Download sedimentary rock study guide

Rocks Review Guide
Rock Cycle (ch 6.3)
1. What are the 3 types of rocks involved in the rock cycle?
2. Describe how an igneous rock becomes a sedimentary rock. What processes are involved?
3. Describe how an igneous rock becomes a metamorphic rock. What processes are involved?
4. Is it possible for one type of rock to become any other type of rock, or is there a specific order in
which rocks form (I’m not referring to the Bowen’s reaction series)? Explain how.
5. Compare (list similarities) and contrast (list differences) erosion & weathering.
6. What are the materials that make up each type of rock (products)? (ex/ crystals, sediments, preexisting rocks, etc.)
Igneous rocks (ch 5)
1. Describe the types of igneous rocks (intrusive & extrusive) in detail. Which relates to magma/lava?
2. Describe how the following factors play a role when rocks melt: temperature, pressure and water.
3. What are partial melting and fractional crystallization & what is their contribution to magma
formation?
4. Understand Bowen’s reaction series and be able to describe how each “branch” differs.
5. What are the first and last minerals to crystallize in Bowen’s reaction series? Know this for each
of the two branches. Which cools at higher and lower temps? What is the dif. between their
compositions?
6. How do the elements within the minerals that cool first (darker in color), differ from the ones that
finish later in the series (lighter in color)?
7. Would the minerals that cool earlier in the series be found in basaltic or granitic rocks? What
about the ones that cool later in the cycle?
8. How does each mineral gradually change in color and composition (what elements are most present)
as each mineral forms during crystallization?
9. Classification of igneous rocks
a. Describe the composition (basaltic, granitic, intermediate, and ultrabasaltic)
b. Describe the textures (course, fine, glassy & porphyritic)
c. Know the relationship btwn cooling rates and grain size. How does intrusive and
extrusive fit in?
10. Know the following common igneous rocks based on texture & composition (granitic or basaltic):
basalt, gabbro, granite, & rhyolite. I may give you two of these rocks to compare and contrast.
11. What are the rocks considered to have a glassy versus a vesicular texture, and describe how that
texture differs? What is similar about how those textures form?
Sedimentary Rocks (ch 6.1 & 6.2)
1.
What is a clast? Know the different clast sizes and which will settle first while blowing in the
wind or in a river.
2. List some agents of erosion & describe the 2 major types of weathering with an example of
each.
3. Describe each step in the Lithification process in detail (3 steps)
4. Clastic sediments are classified by what characteristics?
5. When/why does deposition of sediment occur?
6. Know the difference between graded bedding and cross-bedding.
7. What can sedimentary rocks tell us about the Earth’s history? (think about fossils &
sedimentary features)
8. What does it mean for sediment to become sorted while transported? Which agents of
erosion will not sort sediment?
9. List the following processes in the order they occur. Erosion, deposition, weathering,
cementation, and transport
10. Describe the difference between clastic and chemical sedimentary rocks. What are examples
of each and what sediments make up those examples?
Metamorphic Rocks (ch 6.3)
1. What are the 3 causes/agents of metamorphism?
2. Describe the 3 grades of metamorphism.
3. Describe the 3 types/environments of metamorphism (regional, contact, hydrothermal).
4. Describe the metamorphic textures (foliated, nonfoliated, & porphyroblasts).
5. How does fractional crystallization relate to mineral changes during metamorphism? (Hint: can
there be enough heat to partially melt a rock during metamorphism?)
6. Do rocks always undergo a chemical change while undergoing metamorphism? Think about the
grades of metamorphism. (you may need to look in your text to help)