Balanced Rock stands in Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs, CO.

In geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids. The Earth's lithosphere is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Petrology is the scientific study of rocks. National Park Service photo of Balanced Rock; permissible use with attribution File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... National Park Service photo of Balanced Rock; permissible use with attribution File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A view of Garden of the Gods showing some of its unusual hogback formations. ... Colorado Springs is a middle-sized city, located just east of the geographic center of the state of Colorado in the United States. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... This article is about the physical universe. ... For other uses, see Mineral (disambiguation). ... A mineraloid is a mineral-like substance that does not demonstrate crystallinity. ... The tectonic plates of the lithosphere on Earth. ... Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... Quartzite, a form of metamorphic rock, from the Museum of Geology at University of Tartu collection. ... Petrology is a field of geology which focuses on the study of rocks and the conditions by which they form. ...

Rock classification

The rocky side of a mountain creek near Orosí, Costa Rica.

See also: formation of rocks

Rocks are classified by mineral and chemical composition, by the texture of the constituent particles and by the processes that formed them. These indicators separate rocks into igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. They are further classified according to particle size. The transformation of one rock type to another is described by the geological model called the rock cycle. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1136x852, 270 KB) The rocky side of a mountain creek near Orosí, Costa Rica. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1136x852, 270 KB) The rocky side of a mountain creek near Orosí, Costa Rica. ... Orosí seen from the South Orosí is a village in Costa Rica, about 30 km South East of the capital San José. It has a population of about 9000 and is one of the few colonial towns to survive Costa Ricas frequent earthquakes, with one of the oldest churches... The three main ways rocks are formed: Sedimentary rocks are formed through the gradual accumulation of sediment: for example, sand on a beach or mud on a river bed. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... Texture in geology refers to the physical appearance or character of a rock, such as grain size, shape, and arrangement, at both the megascopic or microscopic surface feature level. ... Igneous rocks (etymology from Latin ignis, fire) are rocks formed by solidification of cooled magma (molten rock), with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlain by limestone. ... Quartzite, a form of metamorphic rock, from the Museum of Geology at University of Tartu collection. ... Particle size, also called grain size, refers to the diameter of individual grains of sediment, or the lithified particles in clastic rocks. ... The rock cycle is a fundamental concept in geology that describes the dynamic transitions through geologic time among the three main rock types: sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. ...

Igneous rocks are formed when molten magma cools and are divided into two main categories: plutonic rock and volcanic. Plutonic or intrusive rocks result when magma cools and crystallizes slowly within the Earth's crust (example granite), while volcanic or extrusive rocks result from magma reaching the surface either as lava or fragmental ejecta (examples pumice and basalt) .^[1] Igneous rocks (etymology from Latin ignis, fire) are rocks formed by solidification of cooled magma (molten rock), with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. ... Magma is molten rock located beneath the surface of the Earth (or any other terrestrial planet), and which often collects in a magma chamber. ... Devils Tower, an igneous intrusion exposed when the surrounding softer rock eroded away. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... For other uses, see granite (disambiguation). ... Look up lava, Aa, pahoehoe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Specimen of highly porous pumice from Teide volcano on Tenerife, Canary Islands. ... For the cities, see Basalt, Colorado and Basalt, Idaho. ...

Sedimentary rocks are formed by deposition of either clastic sediments, organic matter, or chemical precipitates (evaporites), followed by compaction of the particulate matter and cementation during diagenesis. Sedimentary rocks form at or near the Earth's surface. Mud rocks comprise 65% (mudstone, shale and siltstone); sandstones 20 to 25% and carbonate rocks 10 to 15% (limestone and dolostone).^[1] Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlain by limestone. ... In geology, the term clastic refers to sediments formed from fragments of pre-existing rock. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... A sample of evaporite material Evaporites (IPA: ) are water-soluble, mineral sediments that result from the evaporation of bodies of surficial water. ... In geology and oceanography, diagenesis is any chemical, physical, or biological change undergone by a sediment after its initial deposition and during and after its lithification, exclusive of surface alteration (weathering) and metamorphism. ... Mudstone is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... Shale Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... Siltstone Siltstone is a geological term for a sedimentary rock whose composition is intermediate in grain size between the coarser sandstone and the finer mudstone. ... This article is about the geological formation. ... Carbonate rocks are a class of sedimentary rocks composed primarily of carbonate minerals. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... Dolostone is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. ...

Metamorphic rocks are formed by subjecting any rock type (including previously-formed metamorphic rock) to different temperature and pressure conditions than those in which the original rock was formed. These temperatures and pressures are always higher than those at the Earth's surface and must be sufficiently high so as to change the original minerals into other mineral types or else into other forms of the same minerals (e.g. by recrystallisation).^[1] Quartzite, a form of metamorphic rock, from the Museum of Geology at University of Tartu collection. ... For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ... This article is about pressure in the physical sciences. ... Recrystallization is an essentially physical process that has meanings in chemistry and geology. ...

