UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

HIGHER SCHOOL NG UMAK

Mathematics, Science & Research Department

Earth & Life Science

Module 4: Endogenic Processes

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. describe where the Earth’s internal heat comes from;

2. describe how magma is formed (magmatism);
3. compare the formation of the different types of igneous
rocks; and
4. describe the physical and chemical changes in rocks due
to changes in pressure and temperature (metamorphism).

ENDOGENIC PROCESSES
Endogenic Processes. (n.d.) The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition. (1970-1979). Retrieved June 26, 2020
from https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Endogenic+Processes

Geological processes associated with energy originating in the interior of the solid earth. Endogenic
processes include tectonic movements of the crust, magmatism, metamorphism, and seismic activity.
The principal energy sources for endogenic processes are heat and the redistribution of material in the
earth’s interior according to density (gravitational differentiation).

The earth’s deep heat originates chiefly from radiation. The continuous generation of heat in the earth’s
interior results in the flow of heat toward the surface. With the proper combination of materials,
temperature, and pressure, chambers and layers of partial melting may occur at certain depths within
the earth. The asthenosphere, the primary source of magma formation, is such a layer in the upper
mantle. Convection currents may arise in the asthenosphere, and they are hypothesized to be the
cause of vertical and horizontal movements of the lithosphere. In the zones of the volcanic belts of the
island arcs and continental margins, the principal magma chambers are associated with super deep
dip faults (Zavaritskii-Benioff zones), slanting beneath the continents from the ocean side to depths of
about 700 km. Under the influence of the heat flow or under the direct influence of the heat carried by
rising abyssal magma, magma chambers form in the crust itself. Reaching the near-surface parts, the
magma is intruded into them in the form of variously shaped intrusive bodies or is extruded onto the
surface, forming volcanoes.

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Gravitational differentiation has led to the stratification of the earth into geospheres of varying density.
On the surface it is also manifested in the form of tectonic movements, which, in turn, lead to the
tectonic deformation of crustal and upper mantle rocks. The accumulation and subsequent discharge
of tectonic stresses along active faults causes earthquakes.
The two types of deep processes are closely interrelated: by lowering the viscosity of the material,
radioactive heat promotes its differentiation, which accelerates the discharge of heat toward the
surface. It is hypothesized that a combination of these processes leads to the temporal unevenness of
the release of heat and light matter toward the surface, which, in turn, can be explained by the
occurrence of tectonic-magmatic cycles in the history of the earth’s crust. The spatial irregularities of
the same abyssal processes may explain the division of the crust into geologically active regions, for
example, into geosynclines and platforms.

Endogenic processes have been responsible for shaping the earth’s relief and the formation of many
of the most important mineral resources.

Endogenic Processes

- The processes which occur inside the Earth’s surface due to the influence of endogenic forces.
Most of the endogenic processes are folding and faulting and some other endogenic processes
such as volcanism, plutonism and metamorphism.

- Takes place mainly along the boundaries which are the zones are not stable. At the location
where tectonic plates interact.

I. Folding

- The horizontal movement of Earth’s crust results in folding. Fold mountains occur where the
crust is pushed up as plates collide which causes the crust to rise in folds.

II. Faulting

- The vertical movement of the Earth’s crust involves uplifts or subsidence of crust along lines of
weaknesses.

Types of Stresses in Earth’s Crust and Its Fault

The Earth has three layers: crust, mantle, and core. The Earth’s crust is like the shell of an egg;
it is the thinnest of the Earth’s layers. The crust is broken into several parts, known as the
continental plates. When the plates are pulled or pushed together, stress occurs. Four types of
stresses affect the Earth’s crust: compression, tension, shear, and confining stress.
Stress is the force applied to an object. In geology, stress is the force per unit area that is placed
on a rock. Four types of stresses act on materials.
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• Compression Stress
Compression is a type of stress that causes the rocks to push or squeeze against one
another. It targets the center of the rock and can cause either horizontal or vertical
orientation. In horizontal compression stress, the crust can thicken or shorten. In vertical
compression stress, the crust can thin out or break off. The force of compression can
push rocks together or cause the edges of each plate colliding to rise. Mountains are a
result of high-impact compression stress caused when two plates collided. It squeezes
rocks together that causes reverse/thrust fault. Compression causes rocks to fold or
fracture. Compression is the most common stress at convergent plate boundaries.

