The world of rocks; Geology

An art of spying

Deepak C. Srivastava
IIT Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand

What is
Geology?

Science of the Earth

...just like chemistry and physics!

What is different about

Geology?
Special challenge- controlled
experiments?

The rates of geologic processes

are almost always slower than the
rates of human effects on the
environment.

Geologists use millions of years as

the standard unit of time:

Some
geologic
features
take
millions of
years to
form.

Carr Clifton

Others
take
seconds

John Sanford/Photo Researchers

Spying the
signatures of
nature
Objective?
Ex. Rock type?

Types of signatures
depend on
origin of rocks

Three types of origin:

1. Igneous
2. Sedimentary
3. Metamorphic

Igneous origin
Solidification of magma
Igneous rocks
Magma- the molten rock material
3 components:
Liquid = melt
Solids, if any
Volatiles = dissolved gases

Igneous rocks
(Lava) Volcanic
Surface

(Magma) Plutonic

Deep or Shallow/surface?

Texture
Grain size?
Lava or
Magma?
Domestic
Example?

Glassy Texture

Lava or Magma?

Lava or Magma?

Interlocking
texture

Igneous rocks?
Examples:
Tin, Tungsten, Diamond,
Platinum, mica.

Sedimentary rocks?
1. Weathering (Breaking)
2. Transportation
3. Deposition

Let us spy the evidence for

these processes in
rocks

Three components
1. Clast
2. Matrix
3. Cement

Clast, Matrix, Cement

Sedimentary laryering

EaES 350-6

19

Metamorphic rocks
What happens when you go to?
1.
2.

Kashmir in winters
Rajasthan in summers

Results of Stress
Compressive Stress
Causes Foliation

Shear Stress

Evidence of Metamorphism

Conglomerate
Differential
pressure
squashes
rock and
included
features

2. Flattened
Pebbles

Metaconglomerate

Evidence of Metamorphism

Any pre-existing rocks can be

metamorphosed

Rock Cycle