Describe the differences and characteristics of rock, parent material, and soil

Rocks] Rocks are solid minerals or mixtures of minerals, in which the rocks under the sea surface are called reefs, reefs and sands, which are composed of one or more minerals and have a certain structural structure, and there are also a few remains or remains of living organisms (i.e., fossils). Minerals have three states: solid (such as fossils), gaseous (such as natural gas), and liquid (such as oil), but they are mainly solid substances, which are one of the substances that make up the earth's crust and are the main components that make up the earth's lithosphere.

Parent material] The parent material is the upper part of the weathered crust that is loosely formed due to the crushing of rocks due to weathering, and the physical and chemical properties change.

Soil] Soil is the main body of nature composed of layers of minerals of different thicknesses. The difference between soil and parent layer is manifested in morphology, physical properties, chemical properties and mineralogical properties. Due to the interaction of the earth's crust, water vapour, atmosphere and biosphere, the soil layer is different from the parent layer.

It is a mixture of minerals and organic matter, in solid, gaseous and liquid states. Loose soil particles combine to form a form of soil filled with gaps. These pores contain dissolved solutions (liquids) and air (gases).

As a result, soils are often seen as having multiple states.

The parent material is the passage of rock minerals from the surface layer of the earth's crustWeatheringThe weathering products formed are the material basis for the formation of the soil and the skeleton that makes up the soil.

It is not only different from soil, but also has a profound impact on the formation of soil and fertility development, many traits of the parent material are inherited to the soil, and the physical and chemical properties of the parent material are changed, forming the upper part of the weathered crust with loose structure.

Parent factors play an important role in soil formation. Because, on the one hand, it is the basic material that constitutes the mineral part of the soil, and on the other hand, it is the ** of the mineral nutrient elements of plants. Therefore, the parent material is a direct participant in the process of soil formation.

Rocks are classified into magmatic rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks according to their genesis. Among them, magmatic rock is a rock formed by the condensation of high-temperature molten magma on the surface or underground, also known as igneous rock or ejecta rock; Sedimentary rocks are rocks formed by the transport, sedimentation and diagenetic consolidation of the products of weathering, biological and volcanic processes under surface conditions through the transport, sedimentation and diagenetic consolidation of external forces such as water, air and glaciers. Metamorphic rocks are pre-formed magmatic rocks, sedimentary rocks or metamorphic rocks that are formed by metamorphism due to changes in the geological environment in which they are located. Soil Forming Factors:

1) The weathering of the parent material factor of soil formation breaks the rock, changes the physical and chemical properties, and forms a weathered crust with a loose structure, the upper part of which can be called the soil parent material. If the weathered crust remains in place and forms a residue, it is called residual parent material; If the weathered material is migrated under the action of gravity, flowing water, wind, glacier, etc., to form colluvium, alluvium, marine deposit, lacustrine deposit, moraine and aeolian deposit, etc., it is called the sedimentary parent material. The soil-forming parent material is the material basis for soil formation and the initial element of plant mineral nutrients (except nitrogen).

The parent material represents the initial state of the soil, which is gradually transformed into a soil for growing plants over thousands of years under the influence of climate and organisms. The parent material plays an important role in the physical properties and chemical composition of soil, and this effect is most significant in the early stage of soil formation.

Different rocks have different genesis, it is generally believed that magma cools to form basalt, andesite, etc., fossils are formed after the death of organisms, and lake and river sediments may also harden into shale when they encounter high temperatures under the action of high water pressure. Soil is formed by the long-term modification of plants and microorganisms after the physical, chemical, and biological weathering (fragmentation) of rocks.

Uses of rocks:

Make building materials: 1Marble:

Marble has a delicate texture and is often used as a wall or floor. Because marble is metamorphized from limestone, the main component is calcium carbonate, so it is also a raw material for making cement. Marble is soft and delicate, making it a good stone for sculpture, and many famous statues are made of marble, such as the famous Venus statue.

Others, such as walls or ornaments, are often made of marble, such as vases, ashtrays, tables and other household items. 2.Granite:

Native granite is only found in Kinmen, so almost all of Kinmen's old houses are made of granite. The granite used in Taiwan's temples comes from Fujian and is mostly used for dragon pillars, floor tiles, and stone lions in temples. 3.

Slate: Because it is easy to crack into thin slabs and is easily available in mountainous areas, the aborigines still use slate as a building material to build slate houses or walls. 4.

Conglomerate: Some conglomerates contain pebbles and sand, and the cementation is poor, which is easy to spread them, for example, this kind of conglomerate is found in the Quaternary Toushan Formation in western Taiwan, in which pebbles and sand are building materials.

Precious gemstones: Minerals are often used as ornaments if they have the characteristics of hard, desirable, durable, transparent and color-coded, generally known as gemstones, and the following are common gemstones: 1

Diamond: commonly known as diamond, there are many colors, such as light yellow, brown, white, blue, green, red, etc., among which colorless and transparent have the highest value. 2.

Corundum: Corundum also comes in many different colors, such as: red corundum is commonly known as ruby, and blue corundum is called sapphire.

Its chemical composition is aluminum oxide. 3.Opal:

It is usually colorless or white, and some have a special halo. 4.Crystal:

Pure quartz single crystal is called crystal, and the crystal contains different impurities and different colors, such as: citrine, amethyst, etc. The fibrous microcrystalline aggregate of quartz is called chalcedony; The granular microcrystalline aggregates of quartz are called flint, and these two minerals are the primary jade in Taitung County.

Refining metals:1Gold Mine:

The gold-bearing rock is weathered and corroded, and the gold will be separated into natural gold, because the gold is more than the sediment, it is easy to deposit down, and it becomes ** through washing. 2.Chalcopyrite:

Chalcopyrite is the most important mineral used in the extraction of copper. 3.Galena:

Galena is lead-gray with cubic cleavage and is the most important lead-containing mineral. 4.Hematite:

Hematite is iron-gray or reddish-brown in appearance, and is the most important iron-bearing mineral. 5.Magnetite:

Magnetite is an iron-bearing mineral that has magnetism and adsorbs iron-containing materials.

Pigments: Some minerals have special colors and can be used to make pigments, such as blue azurite, green malachite, and red cinnabar.

Rock is a material formed after the eruption of ancient volcanoes, and the soil is slowly formed after many natural causes (weathering, corrosion, etc.).

Soils can evolve from rocky weathering in situ or any deposits.

The nature, structure, colour and composition of rocks or deposits have a direct impact on the soil.

The difference in the parent material affects the rate of soil formation and the thickness of the soil layer.

As the soil matures, the influence of this factor gradually decreases, and its influence is eventually completely masked by other factors.