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• Tension Stress
Tension is the opposite of compression. While compression forces the rocks and crust
to collide and move together, tension forces the rocks to pull apart. Tension can happen
in two ways. Two separate plates can move farther away from each other, or the ends
of one plate can move in different directions. Some scientists think tension stress
caused the ancient, massive continent Pangaea to break off into the seven continents
we have today. It pulls the rocks apart that causes normal fault. Tension is the major
type of stress at divergent plate boundaries.

https://images.slideplayer.com/41/11189881/slides/slide_15.jpg

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 • Shear Stress
When shear stress occurs, the force of the stress pushes some of the crust in different
directions. When this happens, a large part of the crust can break off, which makes the
plate size smaller. Shear stress usually happens when two plates rub against each other
as they move in opposite directions. The friction of a shear stress at the edges of the
plate can cause earthquakes. It causes rocks to slide past each other resulting in strike-
slip fault. When forces act parallel to each other but in opposite direction. Shear stress
is the most common stress at transform plate boundaries.

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What Is Magma?
- Extremely hot liquid rock located under Earth’s surface. Much of the planet’s mantle
(asthenosphere) consists of magma. This magma can push through holes or cracks in the crust,
causing a volcanic eruption. When magma flows or erupts onto Earth’s surface, it is called lava.

- Like solid rock, magma is a mixture of minerals. It also contains small amounts of dissolved
gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur. The high temperature and pressure under
Earth’s crust keep magma in its fluid state.

How Are Magmas Formed?

- Magmas are formed in the asthenosphere. Three processes that must occur to form magma
from asthenosphere: increasing temperature, decreasing pressure, and water addition. Magma
can be produced in the environments: subduction zones, continental rift zones, mid-ocean ridges
and hotspots.

- Magmas are formed when rocks beneath the earths layer reaches high temperature enough to
melt them. Most rocks begin to melt at a temperature of 800 degree to 1600 degree Celsius.

- Magma forms in the deeper layers of the earth where temperatures are so hot that rocks melt.
This melted rock, or magma, is less dense than the rock surrounding it, allowing it to rise toward

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 the earth's surface. Some of this rising magma finds its way to the inside of volcanoes, yet you
do not see it until it comes out of the volcano as lava. In other words, magma is hot molten rock
in the middle of a volcano, and lava is hot molten rock leaving a volcano.

- This differentiation between magma and lava is important when we consider the two
classifications of igneous rock. This is because plutonic rocks are rocks formed when magma
cools and solidifies below the earth's surface, and volcanic rocks are rocks formed when lava
cools and solidifies on the earth's surface.

III. Volcanism

- Also known as extrusive volcanism/magmatism (volcanic activity). The eruption of volcano that
produces magma outside the surface of the earth and becomes lava and as this liquid material
cools down quickly, it will eventually produce extrusive igneous rocks such as obsidian and
pumice.

- Also spelled vulcanism, any of various processes and phenomena associated with the surficial
discharge of molten rock, pyroclastic fragments, or hot water and steam,
including volcanoes, geysers, and fumaroles. Although volcanism is best known on Earth, there
is evidence that it has been important in the development of the other terrestrial planets—
Mercury, Venus, and Mars—as well as some natural satellites such as
Earth’s Moon and Jupiter’s moon Io.

https://cdn.britannica.com/s:700x500/53/4953-050-0FB97A5C/subduction-zones-Stratovolcanoes-Earth-plate-margins-activity.jpg

- Volcanic activity and the Earth’s tectonic plates. Stratovolcanoes tend to form at subduction
zones, or convergent plate margins, where an oceanic plate slides beneath a continental plate
and contributes to the rise of magma to the surface. At rift zones, or divergent margins, upward
through the gap. Volcanoes are not generally found at strike-slip zones, where two plates slide

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 laterally past each other. “Hot spot” volcanoes may form where plumes of lava rise from deep
within the mantle to the Earth’s crust far from any plate margins. (Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.)

- Volcanic rocks are also known as 'extrusive igneous rocks.' We see from their definition that
volcanic rocks form on the surface, or 'exterior,' of the earth. If you remember that 'extrusive' and
'exterior' both start with the letters 'ext,' it may help you recall this term.

- Yet, the term 'extrusive' also helps us understand how volcanic rocks form because they form
from the 'extrusion,' or eruption of lava from a volcano. When lava meets the cooler temperatures
of the atmosphere, it cools rapidly and solid crystals form. However, because of the rapid cooling,
this crystallization happens too fast for the crystals to grow very big. In fact, the crystals of
volcanic rocks are so small that you can only see them with a microscope.

- This fast rate of cooling makes for one of the most notable differences between volcanic rocks
and plutonic rocks. As we will learn in a moment, plutonic rocks cool much slower and under
higher pressure because they are in the ground. Therefore, their crystals have the right
conditions to grow large.

- The volcanic rocks, in comparison, contain small crystals and may even develop a glassy
appearance or even cool so fast that they trap gas bubbles in the rock. This gives us very light,
porous volcanic rocks, such as pumice. You may be familiar with pumice stones and may have
even used one to smooth dry skin on the heels of your feet.

