Wednesday, January, 5  Introduction to course
 

Friday, January 7  Igneous, Metamorphic, Sedimentary rocks
     Rock Cycle

Reading for Friday: Skim chapters 4, 5, 6 to see pictures of the various rock types and understand their principal differences.  In particular, read the introductions to each chapter and look carefully at figures 4.5, 5.4, 6.9.  Make sure you understand that igneous rocks form from originally molten states, and so consist of interlocking crystals; Metamorphic rocks form from other rocks by the addition of heat and pressure and so consist of interlocking crystals in a generally layered arrangement; sedimentary rocks form by the accumulation and cementation of zillions of particles so they consist of tiny stuck-together grains, in layers.   See the pictures below for examples of each type of rock.

 
See photos of Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock.