Under each type of plate boundary where Igneous rocks form, fill in the name
of an Igneous rock that forms at that boundary on the row that describes the
type of Igneous rock. Put an X in the boxes where that kind of rock does
not form. An excellent tutorial with animations showing which kinds of Igneous
rocks form at various plate boundaries can be found at:
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning/module03swf.swf .
This information can also be found by skimming p98-113 of your text.
C/O stands for Continent to Ocean, C/C is Continent to Continent, O/O is ocean
to Ocean.
Igneous Rock Names: Granite, Rhyolite, Andesite, Diorite, Basalt, Gabbro, Obsidian, Pegmatite, Dunite
Type of Rock | DIVERGE | C/O CONVERGE |
C/C CONVERGE |
O/O CONVERGE |
TRANS VERSE |
Mafic Extrusive Igneous
|
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Intermediate Extrusive Igneous |
|||||
Felsic Extrusive Igneous |
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Mafic Intrusive Igneous
|
|||||
Intermediate Intrusive Igneous |
|||||
Felsic Intrusive Igneous |
Under each type of plate boundary where Metamorphic rocks form, fill in the
name of a Metamorphic rock that forms at that boundary on the row that describes
the type of Metamorphic rock. Put an X in the boxes where that kind of rock does
not form. An excellent tutorial with animations showing which kinds of rocks
form at various plate boundaries can be found at:
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning/module02swf.swf. This
information can also be found by skimming p98-113 of your text.
C/O stands for Continent to Ocean, C/C is Continent to Continent, O/O is ocean
to Ocean.
Metamorphic Rock Names: Gneiss, Schist, Slate, Marble, Quartzite, Phyllite
Type of Rock | DIVERGE | C/O CONVERGE |
C/C CONVERGE |
O/O CONVERGE |
TRANS VERSE |
Foliated High Grade Contact Metamorphic | |||||
Foliated Medium Grade Regional Metamorphic | |||||
Foliated Low Grade Burial Metamorphic | |||||
Nonfoliated Medium Grade Regional Metamorphic | |||||
Nonfoliated Low Grade Burial Metamorphic | |||||
Other |
Diagram courtesy http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/Fichter/IgnRx/HTMLimag/disthtml.gif
From http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning/module03swf.swf
Felsic Rocks - a silica-rich composition, usually 75% silica (SiO) by weight
and rich in potassium and sodium.
Where? - Felsic rocks form primarily at convergent, continental volcanic arcs
(such as the Cascade Range, Northwestern United States). They also may form at
continental hot spots (such as Yellowstone, Wyoming).
Style? - Felsic magma is rich in silica and therefore is very viscous (it
doesn't flow easily). Instead of erupting as lava, it commonly cools and
crystallizes underground to form the intrusive rock granite. Where it does
erupt, it commonly does so in great explosions, creating widespread deposits of
ash (called "tuff" after it hardens into a rock); less commonly it occurs as
extrusive rhyolite where thick lava oozed from the volcano.
From? - Felsic magma derives from partial melting of the lower continental
crust, which is primarily of intermediate composition. The only plate tectonic
settings at which the lower part of the continental crust is heated to the point
of partial melting to form felsic magmas are along convergent continental
margins and at continental hot spots. Other magmas may form at these plate
tectonic settings as well.
Intermediate Rocks - silica composition of intermediate igneous rocks is
between 60% and 75% silica (SiO) by weight.
Where? - Intermediate rocks form primarily at convergent volcanic arcs (such as
the Andes of South America and the Aleutian Islands of Alaska).
Style? - Intermediate magma is fairly viscous and therefore tends to have
explosive, ash-rich eruptions because it doesn't easily flow from a volcanic
vent. In some cases, however, intermediate lavas are less viscous and erupt as
beautiful fountains of lava, which hardens into andesite (named for the Andes
Mountains). If the magma cools and crystallizes underground, it forms the gray
intrusive rock called "diorite."
From? - Intermediate magma derives from partial melting of mafic rocks or from
mixing of a basaltic magma with more felsic components in the crust. These two
processes are common at volcanic arcs of convergent plate boundaries (subduction
zones), both at continental arc and island arc settings.
Mafic Rocks - silica composition of mafic igneous rocks is between 50% and
60% silica (SiO) by weight, and mafic rocks are typically rich in iron,
magnesium, and calcium.
Where? - Mafic igneous rocks are dominant at ocean ridges (divergent margins)
and where oceanic hot spots erupt (such as Hawaii). Along with other igneous
rocks, mafic rocks can be found associated with continental rifts (East Africa),
continental hot spots (Yellowstone), and convergent volcanic arcs (both
continental and island arcs).
Style? - Mafic magma is very silica poor and therefore has a low viscosity and
flows readily. It moves easily up cracks in the crust, erupts as a hot, flowing
lava, and cools quickly to form the extrusive rock basalt. Where the mafic magma
remains underground and crystallizes slowly, the phaneritic rock is called "gabbro."
Because mafic lavas erupt so easily, basalt is a very common extrusive igneous
rock compared with rhyolite.
From? - Magma derives from partial melting of mantle peridotite (an ultramafic
rock consisting mostly of olivine, the most silica poor of the common silicate
minerals). Wherever the mantle is melting, expect to find mafic igneous rocks
associated. The mantle is upwelling from deeper in the asthenosphere at ocean
ridges (divergent plate boundaries) and at oceanic hot spots.
Hot Water? - At subduction zones, a different process takes place to generate
magma. Hot water is driven out of the subducting oceanic plate at about 100 km
depth, and this hot water rises into the overlying mantle rocks of the
lithosphere. Here the water acts to lower the melting temperature of the mantle
peridotite and causes partial melting (a hot dry rock will begin melting if
water is added, even in small doses).
Final Note: Notice that all three magma compositions (mafic, intermediate, and
felsic) can be found at convergent continental plate boundaries (continental
arcs). Mafic magmas form by wet melting of the lithospheric mantle (ultramafic
peridotite), intermediate magmas form by melting of deep crustal gabbros and
possibly some mafic metamorphic rocks, and felsic magma forms by melting of
crustal rocks of intermediate composition. For example, Mt. St. Helens in the
Cascade Range of western Washington state has experienced eruptions of lavas
over the past several hundred years, ranging in composition from mafic (basalts)
through intermediate (andesites) to a felsic rock that is almost, but not quite,
the composition of rhyolite (we call it "dacite," and it is between an andesite
and a rhyolite in silica content).