Chapter Geography: Inside Our Earth / Structure of Earth
Rocks due to cracks and hitting, breakdown into smaller fragments called
sediments.
The remains of dead plants and animals trapped in the layers of rocks are known
as fossils.
Rocks: The mass of the mineral matter which is responsible for making the
earth’s crust is known as rocks.
Describe the interior of the earth.
Answer: Interior of the Earth:
The earth is made up of several concentric layers with one inside another,
just like an onion.
Crust:
a) The uppermost layer on the earth’s surface is called the crust.
b) It is the thinnest of all the layers.
c) It is about 35 km, thick on the continental masses and only 5 km
thick on the ocean floors.
d) Main minerals constituent of the continental mass are silica and
alumina.
e) It is thus called sial (si – silica and al – alumina).
Oceanic crust
f) The oceanic crust mainly consists of silica and magnesium.
g) It is therefore called sima (si – silica and ma – magnesium).
Mantle
Just beneath the crust is the mantle.
It extends up to a depth of 2900 km below the crust.
Core
The innermost layer is the core with a radius of about 3500 km.
It is mainly made up of nickel and iron.
Hence it is called nife (ni—nickel and fe—ferrous i.e., iron).
The central core has very high temperature and pressure.
Describe igneous rocks.
Ans. Igneous Rocks
The molten rock material is called magma.
When it cools, it becomes solid.
Rocks formed in this way are called igneous rocks.
They are also called primary rocks because other rocks are
formed out of these rocks.
There are two types of igneous rocks.
Intrusive Rocks and
Extrusive Rocks
2) How are extrusive and intrusive rocks formed?
Formation of Extrusive and Intrusive Rocks
Due to extreme heat in the interior of the earth, rocks are
found in the form of molten material called magma.
When magma comes out on the surface of the earth, it cools
down and turns into solid rocks. Such rocks are termed as
extrusive rocks.
Examples:
★ Basalt.
★ Deccan Trap is built of basalt.
When the molten magma cools down within the interior of the
earth, it becomes solid to form intrusive rocks.
Examples:
★ Granite.
★ Gabro
Briefly describe the ‘rock cycle’.
Answer:
One rock changes into another under certain conditions in a cyclic
manner.
Molten magma cools down and solidify to form igneous rocks. These
rocks are broken down due to pressure and climatic conditions into
sediments.
These are transported and deposited to form sedimentary rocks. The
igneous and sedimentary rocks under heat and pressure change into
metamorphic rocks.
These metamorphic rocks under great heat and pressure melt down
to form molten magma. This again cools down to form igneous rocks.
This process of transformation of rocks is called ‘rock cycle’.
What are minerals? How are minerals important to us?
Answer: Minerals:
Rocks are made up of different minerals.
Minerals are naturally occurring substances which have certain
physical properties and definite chemical composition.
Minerals are very important to us.
Some are used as fuels.
Examples:
Coal.
Natural gas.
Petroleum.
They are also used in industries as energy and raw material.
Examples:
Iron.
Aluminium.
Gold.
Uranium.
They are used in medicine, in fertilisers etc.
Describe various types of rocks.
Answer: Rocks are of three types, which can be described as under:
(i) Igneous rocks: When the molten magma cools, it becomes solid.
Rocks thus formed are called igneous rocks. They are also called primary
rocks. Igneous rocks further can be divided into two types- intrusive and
extrusive rocks.
(a) Intrusive igneous rocks: Sometimes the molten magma cools down
deep inside the earth’s crust. Solid rocks so formed are called intrusive
igneous rocks.
(b) Extrusive igneous rocks: When molten lava comes on the earth’s
surface, it rapidly cools down and becomes solid. Rocks formed in such a
way on the crust are called extrusive igneous rocks.
(ii) Sedimentary rocks: When rocks roll down, crack, and hit each other
and are broken down into small fragments, these smaller particles are
called sediments. These sediments are transported and deposited by
wind, water etc. These loose sediments are compressed and hardened to
form layers of rocks. These types of rocks are called sedimentary rocks.
(iii) Metamorphic rocks: Igneous and sedimentary rocks can change into
metamorphic rocks under great heat and pressure. For example, clay
changes into slate and limestone into marble.
What are the uses of rocks?
Answer: Rocks are useful for various purposes:
2. It helps in making roads
3. It is used in the construction of houses and buildings
4. Small stones are used by children in different types of games
5. They are used in fertilisers
4) Give reasons.
(i) We cannot go to the centre of the earth.
Answer:
To reach the centre of the earth one will have to dig a hole 6000 km.
deep on the ocean floor which is an impossible task. Therefore we cannot
go to the centre of the earth. Moreover, the temperature and pressure at
the centre of the earth are too high to bear.
(ii) Sedimentary rocks are formed from sediments.
Answer:
Rocks break down into small fragments known as sediments. These
sediments are transported and deposited by wind, water, etc. These loose
sediments tend to compress and harden over time to form layers of rocks
known as sedimentary rocks.
(iii) Limestone is changed into marble
Answer:
Igneous and sedimentary rocks change into metamorphic rocks under
heat and pressure. Now, limestone is a type of sedimentary rock that
under heat and pressure changes into marble which is a metamorphic
rock.
