The Lithosphere Ch 6, pg 184-200

Def: The hard shell of the Earth consisting of the crust and the topmost part of the mantle

Minerals vs Rocks vs Ores Inorganic Pure/Homogeneous Heterogeneous Blend of Minerals Rocks that contain valuable minerals and elements Naturally Occurring Naturally occurring Have a distinct composition Have distinct formation Made of Identically shaped crystals Presence of crystals varies IDed through hardness, colour, density, and streak Not characteristic Economically viable to extract though mining (QC has gold, copper, iron etc)

Types of Rocks Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic -Formed from the cooling and solidification of magma -Different size of crystals depending on how fast and where the magma cooled (above vs below the ground) -Three categories: Intrusive, Extrusive, Porphyritic -Layers are pressed down and due to this pressure different rock layers are formed -Debris accumulates over time -May contain fossils -Rocks that have been transformed because of heat and pressure -Were once igneous or sedimentary rocks

Rocks to Soil Through, wind, water erosion as well as freezing and thawing rocks erode. Soil is produced; as soil develops, it thickens and forms distinct layers called soil horizons It takes 200 years to form a layer of soil 1 cm thick!

Horizon O: -Mostly made up of organic matter such as decomposing plants and animals Horizon A: -Supports plant life - Mixture of minerals and organic matter - This type of soil is known as humus Horizon B: -Made of small mineral particles - Trees with deep roots can absorb these minerals Horizon C: - Also called substratum - Formed by chunks of rock from layer below - Little or no plant life reach this far Horizon R: -Starting point of soil formation - Huge rocks found here; known as Bedrock

Humus Def: the organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms.

Issues with Soil What makes soil fertile (able to support life) 1) Sufficient amount of minerals 2) Sufficient amount of moisture 3) Appropriate pH pH that is not optimal will limit the absorption of nutrients A soil’s buffering capacity is its ability to resist pH changes. The finer the texture of the soil the better it will resist pH change.