Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form. [1] [2] The geological definition of mineral normally excludes compounds that occur only in living organisms.
The study of rocks involves multiple subdisciplines of geology, including petrology and mineralogy. It may be limited to rocks found on Earth, or it may include planetary geology that studies the rocks of other celestial objects. Rocks are usually grouped into three main groups: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks.
Earth materials include minerals, rocks, soil and water. These are the naturally occurring materials found on Earth that constitute the raw materials upon which our global society exists. Earth materials are vital resources that provide the basic components for life, agriculture and industry. [1] [2] [3]
The carbon then becomes part of a sedimentary rock when lithification happens. Human technology or natural processes such as weathering, or underground life or water can return the carbon from sedimentary rocks to the atmosphere. From that point it can be transformed in the rock cycle into metamorphic rocks, or melted into igneous rocks.
List of rocks on Mars – Alphabetical list of named rocks and meteorites found on Mars; Rock cycle – Transitional concept of geologic time; List of rock formations: for a list of unusual or culturally significant rock outcrops; Leaverite – Rock in the field that looks interesting but is actually not
Over time, natural forces such as wind and water erode bedrock, leading to the creation of sand and gravel deposits. These materials sediment in riverbeds , lakes , and coastal areas. In regions affected by glaciers , aggregates may consist of till —a mixture of various particle sizes deposited by melting ice —or glaciofluvial deposits ...
Sediment is a solid material that is transported to a new location where it is deposited. [1] It occurs naturally and, through the processes of weathering and erosion, is broken down and subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles.
Metamorphic rocks once existed as igneous or sedimentary rocks, but have been subjected to varying degrees of pressure and heat within the Earth's crust. The processes involved will change the composition and fabric of the rock and their original nature is often hard to distinguish. Metamorphic rocks are typically found in areas of mountain ...