MODULE 2. ROCKSUNIT 1. IGNEOUS ROCKSGeologists separate rocks into three classes based on how they form: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks. An igneous rock is the product of cooled solidified magma/lava. As magma/lava cools it goes through the process of crystallization which turns it into an igneous rock. The amount of time it takes for an igneous rock to form depends on its location and its composition. Igneous rocks form when a hot, molten liquid called magma solidifies. Sedimentary rocks form when loose sediment, such as sand and clay, becomes cemented to form a solid rock. Metamorphic rocks form when older igneous, sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks change because of high temperature and/or pressure or are deformed during mountain build¬ing. The rock cycle shows that all rocks change slowly over geologic time from one of the three rock types to another.Three different processes - rising temperature, low¬ering of pressure, and addition of water - melt portions of the Earth’s asthenosphere. These processes form great quantities of magma in three geologic environments: spreading centers, mantle plumes, and subduction zones. The temperature of magma varies from about 600° to 1400°C. Nearly all magmas are silicate magmas. Magmas form in the upper part of asthenosphere and lower crust. Magma usually rises toward the Earth’s surface because it is of lower density than rocks that surround it.An extrusive, or volcanic, igneous rock forms when magma erupts and solidifies on the Earth’s surface. An intrusive, or plutonic, rock forms when magma cools and solidifies below the surface. Plutonic rocks typically have medium- to coarse-grained textures, whereas vol-canic rocks commonly have very fine- to fine-grained textures. A porphyry consists of larger crystals imbed¬ded in a fine-grained matrix.The two most common types of igneous rocks in the Earth’s crust are granite, which comprises most of the continental crust, and basalt, which makes up oceanic crust. The upper mantle is composed of peridotite.An igneous rock is classified and named according to its texture and mineral composition. A mafic rock is low in silica, high in iron and mag¬nesium, and dark in color. Basalt is a common mafic rock. A felsic rock is rich in feldspar and silicon, low in iron and magnesium, and light in color. Granite is a com¬mon felsic rock. An intermediate rock has a composi¬tion and color that lie between those of mafic and felsic rocks. The most common intermediate rock is andesite. Ultramafic rocks have the lowest silicon and aluminum content and the highest amounts of magnesium and iron. Peridotite, an ultramafic rock, is rare in the crust but abundant in the mantle.Magmas invariably have a higher silica content than the rocks that melt to produce them, due to the phenom¬enon of partial melting.
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