Earth Science 11th Edition Vocabulary Chapter 3

By Jessica Hinton (GLY 1001 Student North Campus Fall 2006)

 

Andesitic composition- See Intermediate composition

 

Basaltic composition- A compositional group of igneous rocks indicating that the rock contains substantial dark silicate minerals and calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar

 

Bowen’s reaction series- A concept proposed by N.L. Bowen that illustrates the relationships between magma and the minerals crystallizing from it during the formation of igneous rocks

 

Chemical sedimentary rock- Sedimentary rock consisting of material that was precipitated form water by either

 

Coarse-grained texture – An igneous rock texture in which the crystals are roughly equal in size and large enough so that individual minerals can be identified with the unaided eye

 

Contact metamorphism- Changes in rock caused by the heat from a nearby magma body

 

Crystallization – the formation and growth of a crystalline solid from a liquid or gas

 

Crystal settling- During the crystallization of a mineral as determined by its internal arrangement of atoms

 

Detrital sedimentary rock – Rock formed from the accumulation of material that originated and was transported in form of solid particles derived form both mechanical and chemical weathering.

 

Disseminated deposit – Any economic mineral deposits in which the desired mineral occurs as scattered particles in the rock but in the rock but in sufficient quality to make the deposit an ore

 

Evaporate- A sedimentary rock formed of material deposited from solution by evaporation of the water

 

Extrusive – Igneous activity that occurs outside the crust

 

Felsic- The group of igneous rocks composed primarily of feldspar and quartz

 

Fine-grained texture- A texture if igneous rocks in which the crystals are too small for individual minerals to be distinguished with the unaided eye

 

Fossils- The remains or traces of organisms preserved from the geologic past

Foliated texture – A texture of metamorphic rocks that gives the rock a layered appearance

 

Glassy texture- A term used to describe the texture of certain igneous rocks, such as obsidian, that contain no crystals

 

Granitic composition- A compositional group of igneous rocks that indicates a rock is composed almost entirely of light-colored silicates 

 

Hydrothermal solution- The hot, watery solution that escapes from a mass of magma during the later stages of crystallization. Such solutions may alter the surrounding country rock and are frequently the source of significant ore deposits

 

Igneous rock- A rock formed by the crystallization of molten magma

 

Intermediate composition- The composition of igneous rocks lying between felsic and mafic

 

Intrusive rock – Igneous rock that formed below Earth’s surface

 

Lava- Magma that reaches Earth’s surface

 

Lithification- The process, generally cementation and /or compaction, of converting sediments to solid rock

 

Mafic- Igneous rocks with a low silica content and a high iron-magnesium content

 

Magma- A body of molten rock found at depth, including any dissolved gases and crystals

 

Magmatic differentiation- The process of generating more that one rock type form a single magma

 

Metamorphic rock- Rocks formed by the alteration of preexisting rock deep within Earth (but still in the solid state) by heat, pressure, and/or chemically active fluids

 

Metamorphism- The changes in mineral composition and texture of a rock subjected to high temperature and pressure within Earth

 

Nonfoliated texture- Metamorphic rocks that do not exhibit foliation

 

Pegmatite- A very coarse-grained igneous rock (typically granite) commonly found as a dike associated with a large mass of plutonic rock that has smaller crystals. Crystallization in a water-rich environment is believed to be responsible for the very large crystals

 

Porphyritic texture- An igneous texture consisting of large crystals embedded in a matrix of much smaller crystals

 

Regional metamorphism- Metamorphism associated with large scale mountain-building processes

 

Rock cycle- A model that illustrates the origin of the three basic rock types and the interrelatedness of Earth materials and processes

 

Sediment- Unconsolidated particles created by the weathering and erosion of rock, by chemical precipitation from solution in water, or from the secretions of organisms and transported by water, wind, or glaciers 

 

Sedimentary rock- Rock formed from the weathered products of preexisting rocks that have been transported, deposited, lihified

 

Strata-

 

Texture- The size, shape, and distribution of the particles that collectively constitute a rock

 

Thermal metamorphism- See Contrast metamorphism

 

Ultramafic composition- igneous rocks composed mainly of iron and magnesium-rich minerals

 

Vein deposit- A mineral filling a fracture or fault in a host rock. Such deposits have a sheet like, or tabular, form