Mineral – Naturally formed solids that are not
made from living organisms. Have same chemical
makeup throughout. Ex: Graphite, Quartz,
Magnetite, mica, feldspar
Rock – Naturally occurring solid mixture of
minerals. Classified by composition and texture
Rock Cycle – Process by which new rocks formed
from old rock material. Driven by heat, pressure,
weathering, erosion, & deposition. Three basic
types of rock are: sedimentary, igneous, and
metamorphic.
Magma – Hot liquid (molten) located within
Earth’s surface. Tends to rise since less dense than
surrounding rock. Forms Intrusive rocks.
Lava – Hot liquid (molten) located on Earth’s
surface. Forms Extrusive rocks.
Igneous Rock – Word meaning “from fire.” Rock
that formed from magma or lava.
“Ignite means to light fire”
2 Types of Igneous Rock
1. Intrusive – Rock formed from inside the
Earth from magma. Magma cools slowly =
coarse large-grained minerals/crystals. Ex:
Gabbro, diorite, granite
2. Extrusive – Molten rock (lava) that cools
rapidly above the Earth’s surface. finegrained minerals or no visible minerals.
Ex:
 Basalt—forms oceanic crust
 Obsidian—black glass w/ no visible crystals,
 Pumice—porous rock less dense than water (many
holes due to escaping gases)
 Scoria—dark and more dense than water
Sedimentary Rock – Forms when rock or mineral
fragments are physically or chemically weathered,
eroded, deposited, compressed & cemented
together
3 Types of Sedimentary Rock
1. Clastic – Form when fragments of other
rocks are squeezed together Ex:
Conglomerate, sandstone, shale, breccia,
coquina
2. Chemical – Form when dissolved minerals
crystallize Ex: Halite, limestone(CaCO3)
3. Organic – Form from remains of plants and
animals
Ex: Plants PeatLigniteBituminous CoalAnthracite
CoalGraphiteDiamond
5 Steps to form a Clastic Sedimentary Rock:
1. Weathering – Water, wind, ice, & heat breaks
down rock into fragments, called sediments.
Physical Weathering – breaking down rocks
by wind or water. Shape & appearance
change BUT NOT composition.
Chemical Weathering – Process in which
chemicals break down the composition of a
rock into new materials. Ex: Acid rain &
rusting.
2. Erosion – Process by which sediment is
removed from its source (mountains) by
wind, H2O, ice or heat.
3. Deposition – Process in which sediment
moved by erosion is dropped & comes to a
rest, (River beds)
4. Compaction: Sediments are pressed
together under their own weight.
5. Cementation: Dissolved minerals crystallize
and glue particles of sediment together in
one mass.
Metamorphic Rock – Rocks in which texture or
composition have changed by heat and pressure,
but are not melted. Can begin as igneous,
sedimentary, or metamorphic rock.
2 Types of Metamorphic Rock
1.
Foliated –Mineral grains are arranged in
colored layers or bands due to separation of
minerals with different densities.
Ex: Slate--from shale
Gneiss--from conglomerate or granite
Schist-2. Non-foliated – Mineral grains are NOT
arranged in layers or bands
Ex: Marble-from limestone
Quartzite--from sandstone
3 Methods of Heat Transfer within the Earth:
1. Conduction – Heat transfer by direct
contact of particles. A spoon in a pot of hot
soup also becomes hot from direct contact
w/the soup.
2. Convection – Heat transfer by movement of
heated liquids or gases due to differences in
temperature and density. Soup on the stove
will heat at the bottom, rising due to higher
temp and lower density than the cold soup at
the top of the pot.
3. Radiation – Heat transfer through the
air/empty space without one object touching
another. The sun warming the Earth’s surface
is radiation.
Layers of the Earth from the surface to the core
1. Lithosphere – Rigid part of the Earth. It is
made up of 2 parts: the crust and the rigid part
of the mantle. The crust—oceanic and
continental, is divided into pieces called
tectonic plates.
a.
Crust – Outermost layer of the Earth
Oceanic Crust – Thin-5km max,
below the ocean floor
Continental Crust – Thick 100km, at
tallest mountains.
b. Mantle – Layer between the crust and the core.
No one has drilled through the crust to reach the
mantle.
2. Asthenosphere – Middle of the mantle.
Solid rock, but very slow “soft” moving layer
directly below the lithosphere, on which the
tectonic plates move.
3.
Mesosphere – lowest part of the mantle.
4.
Outer Core – Liquid layer mostly of Iron
5.
Inner Core – Solid layer mostly of Iron
OTHER NOTES:
HEAT ENERGY: Also called thermal energy. Total energy
of atoms in a material, is measured as temperature oF, oC
Types of Heat Energy:
 CONDUCTION: Transfer of energy by direct contact.
Ex: metal pan touching burner on stove
 CONVECTION: Transfer of energy by circulation of a
liquid or a gas in a circular pattern. Ex. Water in a
pan on the stove moving from the bottom of the pan
to the top of the pan.
RADIATION: Transfer of energy as electromagnetic
waves. Ex. Coils of toaster toast bread by radiating
visible light and infrared waves.