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FROM MOLTEN MATERIALS TO ROCKS

 Metamorphic rocks are formed when pre-existing rocks exposed to higher temperatures and pressure but
remain solid.
 If the pressure and temperature is too much, melting occurs producing molten rocks called magma
 Molten rocks that crystallized become igneous rocks
 High temperature mainly comes from the heat that is generated internally by earth through radioactive decay
 Earh contains a lot of radioactive elements like uranium, since these radioactive elements are unstable, they
keep on breaking down until they reach a much more stable state.
 As the materials break down, energy is released in the form of heat and then transferred to the layers of earth
either by conduction or convection.
 Aside from the radioactive decay, high temperature can also attained as one moves deeper into earth since
temperature increases with depth

For a rock to melt these factors are important.


 Temperature
 Pressure
 presence of water or water vapour

SURFACE
-Temperature must reach around 800o C to 1000oC for rocks to melt since it has diff compositions
EARTH’S INTERIOR
-As rocks move further down, Pressure is increasing along with temperature and rocks melting point
-The temperature of 1000oC that is reached at a depth of 100km can no longer melt the rock
-Thus for melting to occur; decrease in pressure is needed this process is called Decompression Melting
-However at other places such as subduction zones, it is the presence of water or water vapor that aids melting
the rocks, since it can decrease the rocks melting point.

Since rocks melts at diff temp, it is possible that the melting will be incomplete, the part of the rocks that are
partially melted will have diff density from that of the parts that have not melted causing them to separate.

PARTIAL/FRACTIONAL MELTING
-If the melted rock solidifies the composition of this new rock would be entirely different from that of the
original rock
-responsible for the variety of igneous rocks that are being formed.

Main composition of magma


-Silica w/ 45% to 75% in weight and the remaining percentage is from the other abundant elements of the earth.
Also traces of dissolved gases are present such as water vapour and carbon dioxide.
-These 2 components (Water vapour and carbon dioxide) together with temp determine the properties of the
magma and the types of magma

Basaltic magma is freely flowing and creates lava fountains but releases very few pyroclastic materials. This is
mostly found in the volcanoes in Hawaii
An explosive eruption releasing an andesitic to rhyolitic magma

3 common types of magma


1. Basaltic magma
-common magma on Earth
-characterized by low silica content
-high temperature
-low viscosity
-low gas content
2. Rhyolitic magma
-opposite in characteristics from basaltic magma
-high silica content
-low temperature
-very high viscosity
-high gas content
3. Andesitic magma
-magma with properties that is in between basaltic magma and rhyolitic magma

Magma would then be exposed to an environment where crystallization would occur resulting to the
formation of igneous rocks.
Crystallization- process of the formation and growth of individual mineral crystals
The environment where the crystallization occurs determines the type of igneous rocks that will be formed.
-If the formation occurred underneath Earth’s surface then it is called intrusive or plutonic igneous rock.
-If the formation occurred on surface of the Earth’s surface then it is called extrusive or volcanic igneous
rock.

Aside sa location where rock crystallizes, color and texture is also used to classify igneous rocks.
The color of the rocks depends on the minerals that are present
Light colored- minerals present are feldars (rich in aluminium) rock identified as felsic from words feldspar
and silicon
Dark colored- minerals present are olivine and pyroxene (rich in magnesium and iron) this rock is called
mafic from the word magnesium and ferric.

Other characteristics of igneous rocks that is used for classification is texture.


Texture describes the overall appearance of the rocks based on the size and shape of the crystals and its
arrangement.
Size and shape of the crystals are affected by the rate of cooling

If the lava cooled quickly on or near Earth’s surface, the rock would have an aphanitic or fine-grained texture
where individual crystals are hard to see with unaided eye. On the other hand, when the magma cools
slowly beneath Earth’s surface, it would result to a phaneritic or coarse-grained texture. In this type of
igneous, individual crystals are large enough that the minerals can be identified with the unaided eye.

SAMPLES OF VOLCANIC AND PLUTONIC ROCKS


RHYOLITE GRANITE
 69%-77% silica content  69%-77% silica content
 Light colored  Typically light colored
 Usually porphyritic in texture  Phaneritic in texture

ANDESITE DIORITE
 52%-63% in silica content  52%-63% silica content
 Typically bluish grey  Speckled black and white
 Porphyritic in texture  Phanertic in texture

BASALT Gabbro
 45%-52% silica content  45%-52% silica content
 Dark grey to black  Dark grey to black
 Aphanitic in texture  Phanertic in texture

Since texture of rock depends on environment if the rock has not fully cooled and has been placed in a different
environment then there will be a combination of different crystal sixes. The texture of the rock is called porphyritic
texture. Lastly if the molten rock that was ejected crystallizes immediately the resulting texture os a glassy texture.

Ex: obsidian or volcanic glass and its atoms are disordered therefore it does not have crystal structure.

These are the processes involved in the rock cycle and the different forms that a rock transforms into as it cycles through
the geosphere. The path that started from the formation of sedimentary rocks to metamorphic and igneous rocks is just
one of the many paths that rocks may follow as it moves through the geosphere. An example of an alternative path is
when a sedimentary rock is exposed to extreme temp and pressures where it melted rather than turn into a
metamorphic rock then crystallizes to form an igneous rock.
The processes involved in the rock cycle are the one responsible for shaping earth. The external processes such as
weathering, erosion and deposition that create the sedimentary rocks are the very same processes that helped in
landscaping the surface of earth. Earths internal processes that create both metamorphic and igneous rocks also gave
the majestic landforms such as volcanoes and mountains

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