become harder and more resistant to weathering due to recrystallization and compaction

48
Q

What causes regional metamorphism?

A

Occurs over large areas due to intense pressure and high temperatures, typically associated with mountain-building processes at convergent plate boundaries

49
Q

What are the characteristics of regional metamorphism?

A
  • Affects extensive regions
  • Produces foliated rocks like slate, schist and gneiss due to directed pressure
  • Common in zones of collision where plates converge
50
Q

Give an example of regional metamorphism

A
  • Shale transforms into slate or schist
    Limestone transforms into marble
51
Q

Draw a diagram labelling where each form of metamorphism takes place

A

N/A

52
Q

Which type of metamorphism requires extreme compressional forces?

A

Regional metamorphism

53
Q

Which type of metamorphism happens around intrusive igneous rocks?

A

Contact metamorphism

54
Q

Which type of metamorphism requires the crushing and grinding of rocks?

A

Dynamic metamorphism

55
Q

Which type of metamorphism invloves interaction with a high temperature fluid?

A

Hydrothermal metamorphism

56
Q

Examine with reference to Ireland, the formation of sedimentary rocks (30m)

A

See notes

Geography (8 decks)

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