Elements in Earth Science

Each element is made of atoms that are the same

Each atom is made of protons, neutrons, and electrons

Most Common Elements in Earth Science

Oxygen O Silicon Si Aluminum Al Iron Fe Calcium

Ca

SodiumNa

Potassium K MagnesiumMg Titanium Ti Hydrogen H

In general … simpler elements are more common

In general … the more familiar an element, the more abundant

Minerals

Is an element or compound found naturally in rocks and soils.

There are more than 3500 named minerals.

New minerals are being found every year.

Characteristics of Minerals

All are solids Form naturally Never part of living things Definite chemical makeup Definite atomic pattern

Slow cooling minerals form large crystals

Fast cooling minerals form small crystals

Rocks

Made up of one or more minerals

3 types: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic

Igneous

Fire formed Cools and hardens

from magma Magma is in the

earth Lava is on the

earth

2 types of Igneous

Intrusive – cools inside Earth

Cools slowly

Extrusive – cools outside Earth

Cools quickly

Intrusive

Granite – most common, “mountain guts”

Diorite – iron and magnesium

Gabbro – dark, large crystals

Peridotite – green, most of upper crust

Extrusive

Basalt – common, hard, dark

Andesite – began cooling in crust finished on surface large/small crystals

Rhyolite – cooled slowly then fast

Pumice – light, spongy look

Obsidian – volcanic glass, cools fast

Sedimentary

Layers of particles that are moved from one place to another.

3 types: Clastic, Chemical, Organic

Clastic

Most common Made of other

rocks Particles

accumulate and harden

Weathering is an active process

2 Processes cause clastics to harden

Weight of upper layers squeeze out liquids

Minerals dissolved in ground water act as cement

Conglomerate – pebble pieces, rounded

Breccia – boulder pieces, sharp

Sandstone – sandsized quartz, variety of colors

Shale – most common, mud, clay, silts

Chemical

Limestone – 50% calcite from seashells

Coquina – large pieces of shell

Chalk – microscopic pieces of shell

Halite – hard, created by evaporation

Gypsum – soft, created by evaporation

Chert – hard, created by heat

Organic

Coal – black, coarse, decayed plant life

Special Features of Sedimentary Rocks

Layering (bedding) Fossils Geode (minerals in

a hole or cavity) Concretions

(minerals form around a grain or fossil)

Metamorphic

Created by 1 of 2 processes

Regional process – most common, heat and pressure over large area

Contact – heat and pressure next to magma chambers

2 types: Foliated, Nonfoliated

Foliated

“layered” rocks

Slate – made from shale

Gneiss – made from granite

Nonfoliated

No ‘layers’

Marble – made from limestone

Quartzite – made from quartz