The three classes of rocks: the igneous, the sedimentary and the metamorphic — are subdivided into many groups. There are, however, no hard and fast boundaries between allied rocks. By increase or diminution in the proportions of their constituent minerals they pass by every gradation into one another, the distinctive structures also of one kind of rock may often be traced gradually merging into those of another. Hence the definitions adopted in establishing rock nomenclature merely correspond to selected points (more or less arbitrary) in a continuously graduated series.^[2]

Coloration

Đavolja Varoš (Devil's town) in Serbia.

Iron oxides and carbonates play a large part in many sedimentary rocks and are especially important as coloring agents. The red sands and limestones, for example, which are so abundant, contain small amounts of iron(III) oxide (hematite), which in a finely divided state gives a red hue to all rocks in which it is present. Limonite and goethite, on the other hand, makes rocks yellow or brown; manganese oxides, asphalt and other carbonaceous substances are the cause of the black color of many sediments. Bluish tints result sometimes from the presence of phosphates or of fluorite; while green is most frequently seen in rocks which contain glauconite or chlorite.^[2] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 224 KB)[edit] Summary Predrag Nikolic [edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 224 KB)[edit] Summary Predrag Nikolic [edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Anthem:  Serbia() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, Rusyn 1 Albanian 2 Demonym Serbian Government Parliamentary Democracy  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica    -  First state 7th century   -  Serbian Kingdom3 1217   -  Serbian Empire 1345   -  Independence lost... Iron oxide pigment There are a number of iron oxides: Iron oxides Iron(II) oxide or ferrous oxide (FeO) The black-coloured powder in particular can cause explosions as it readily ignites. ... Ball-and-stick model of the carbonate ion, CO32− For other meanings, see Carbonate (disambiguation) In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt or ester of carbonic acid. ... Iron(III) oxide — also known as ferric oxide, Hematite, red iron oxide, synthetic maghemite, colcothar, or simply rust — is one of the several oxide compounds of iron, and has paramagnetic properties. ... For other uses, see Hematite (disambiguation). ... Limonite Limonite Limonite is a ferric hydrate of varying composition, the generic formula is frequently written as FeO(OH)·nH2O, although this is not entirely accurate as Limonite often contains a varying amount of oxide compared to hydroxide. ... Goethite, named after the German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is an iron bearing oxide mineral found in soil and other low temperature environments. ... General Name, symbol, number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Standard atomic weight 54. ... The term asphalt is often used as an abbreviation for asphalt concrete. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... A phosphate, in inorganic chemistry, is a salt of phosphoric acid. ... Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is a mineral composed of calcium fluoride, CaF2. ... A sample of glauconite Glauconite is a phyllosilicate (mica group) mineral of formula: (K,Na)(Fe3+,Al,Mg)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2. ... Chlorite is a group of phyllosilicate minerals often classified as clays. ...

Impact on society

Rocks have had a huge impact on the cultural and technological advancement of the human race. Rocks have been used by Homo sapiens and other hominids for millions of years. Lithic technology marks some of the oldest and continuously used technologies. The mining of rocks for their metal ore content has been one of the most important factors of human advancement. Humanity's advancement has been decided by the kind of metals available from the rocks of a region. The prehistory and early history of civilization is classified into the stone age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Rocks have been and continue to be used to construct buildings and infrastructure. When so used, they are dimension stone. Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man) is the scientific name for the human species. ... Genera Subfamily Ponginae Pongo - Orangutans Gigantopithecus (extinct) Sivapithecus (extinct) Subfamily Homininae Gorilla - Gorillas Pan - Chimpanzees Homo - Humans Paranthropus (extinct) Australopithecus (extinct) Sahelanthropus (extinct) Ardipithecus (extinct) Kenyanthropus (extinct) Pierolapithecus (extinct) (tentative) The Hominids (Hominidae) are a biological family which includes humans, extinct species of humanlike creatures and the other great apes... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... This article is about metallic materials. ... For other uses, see Ore (disambiguation). ... Stone Age fishing hook. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... Marble on a house Dimension stone is natural stone or rock that has been selected and fabricated (i. ...

See also

• Dimension stone
• Geologic time scale
• Geomorphology
• Oldest rock
• Quarry
• Riprap

Marble on a house Dimension stone is natural stone or rock that has been selected and fabricated (i. ... Diagram of geological time scale. ... Surface of the Earth Geomorphology is the study of landforms, including their origin and evolution, and the processes that shape them. ... The oldest rock or rocks on Earth are from the Archean Eon and are only partially exposed on the surface. ... For other uses, see Quarry (disambiguation). ... Riprap (also known as rip rap or shot rock) is rock or other material used to stabilize shore. ...

References