BrainPOP Science Key Terms
Types of Rock
IGNEOUS ROCK: Rock formed by the solidification of molten magma
MAGMA: Hot fluid or semi fluid material below or within the earth's crust from which lava and other igneous
rock is formed by cooling
MOLTEN: fused or liquefied by heat
LAVA: Molten rock that reaches the earth’s surface through a volcano or fissure
METAMORPHOSIS: change of physical form, structure, or substance especially by supernatural means.
SEDIMENT: The matter which subsides to the bottom, from water or any other liquid
ALIGN: To adjust (parts of a mechanism, for example) to produce a proper relationship or orientation.
ERODE: To wear (something) away by or as if by abrasion
The Rock Cycle
IGNEOUS: Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization,
either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks.
SEDIMENTARY: Sedimentary rock is a type of rock that is formed by sedimentation of material at the Earth’s
surface and within bodies of water.
METAMORPHIC: Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in process called
metamorphism, which means “change in form”.
MAGMA: Magma is a mixture of molten rock.
ROCK CYCLE: The rock cycle is the natural process in which rocks transform from one rock type into another rock over
time.
1669- Danish mineralogist
Nicolaus Steno notices that
sedimentary rocks are found in
the sea. This means that sea
levels are constantly changing.
1788- Scottish Geologist James
Hutton discovers that
sedimentary rocks are found by
erosion.
1830- Sir Charles Lyell
publishes “Principles of
Geology”.
Weathering:
WEATHERING: Weathering is any chemical or mechanical process by which rocks exposed to the weather undergo
changes in character and break down. It can also mean the state of atmosphere at a given time and place.
SEDIMENTS: Matter setting to the bottom of a liquid
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS: Rock formed from consolidated clay sediments
MECHANICAL WEATHERING: Weathering is the breaking down of Earth’s rocks, soils and minerals through direct
contact with the planet’s atmosphere.
CHEMICAL WEATHERING: Chemical reactions that act on rocks exposed to water and the
CARBONIC ACID: Chemical reactions that act on rocks exposed to water and the atmosphere so as to change
their unstable mineral components to more stable forms.
Erosion:
EROSION: The process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents.
WEATHERING: Wear away or change the appearance
RIVER DELTA: A delta is a landform that is created at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean,
sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid, or another river
CANYONS: Deep gorge, typically one with river flowing through it, as found in North America.
GLACIER: A slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on
mountains or near the poles
GLACIAL EROSION: The wearing down of the Earth’s surface glaciers. Rock debris at the bottom of a glacier
scrapes and erodes the surface over which the glacier flows like a giant hugely heavy piece of sand paper
Mineral Identification:
MINERAL: A naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a definite chemical composition and
characteristics crystalline structure, color
TRAIT: A distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person.
HARDNESS: The property of being rigid and resistant to pressure; not easily scratched; measured on Mohscale.
MOHS SCALE: A scale for classifying minerals based on relative hardness, determined by the ability of harder
minerals to scratch softer ones.
LUSTER: A gently sheen or soft glow, esp. that of a partly reflective surface.
STREAK (NOUN): Refers to the color of the powder a mineral leaves after rubbing it on an white surface
CLEAVAGE: A sharp division; a split
FRACTURE (NOUN): Break or cause to break