Types of Rocks and Their Characteristics

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What does the word FELSIC mean?

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Igneous rocks and magma/lava rich in silica, feldspar, and other light-colored minerals.

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What does MAFIC mean?

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Igneous rocks and minerals rich in magnesium and iron.

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What does it mean when someone says that rock is FINE GRAINED?

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Rocks where the individual mineral crystals are small and often too small to see with the naked eye, typically less than 1mm in size, indicating rapid cooling of magma or lava.

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What does it mean when someone says that rock is NON-CLASTIC ORGANICALLY?

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Sedimentary rocks formed from the accumulation and lithification of organic materials, like plant or animal remains, rather than from the weathering and fragmentation of pre-existing rocks.

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What does it mean when someone says that is a SEDIMENTARY rock?

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Rocks formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of once-living organisms.

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What are igneous rocks?

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Rocks formed from the cooling and solidification of molten rock (magma or lava).

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What is the difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks?

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Intrusive igneous rocks form from magma that cools slowly beneath the Earth's surface, while extrusive igneous rocks form from lava that cools quickly on the surface.

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What are sedimentary rocks?

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Rocks formed from the accumulation and lithification of sediment, which can include fragments of other rocks, minerals, and organic materials.

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What is the process of lithification?

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The process through which sediments are compacted and cemented to form sedimentary rocks.

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What are metamorphic rocks?

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Rocks that have been transformed from pre-existing rocks through heat, pressure, and chemical processes.