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Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Rocks & Minerals

Rock

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/rɑːk/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, rock means: A natural solid material made mostly of minerals, such as granite or limestone. Rocks make up the Earth's crust and are grouped by how they formed.

In Turkish: kayaç, kaya, taş

How it is used

The basic word of geology. It is uncountable for the material (hard rock, solid rock) and countable for rock types and pieces (volcanic rocks, a rock sample). Common verbs: form, expose, break, date, describe.

Example sentences

  1. These rocks formed on the sea floor about 100 million years ago.

  2. Label each rock sample with the date and the location.

Common collocations

  • rock type
  • rock sample
  • solid rock
  • volcanic rocks
  • rock formation
  • mineralA naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and an ordered internal structure, such as quartz, calcite or feldspar.
  • igneous rockRock that forms when molten magma or lava cools and becomes solid. Granite forms slowly underground, while basalt forms quickly at the surface.
  • sedimentary rockRock formed when sediment such as sand, mud or shells is laid down in layers, then buried, pressed together and cemented over time.
  • metamorphic rockRock that has been changed by heat, pressure or hot fluids deep in the Earth without melting, such as marble formed from limestone.
  • rock cycleThe model that shows how igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks change into one another over long periods through melting, weathering, burial and heat.

More terms: Rocks & Minerals

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