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Classification of Rocks

Rocks form the Earth's crust and are classified as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic based on their formation process. Igneous rocks form from cooling magma either below or above the surface. Sedimentary rocks form from compressed and hardened sediments transported by wind, water, or ice. Metamorphic rocks form from changes to existing igneous or sedimentary rocks through heat and pressure in the Earth.

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91 views2 pages

Classification of Rocks

Rocks form the Earth's crust and are classified as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic based on their formation process. Igneous rocks form from cooling magma either below or above the surface. Sedimentary rocks form from compressed and hardened sediments transported by wind, water, or ice. Metamorphic rocks form from changes to existing igneous or sedimentary rocks through heat and pressure in the Earth.

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Jessa Mae Casipong
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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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ROCK

- is an aggregation of different mineral constituents which form the earth’s crust.


Rocks are classified into three types based on their geological formation and they are:
1. Igneous rocks
2. Sedimentary rocks
3. Metamorphic rocks
IGNEOUS ROCKS
- The word igneous is derived from the Latin word Ignis which means fire. The rocks formed by the
solidification on the cooling of molten magma, are called igneous rocks.
- Igneous rocks are formed by the solidification of magma below the earth’s surface. When the magma
is unable to erupt through the earth surface during its upward journey, it is held up below the earth’s
surface and unable to descend. This magma cools down gradually and solidifies into igneous rocks.
- If the solidification of the rock occurs near to the earth surface, then the rocks obtained are known as
volcanic rocks. These rocks possess extremely fine-grained structure. Basalt is an example of
volcanic rock.
1. Intrusive igneous rocks. This type of igneous rock is formed from solidification of magma
below the surface They have large crystals of minerals that formed overtime through slow
process of crystallization in a magma.
Granite, diorite, gabbro, pegmatite, and peridotite are example of this type of rock.

2. Extrusive igneous rocks. This type of igneous rock is formed through faster rate of
solidification of lava on the surface of Earth. They can become glassy in appearance due to less
crystallization or vesicular like Scoria, due to the air that was trapped inside when they solidified
and formed on the surface of the earth. Other examples of this type of rock are andesite, basalt,
dacite, obsidian, pumice, rhyolite, and tuff.
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
- Latin word sedimentum which means settle down.
- Sedimentary rocks are formed by the deposition of sediments obtained by the weathering of pre-
existing rocks and these sediments are transported by various agents such as water, wind, frost,
gravity, etc. These transported sediments form layered structures and give rise to the sedimentary
deposits.
- These rocks are formed by the settling down of sediments.
- Sediments are the smaller particles / fragments that are formed by the breaking down of rocks when
they roll down, crack, and hit each other.
- These sediments are transported by wind, water etc.
- These sediments; when compressed and hardened; form sedimentary rocks.
- Sandstone is an example of sedimentary rock. It is made up of grains of sand.
- The sedimentary rocks may also contain fossils of plants, animals, and other micro – organisms that
once lived on them.
Examples: Sandstone, limestone, lignite
Sedimentary rocks can be classified into clastic, chemical, and organic.
1. Clastic sedimentary rock. It is formed from the mechanical weathering debris of rocks. Examples
are breccia, conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and shale.
2. Chemical sedimentary rock. It is formed when dissolved materials precipitate from solution.
Examples of these are rock salt, iron ore, chert, flint, some dolomites.
3. Organic sedimentary rock. Formed from the build-up of plant or animal debris.

METAMORPHIC ROCKS
- Metamorphic rocks are formed by the metamorphism process. Metamorphism is the process of
changing the characteristics of the pre-existing rocks under the influence of heat and pressure. The
pre-existing rocks may be of the sedimentary or igneous type of rocks.
- Examples: Slate, Gneiss, Schist, marble, soapstone etc.
- The Greek word ‘metamorphose’ which means change of form, is the root of the word metamorphic.
- In other words, these are the rocks that are formed when the igneous and sedimentary rocks change
their form under the following two circumstances:
- Great heat
- Great pressure
Metamorphic rocks are those that begin as some other kind of rock, whether it's igneous, sedimentary or
another metamorphic rock. The parent rock that undergoes metamorphism is called the protolith.
Protoliths are transformed chemically and physically by high temperatures, high pressures, hot fluids, or
some combination of these conditions.
Metamorphic rock forms from existing rock types called “parent rock” in the process called
metamorphism, which means change in form. The original rock which can be an igneous, sedimentary or
another metamorphic rock is subjected to heat and pressure, causing a profound chemical or physical
change. Metamorphic rocks can be further classified into:

1. Foliated metamorphic rocks. Formed through pressure due to compression of rocks that create
bands called foliation.
Examples are gneiss, phyllite, schist, and slate.
2. Non-foliated metamorphic rocks. It has no foliation or bands.
Examples of this type are hornfels, marble, quartzite, and novaculite.

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