STUDY GUIDE FOR CHAPTER 4, ROCKS
TEST __TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15TH ____
VOCABULARY:
1. Cementation: process that glues compacted sediment to form sedimentary rock
2. Weathering: process which wind, water, ice & heat BREAK DOWN rock into sediment (small
pieces)
3. Erosion: process which wind, water, ice & heat TRANSPORT soil & sediment from one location
to another.
4. Deposition: process in which material is laid down.
5. Compacting: squeezing (pressure) sediment to form sedimentary rock
6. Intrusive igneous rock: rock formed from cooling and hardening of magma beneath Earth’s
surface (interior)
7. Extrusive igneous rock: rock formed from volcanic activity at or near Earth’s surface (exit)
8. Felsic: light colored, igneous rocks that are less dense and rich in aluminum, potassium, silicon,
and sodium.
9. Mafic: dark colored, igneous rocks, rich in calcium, iron, and magnesium.
10. Foliated: texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are arranged in planes or
bands.
11. Non foliated: texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are NOT arranged in
planes or bands.
12. Deformation: change in the shape of a rock caused by a force placed on it. Forces may squeeze or
stretch the rock.
13. Rock cycle: series of processes in which a rock forms, changes from one type to another, is
destroyed and forms again by geological processes.
14. Rock: naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals or organic matter.
15. Texture: size, shape, and position of the grains that make up a rock
16. Composition: chemical makeup of a rock ( or other materials)
17. Strata: layers
18. Stratification: process in which sedimentary rocks are arranged (aligned) in layers.
19. Magma: hot liquid that forms when rock partially or completely melts.
20. Igneous: magma cools and hardens to become igneous rock.
21. Sedimentary: grains of sediment are compacted and cemented together. Forms at or near Earth’s
surface
22. Metamorphic: intense heat and pressure form metamorphic rock in the Earth’s interior.
23. Sediment: weathering breaks down rock into small pieces
24. Metamorphism: meta means “change” morphos means “shape”. In order for metamorphism to
take place you need changes in temperature and pressure.
Short Answer Questions/ Processes for Change:
1. How does the rate of cooling of magma affect the texture of igneous rock? (Rapid cooling vs.
cooling slowly)
Rapid cooling magma results in fine-grain texture. Likely formed at Earth’s surface.
Slowly cooling magma results in coarse-grain texture because crystals have time to form.
2. What happens to minerals when temperature and pressure change? (From section 4 of the
chapter and our Warm Up – how does the mineral composition of rocks change as it undergoes
metamorphism?)
Metamorphism (rocks “change shape”) occurs when temperature and pressure inside
Earth’s crust change. Minerals form and are stable at specific temperatures and pressures
so when there is a change in temperature and pressure minerals become unstable and
change into a new mineral that is more stable at that new condition.
3. What are the 3 types of sedimentary rock? Define each type.
1. Clastic Sedimentary Rock: form when rock or mineral fragments, called clasts, are
cemented together.
2. Chemical Sedimentary Rock: formed when minerals crystallize out of a solution, such
as sea water, to become rock.
3. Organic Sedimentary Rock: forms from the remains of once-living plants & animals.
4. How to scientists classify rocks? By texture and composition.
5. What causes magma to form? Understand this process so you can answer what DOES NOT cause
magma to form. Melting
6. Know the Rock Cycle – what processes change igneous rock into metamorphic or sedimentary?
Metamorphic into igneous or sedimentary? How is sediment formed? Draw the Rock Cycle and
label each process and the new rock formed.
Igneous + HEAT & PRESSURE = metamorphic rock
Igneous + COMPACTION & CEMENTATION = sedimentary rock
Igneous + WEATHERING & EROSION = sediment
Metamorphic + COMPACTION & CEMENTATION = sedimentary rock
Metamorphic + MELTING & COOLING = igneous rock
Metamorphic + WEATHERING & EROSION = sediment
Sedimentary + MELTING & COOLING = igneous
Sedimentary + HEAT & PRESSURE = metamorphic rock
Sedimentary + WEATHERING & EROSION = sediment
To make sedimentary rock you need COMPACTION & CEMENTATION
To make igneous rock you need MELTING & COOLING
To make metamorphic rock you need HEAT & PRESSURE
To make sediment you need WEATHERING & EROSION
To make magma you need MELTING
NOTE: As part of the rock cycle process you have to go through a series of steps. In order to make
sedimentary rock, you first need to make sediment. In order to make igneous rock, you first need to
make magma.