IV. Plutonism

- Intrusive volcanism is when magma is forced into the rocks that make up the Earth's crust. When
it cools down (slowly) and become solid while still underground, different features called plutons
or intrusive igneous rocks are formed such as granite & gabbro.
- Plutonic rocks are also known as 'intrusive igneous rocks.' You can recall this term by
remembering that both 'inside' and 'intrusive' begin with 'in.'

- You can also connect the word 'plutonic' with the word 'in' if you recall that plutonic rocks are
named for the Greek god Pluto, who was the god of the underworld located deep 'inside' the
earth.

- However, the word 'intrusive' can also apply to how plutonic rocks are formed. We remember
that magma has properties of a liquid, so it can squeeze into cracks and crevices, as if it is an
'intruder' who is invading the rocks. When magma pushes its way into rock crevices, it finds itself
under high pressure and slowly cools.

- Because magma is under high pressure and takes a long time to cool, it allows time for the
formation of large crystals. Therefore, plutonic rocks have coarse-grained crystals. A good
example is granite, which is a very hard plutonic rock. The countertops in your kitchen might be

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 made of granite, as this rock is often used in building. Another thing you might know about granite
is that it comes in many different colors, from pink to gray, and this is a characteristic of plutonic
rocks, meaning that they come in many different sizes and colors.

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC20DTB_mpakenis-granite-pluton?guid=786b658d-6414-4157-9128-a402c0c2d7b6

V. Metamorphism

- The process by which rocks are altered in composition, texture, or internal structure by extreme
heat, pressure, and the introduction of new chemical substances.

Types of Metamorphism
• Regional Metamorphism. Occurs when rocks are
buried deep in the crust. This is commonly
associated with convergent plate boundaries and
the formation of mountain ranges. Because burial
to 10 km to 20 km is required, the areas affected
tend to be large.

• Most regional metamorphism takes place within

continental crust. While rocks can be
metamorphosed at depth in most areas, the
potential for metamorphism is greatest in the roots
of mountain ranges where there is a strong
likelihood for burial of relatively young sedimentary
rock to great depths.

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 • Contact metamorphism. A type of
metamorphism where rock minerals and texture
are changed, mainly by heat, due to contact with
magma. This is an easy name to recall if you
remember that these rocks change by
encountering something very hot, like magma.
• The changes that occur are greatest wherever the
magma encounters the rock because the
temperatures are highest at this boundary and
decrease with distance from it. Around the igneous
rock that forms from the cooling magma is a
metamorphosed zone called a contact
metamorphism aureole.

Individual: MODEL OF THREE FAULTS

1. Using any recyclable materials that can be found at home, create a model of the different types
of stresses in Earth’s crust and its fault.
2. Make a brief description for each model.

Create a Venn diagram that shows the similarities and differences of exogenic and endogenic
processes.

Pair Activity: AN ILLUSTRATIVE REPORT ON VOLCANIC ROCKS

1. Watch a short video about the volcanic rocks and write a simple report about it.
2. Then get a partner and do a collaborative discussion about video you have watched.

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 3. Answer this question using an illustration and a short explanation: “Can the same volcano
produce volcanic rocks with different compositions? How?”

Endogenic Processes. (n.d.) The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition. (1970-1979). Retrieved
June 26 2020 from https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Endogenic+Processes
https://sciencing.com/types-stresses-earths-crust-22473.html
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sanjac-earthscience/chapter/stress-in-earths-
crust/#:~:text=The%20three%20main%20types%20of,brings%20about%20fractures%20and%20fault
s.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sanjac-earthscience/chapter/stress-in-earths-crust/#x-ck12-
RWFyU2NpLTA3MDEtMDI.
https://www.britannica.com/science/volcanism
https://study.com/academy/lesson/volcanic-vs-plutonic-igneous-rocks-definition-and-
differences.html#:~:text=Magma%20forms%20in%20the%20deeper,so%20hot%20that%20rocks%20
melt.&text=This%20is%20because%20plutonic%20rocks,solidifies%20on%20the%20earth's%20surf
ace.
https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC20DTB_mpakenis-granite-pluton?guid=786b658d-6414-
4157-9128-a402c0c2d7b6
http://www.geologyin.com/2014/03/contact-metamorphism.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=PdWYBAOqHrk)
file:///E:/EARTH%20&%20LIFE%20SCIENCE/WORD/Earth%20and%20Life%20Science.pdf

Prepared by: JIM CARL J. PRIMO

ROSALIE C. ANG ESPINA
CHARMAINE ALINDUGAN

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