The rocks of the earth constitute the special field of study for the geologist because they contain the records of events through which the earth and its inhabitants have passed during the millions of years of time until their present conditions have been reached. All the rocks of the earth's crust may be divided into three great classes: _igneous_, _sedimentary_, and _metamorphic_.
_Igneous_ rocks comprise all those which have ever been in a molten condition, and of these we have the _volcanic_ rocks (for example, lavas), which have cooled at or near the surface; _plutonic_ rocks (for example, granites), which have cooled in great masses at considerable depths below the surface; and the _dike_ rocks which, when molten, have been forced into fissures in the earth's crust and there cooled.
_Sedimentary_ rocks comprise all those which have been deposited under water, except some wind-blown deposits, and they are nearly always arranged in layers (stratified). Such rocks are called strata. They may be of mechanical origin such as clay or mud which hardens to _shale_; sand, which consolidates into _sandstone_; and gravel, which when cemented becomes _conglomerate_. They may be of organic origin such as limestone, most of which is formed by the accumulation of calcareous shells; _flint_ and _chert_, which are accumulations of siliceous shells; or _coal_, which is formed by the accumulation of partly decayed organic matter. Or, finally, they may be formed by chemical precipitation, as beds of _salt_, _gypsum_, _bog iron ore_, etc.
_Metamorphic_ rocks include both sedimentary and igneous rocks which have been notably changed from their original condition. Traces or remains of plants and animals preserved in the rocks are known as fossils. The term originally meant anything dug out of the earth, whether organic or inorganic, but for many years it has been strictly applied to organic remains. Many thousands of species of fossils are known from rocks of all ages except the oldest, and more are constantly being brought to light, but these represent only a small part of the life of past ages because relatively few organic remains were deposited under conditions favorable for preservation in fossil form. The fossils in the rocks are, however, a fair average of the groups of organisms to which they belong. It is really remarkable that such a vast number of fossils are imbedded in the rocks, and from a study of these many fundamental conclusions regarding the history of life on our planet may be drawn.