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11 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Chemical Weathering |
Alteration of chemical composition |
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Mineral |
A solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence. |
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Mechanical Weathering |
the breakdown of rock into smaller pieces by physical means |
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Sedimentary rock |
A type of rock that forms when particles from other rocks or the remains of plants and animals are pressed and cemented together |
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Igneous rock |
rock that forms when magma cools and solidifies |
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Metamorphic rock |
rock that has been changed by heat and pressure |
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Watershed |
An ecosystem where all water runoff drains into a single body of water |
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Specific Gravity |
SG = w / Δ V
'w' is a mineral's weight in grams (g) and Δ V is the volume of water it displaces. In other words, SG refers to a mineral's density. Minerals with lower SG for example would feel relatively light for their size. |
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Detrital |
rocks form by sediment (debris, rock fragment, minerals, etc.) accumulation. Key properties: Mineral Composition: stability of minerals in rocks at the earth’s surface Stable: resistant to weathering Unstable: weathers quickly Texture: refers to features of a rock’s particles (not the rock they compose) Sorting: average particle size Well-sorted = mostly same size particles; poorly-sorted: variety of particle sizes Shape: indicative of transport history Longer transport history → smoother particle (more weathering) Size: indicative of environmental energy Example: rivers contain high energy, so they can move larger particles; lakes contain low energy (they move less) and so can move only smaller particles |
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Chemical |
rocks form by substance crystallization or precipitation. Subcategories: Organic: rocks develop from accumulated plant/animal remains under water Inorganic: no plant/animal remains involved in rock development |
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Lithification |
The process through which sediment becomes rock Two key types: Compaction: rock forms from pressure of sediment above Cementation: mineral agents bind sediment |
