What is the Rock Cycle?
Rocks are made of minerals each of which has a specific crystal structure as well as chemical composition. Rocks are made of pieces of other rocks and can be glassy or contain material made by living organisms. Different types of rocks form in the earth’s different environments or below the surface of the earth.
For example, igneous rocks form when molten rock from the mantle or from within the crust cools done and hardens slowly underground or hardens quickly it it erupts from a volcano. Rocks experience sufficient heat and pressure within the earth, without melting, transforming into metamorphic rocks.
Rocks that are exposed to mountain building or even modest forms of weathering and erosion and result in sediments can form sedimentary rocks and the formation as well as the transformation of various forms of rocks can take various paths through the rock cycle which depends on environmental conditions.
Rock Cycle
Rock cycle refers to the web of processes that outlines how the three main types of rocks- igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, form and break down based on various applications of processes of heat and pressure over due course of time. For example, sedimentary rock becomes slate when both heat and pressure are added to it. The more heat and pressure added, the process of rock metamorphoses is furthered until it changes to gneiss and the rock melts down completely and reforms as igneous rock.
Table of Content
- What is the Rock Cycle?
- Rock Cycle Diagram
- Rock Cycle Steps
- Factors Affecting Rock Cycle
- Rock Cycle- Transition and Formation
- Rock Cycle: Transition to Igneous Rock
- Rock Cycle: Transition to Metamorphic Rock
- Rock Cycle: Transition to Sedimentary Rock