ROCKS AND EARTH'S HISTORY
Intrusive igneous rocks Extrusive igneous rocks
Rock Cycle
- The rock cycle has no beginning or end.
- This process typically occurs very slowly. ● Diorite ● Basalt
- Natural processes like erosion change rocks ● Granite ● Andesite
from one type to another all the time. ● Pegmatite ● Rhyolite
● Gabbro ● Scoria
Metamorphic rocks
- Metamorphic rocks form when rocks are
subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot
mineral-rich fluids or, more commonly, some
combination of these factors. Conditions like
these are found deep within the Earth or
Crystallisation where tectonic plates meet.
-as the magma cools, different crystals form at different
temperatures. Common Foliated Non-Foliated
Erosion & deposition Metamorphic Metamorphic Metamorphic
-Weathering wears down rocks on Earth's surface into Rocks: Rocks: Rocks:
smaller pieces.
Metamorphism
-A rock that is exposed to extreme heat and pressure
but does not melt becomes a metamorphic rock.
Sedimentary Rocks
- They are formed on or near the Earth’s
surface from the compression of ocean
sediments or other processes.
- The most important geological processes that
lead to the creation of sedimentary rocks are ROCK RECORDS
erosion, weathering, dissolution,
precipitation, and lithification.
Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
- Formed when water with dissolved mineral
Evaporates.
- The left behind minerals will crystallise.
Igneous Rocks
- Igneous rocks (from the Latin word for fire)
form when hot, molten rock crystallises and
solidifies.
- The melt originates deep within the Earth
near active plate boundaries or hot spots,
then rises toward the surface.
Igneous rocks are divided into two groups, intrusive or SECTION 1: Determining Relative Age
extrusive, depending upon where the molten rock -Geologists estimate that the earth is about
solidifies. 4.6 billion years old.
JAMES HUTTON Started the idea of
Uniformitarianism
-current geological processes such as volcanism and
erosion are the same now as in the past.
LAW OF PRINCIPLE UNCONFOR CROSSCUT
SUPERPOSI OF MITIES TING
TION ORIGINAL -Movements RELATIONS
-States that HORIZONT in earth's HIP
an ALITY crust can lift ( law of
undeformed -States that up rock crosscutting PRECAMBRIAN TIME
sedimentary sedimentary layers that relationship)
rocks layer is rocks left were buried -A fault or
older than the undisturbed and expose igneous
layers above will remain in them in intrusion is
it and layers. erosion. younger than
younger than NONCONFO the rock
the layers RMITY- The layers it cuts
below. rock has through.
been pushed FAULT- A
up from break or
below. crack in
ANGULAR earth's crust
UNCONFOR along which
MITY- rocks shift
Boundary their position.
between INTRUSION-
tilted rocks When the
and magma
horizontal injected into
layers. rocks; cools PROTEROZOIC ARCHEAN HADEAN
DISCONFO and solidifies. EARTH EARTH EARTH
RMITY-
Rock layer 2.5 BYA(billion 4.0 to 2.5 MYA 4.6 to 4.0 BYA
has been years ago) - 570 (million years (billion years
pushed up. MYA(million ago) ago)
years ago)
THE EARLY PERIOD
THE MIDDLE PERIOD
GEOLOGIC TIME
- Geologists start counting “geologic time” from
Earth’s surface downward; that is, starting with
younger surface deposits and descending
into older rocks and deeper time. THE LATE PERIOD
- Geologists count back more than 4 billion
years to the oldest Earth materials.
DYNAMICS OF THE EARTH
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
- the movement of the Earth's continents
relative to each other
- Drift together across the oceanic bed.
ALFRED WEGENER
Evidence why Alfred Wegener's theory accepted by
scientist:
● Dikes
● Plotting the location of earthquakes and
volcanoes.
Earth's seven continents are just fragments or ● Living organisms fossils.
pieces of jigsaw puzzle that when put together, it will 3 BOUNDARIES:
form a supercontinent, Pangaea
SUPERCONTINENT
Convergent Boundaries- when2
-consists of almost all of Earth's continental landmass.
tectonic plates are moving towards
- Solid, Homogeneous and Indivisible.
each other.
CONTINENTS OF SUPERCONTINENTS:
-VAALBARA
Divergent Boundaries- When 2
(3.6-2.8 Billion
plates are moving away to 1
Years Ago)
another.
-UR (3 Billion
Years Ago)
-KENORLAND
Transform Boundaries- Tectonic
(2.5-1.6 Billion
plate sliding to 1 another in
Years Ago)
opposite direction.
-COLUMBIA [NUNA] (1.8-1.6 Billion Years Ago)
-RODINIA (1.1 Billion - 750 Million Years Ago)
-PANNOTIA (650-540 Million Years Ago)
-PANGAEA (300-200 Million Years Ago) CRUST DEFORMATION:
200 mya and PANGAEA started to break down causing - when applied forces exceed the internal strength
it to split into two Smaller supercontinents proposed of rocks, physically changing their shapes.
by Alexander Du Toit, South African geologist STRESS- The force exerted per unit area.
● Laurasia- the large northern supercontinent a. Compression
● Gondwonaland- the southern supercontinent b. tension
Laurasia and Gondwanaland begin to break down. c. shear
Their parts begin to drift apart that brings us to this day,
the seven continents:
STRAIN- A physical change that results in response to
that force.
a. Elastic deformation- like a rubber band.
b. Ductile deformation- change shapes
permanently.
c. Brittle deformation- when rock integrity fails and
the rock fractures under increasing stress.
EARTH COMPOSITION FOLDS- are layers of rock that are curved or bent by
ductile deformation.
3 FOLDS:
A. Anticline- arch like
B. Syncline- rocks are wrapped downward.
C. Monocline- parallel layers of rocks.
FAULTS- Rocks move relative to 1 another.
2 FAULTS:
STRIKE-SLIP MOTION- like transform plates
boundaries.
DIP-SLIP MOTION- Dip of the fault surface.
RJ D.C.
