ENV100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Igneous Rock, Plate Tectonics, Metamorphic Rock

• School: UTM
• Department: Environment
• Course: ENV100Y5
• Professor: Monika Havelka

Document Summary

Geological cycles provide the physical foundation to support life on earth: rock cycle. Heating, melting, cooling, breaking, reassembling of rocks and minerals. Dominated by surface processes (driven both internally and externally: tectonic cycle. Processes related to the movement of large fragments of lithosphere. Dominated by internal processes (but strongly influential of surface processes and characteristics) Drive formation of mineral resources and fossil fuels. Determine location, size, and shape of ocean basins. Control oceanic and atmospheric circulation and the distribution of climatic zones. Ultimately influence the distribution of vegetation and ecosystems. There are 3 rock families that form the rock cycle: Magma = molten rock (liquid) + gases + crystals. Lava = magma when it reaches the surface. Intrusive (plutonic god of underworld) rock: magma cools and crystalizes slowly, well below surface of earth. Extrusive (volcanic) rock: magma is ejected from volcano, cools and solidifies quickly at the surface.