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Understanding Earth Materials and Rocks

Earth has naturally occurring materials like minerals and rocks that are essential for life. Minerals are inorganic solids with crystalline structures and definite compositions, including common ones like salt and quartz. Rocks consist of aggregated minerals and other materials. There are three main types of rocks: igneous rocks form from cooling magma, sedimentary rocks form through deposition and lithification of sediments, and metamorphic rocks form from changes to igneous or sedimentary rocks exposed to heat and pressure. Rocks continuously form, break down, and reform in the rock cycle as they weather, become sedimentary rocks, and transform through metamorphism or melting into magma.

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81 views2 pages

Understanding Earth Materials and Rocks

Earth has naturally occurring materials like minerals and rocks that are essential for life. Minerals are inorganic solids with crystalline structures and definite compositions, including common ones like salt and quartz. Rocks consist of aggregated minerals and other materials. There are three main types of rocks: igneous rocks form from cooling magma, sedimentary rocks form through deposition and lithification of sediments, and metamorphic rocks form from changes to igneous or sedimentary rocks exposed to heat and pressure. Rocks continuously form, break down, and reform in the rock cycle as they weather, become sedimentary rocks, and transform through metamorphism or melting into magma.

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Heart Reyes
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Earth Materials

Earth has naturally occurring materials of which many are necessary for existence. Earth materials
include minerals and rocks. These materials, along with other materials like soil, water, air, and organic
matter are essential for the growth and survival of organisms, the structure of the land, and the
development of human civilization.

Minerals

Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids. They are considered natural because they are derived
from natural geologic processes. Minerals, have crystalline structures (the atoms of which are arranged
in an orderly repeating pattern) and definite composition (the elements of which have specific
proportions).

There are thousands of minerals identified on Earth. A common example of mineral is salt. Other
common rock forming minerals are sulfur, quartz, and graphite.

ROCKS

Rocks are natural substances consisting of aggregate minerals clumped together with other earth
materials through natural processes. Rocks, like some materials, are products of a natural cyclic process.

Classification of Rocks

1. Igneous rocks ( derived from the Latin word ignis meaning “fire”) are crystallized rocks that
solidified from magma (molten or partially molten volcanic materials that came from within
Earth)
Magma rises from the asthenosphere or at the base of the crust through volcanoes or any
cracks and fissures on Earth’s surface. When it reaches the surface of Earth, the molten volcanic
materials is called lava
2. Sedimentary rocks ( from the root word sediments which means “remaining particles”) are rocks
that have formed from the deposition of different materials on Earth’s surface. They come from
pre-existing rocks or pieces of dead organisms that have been “lithified” or cemented together
by natural processes. Usually, they show distinct layering or bedding on the surface.
Most sedimentary rocks are found in beaches, rivers, and oceans, where sand, mud, and other
types of sediments are present. They preserve or “record” the kind of environment that existed
when they were formed. Scientists use sedimentary rocks to learn about the climate and
environmental that had changed through Earth’s history. Fossils ( remains of organisms that had
lived millions of years ago ) are also preserved in sedimentary rocks.
3. Metamorphic rocks ( meta means “change” and morph means “form” ) are rocks derived from
igneous or sedimentary rocks that were exposed to high pressure, high temperature, or a
combination of both, deep below the surface of earth. Because of this exposure, some of the
minerals in these rocks undergo chemical and physical changes.
Rock Cycle

Rocks are created and destroyed in the rock cycle. The rock cycle is a diagram that shows the continuous
succession of how rocks form, break down, and reform as a result of the processes that induce the
formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Igneous rocks are formed from the crystallization of cooling molten magma either on the surface or
deep in Earth’s crust. Weathering ( or the breaking down of rocks and soil ) allows igneous rocks to be
mixed with other Earth materials ( including organic matter and microorganisms ) and be transported to
another place. The mixture is compacted and cemented, resulting in sedimentary rocks. As rocks
continue to move and be exposed to various heat and pressure, they change both physically and
chemically, sometimes causing the formation of metamorphic rocks. In some cases, sedimentary and
metamorphic rocks are pushed deep under the surface of Earth until they sink into the mantle
(subduction). In this case, they can transform to igneous rocks

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