Rocks
WHAT ARE ROCKS?
What are Rocks?
Making up most of the Earth's crust, rocks are usually defined as a mixture of common minerals. Rocks can be hard or soft, as small as a grain or as large as a building. Combined with the effects of weathering and vegetation (vegetation can also weather rock as the tree or bush is "yanked" out of the ground by forces of wind or by merely falling over after it has died. Root systems tend to go under the surface and attach themselves to and wrap around rocks in the sub-surface. When the plant falls over, the roots, still sticking to the rocks, literally "throw" up and move around soil and surface material.), rocks define the natural landscapes we see around us. There are many kinds of rock, and they can be classified in a number of ways. However, geologists classify rocks based on how the rocks were formed. The three classes are igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, and sedimentary rocks.
Igneous Rocks
The term igneous comes from the Latin ignis, meaning "fire". Igneous rock is formed when magma cools and solidifies, it may do this above or below the Earth's surface. The atoms and molecules of melted minerals are what make up magma. These atoms and molecule rearrange themselves into mineral grains as the magma cools, forming rock as the mineral grains grow together. There are over 700 different types of igneous rocks. Examples of igneous rocks include basalt, granite, pumice, obsidian, tuff, diorite, gabbro and andesite. Basalt forms the metamorphic rock granulite when subjected to extreme heat and pressure over time (metamorphism). Igneous rocks are classified according to the mode of occurrence, texture, minerals it contains, chemical composition and the shape of its body. 1. Intrusive igneous rock - This is formed when magma cools beneath
What are Rocks?
Making up most of the Earth's crust, rocks are usually defined as a mixture of common minerals. Rocks can be hard or soft, as small as a grain or as large as a building. Combined with the effects of weathering and vegetation (vegetation can also weather rock as the tree or bush is "yanked" out of the ground by forces of wind or by merely falling over after it has died. Root systems tend to go under the surface and attach themselves to and wrap around rocks in the sub-surface. When the plant falls over, the roots, still sticking to the rocks, literally "throw" up and move around soil and surface material.), rocks define the natural landscapes we see around us. There are many kinds of rock, and they can be classified in a number of ways. However, geologists classify rocks based on how the rocks were formed. The three classes are igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, and sedimentary rocks.
Igneous Rocks
The term igneous comes from the Latin ignis, meaning "fire". Igneous rock is formed when magma cools and solidifies, it may do this above or below the Earth's surface. The atoms and molecules of melted minerals are what make up magma. These atoms and molecule rearrange themselves into mineral grains as the magma cools, forming rock as the mineral grains grow together. There are over 700 different types of igneous rocks. Examples of igneous rocks include basalt, granite, pumice, obsidian, tuff, diorite, gabbro and andesite. Basalt forms the metamorphic rock granulite when subjected to extreme heat and pressure over time (metamorphism). Igneous rocks are classified according to the mode of occurrence, texture, minerals it contains, chemical composition and the shape of its body. 1. Intrusive igneous rock - This is formed when magma cools beneath