ROCK
OCROL
COLOR
EXTRUET
TEXTURE
PHASE
SHAPE
Classifying Rocks
Rocks are classified as
either Igneous,
Sedimentary, or
Metamorphic.
Igneous Rocks
Basalt
Obsidian Gabbro
Texture of Igneous Rocks
Texture depends on the size and shape of the
crystals when the rock forms. This is due to the
cooling rate of the rocks.
Rapid Cooling: Slow Cooling:
Rapid cooling produces fine Slow cooling produces coarse
grains and small crystals. grains with large crystals. This
This is associated with extrusive is associated with intrusive
rocks. rocks.
Diorite
Andesite
Mineral Composite of Igneous
Rocks
Low Silicates: High Silicates:
Igneous rocks with low Igneous rocks high in
amounts of silica silica usually appear
usually produce dark light in color.
colored rocks.
Pumice
Peridotite
Sedimentary rocks are formed through a
series of processes: erosion,
deposition, compaction, and
cementation.
Types of Sedimentary Rocks
• Geologist classify sedimentary rocks
according to the type of sediments they
have. There are three major groups of
sedimentary rocks: clastic, organic, and
chemical.
shale Clastic Rocks
Clastic rocks are your basic sedimentary rock.
They are formed from broken bits and pieces of
other rocks that were eroded and deposited a
long time ago. These rock pieces were
squeezed together. The particles can be the
size of sand or large and jagged.
Sandstone Breccia
Organic Sedimentary Rocks
Organic sedimentary rocks are made from
the remains of plants and animals. These
get deposited, compacted, and cemented
just like rock sediments. Coal and
limestone are two examples. Sometimes
limestone can have fossils in it.
Limestone
Coal
Chemical Rocks
When the minerals that are dissolved in a solution
crystallize, chemical rocks are formed. One type
of limestone can form this way when calcite is
dissolved in lakes and becomes crystallized.
Halite is another example of a chemical rock.
Limestone
Pink Halite
Metamorphic Rock
Metamorphic rock forms
when pressure deep
within the earth melts
and changes existing
rock. This is different
than intrusive igneous
rock, because you are
starting with rock, not
magma. The rocks melt
only a little. There are
two different types:
foliated and non-
foliated.
Foliated Metamorphic Rock
In foliated rock the grains are arranged in
parallel layers or bands. These may
appear as alternating layers of color or just
as flat layers that break or cleave.
Gneiss
Quartzite Shale
All types of rock can change
Metamorphic rocks originally start out as different
types of rocks. Because of pressure deep within
the earth, they melt and change. Below are a
few metamorphic changes.
Granite Sandstone
becomes becomes
Gneiss Quartzite
Shale
becomes Slate
Uses of Rocks
For thousands of years people have used
rocks for building and tools.