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1. Classifying Rocks
Igneous rocks:
Texture: indicator of how long the molten rock took to cool and where rock was
formed
o Great depths: coarse-textured eg. granite
o Shallow depths: fine-grained but large crystals = porphyritic rocks
o Surface: fine-grained eg. basalt
Colour: indicator of chemical composition of rocks
o Dark-coloured: low in silica = basic rocks eg. mafic (Magnesium and FerrIC)
igneous rocks
o Light-coloured: rich in silica = acidic rocks eg. felsic (FELdspar and SiliCa) rocks
Sedimentary rocks:
Clastic: made from rock fragments
o Size of particle they are mostly made up of
Fine-grained lutites eg. shale
Medium-grained arenites eg. sandstone
Coarse-grained rudites eg. conglomerate
Mix between groups eg. sandstones made from mix of grains
o Proportion of three main grain types: quartz sand, feldspar and lithics
Eg. sandstone can be split into feldspar-rich arkose sandstones and
lithic sandstones
Chemical: made from minerals dissolved in water / biochemical: made from
chemicals derived from organisms
o Largest group: carbonates eg. limestones
o Other groups: chalk, coal
Metamorphic rocks:
Granular: mostly made from single mineral formed by contact metamorphism eg.
marble from calcite
Foliated: layered texture due to intense compressional pressure formed by regional
metamorphism
o Low-grade eg. slate
o Medium-grade eg. schist
o High-grade eg. gneiss
Can also classify based on facies (conditions in which particular assemblages of
minerals are formed) / zones eg. Barrovian and Buchan zones in which particular
rocks and minerals are formed
2. Classifying Minerals
6. Reliability of Forecasting
Not enough information do describe the state of the atmosphere in detail
o Temperate latitudes more dynamic: small disturbances may be followed by
rapid development and significant changes in state
o Observation stations too widely spaced – cannot detect development areas
which lie amongst them
o Not possible to obtain data from the whole globe for satisfactory forecast for
a few days to be achieved
Mathematical equations expressing the physical laws too complex for an exact
solution unless simplifications are made
Extrapolation of past developments to the future may be inaccurate
o Extreme climate change now
o Enormous variety of past weather
o Can only accurately forecast 12h ahead
* There are problems, but forecasting is probably the only option we have
* Problems can be mitigated but never fully resolved