A rock cycle starts off as magma. Then as the magma cools, crystals form, and eventually the magma solidify into igneous rocks. The process breaks down into sedimentary rocks. The processes change a pre-existing igneous or sedimentary rock into a new rock called metamorphic rocks, then it melts into magma and the process starts all over.
Weathering & Erosion. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks on the surface of the earth are constantly being broken down by wind and water. Wind carrying sand wears particles off rock like sandpaper. Rushing river water and crashing surf rub off all the rough edges of rocks, leaving smooth river rocks or pebbles behind. Water seeps into the cracks in mountain rocks, then freezes, causing the rocks to break open. The result of all this: large rocks are worn down to small particles. When the particles are broken off a rock and stay in the same area, it is called weathering. When the particles are carried somewhere else, it is called erosion.
Transportation. Eroded rock particles are carried away by wind or by rain, streams, rivers, and oceans.
Deposition. As rivers get deeper or flow into the ocean, their current slows down, and the rock particles (mixed with soil) sink and become a layer of sediment. Often the sediment builds up faster than it can be washed away, creating little islands and forcing the river to break up into many channels in a delta. The Mississippi delta in Louisiana deposits lots of sediment in the Gulf of Mexico!
Compaction & Cementation. As the layers of sediment stack up (above water or below), the weight and pressure compacts the bottom layers. (Try making a stack of catalogs and watch how the bottom one gets squished as you add more on top - this is the same idea as the compaction of layers of sediment.) Dissolved minerals fill in the small gaps between particles and then solidify, acting as cement. After years of compaction and cementation, the sediment turns into sedimentary rock.
Metamorphism. Over very long periods of time, sedimentary or igneous rocks end up buried deep underground, usually because of the movement of tectonic plates. While underground, these rocks are exposed to high heat and pressure, which changes them into metamorphic rock.This tends to happen where tectonic plates come together: the pressure of the plates squish the rock that is heated from hot magma below. (Tectonic plates are large sections of the earth's crust that move separately from each other. Their movement often results in earthquakes.)
Rock Melting. Can you imagine "rock hard" rocks melting? That's what they do in the depths of the earth! Metamorphic rocks underground melt to become magma. When a volcano erupts, magma flows out of it. (When magma is on the earth's surface, it is called lava.) As the lava cools it hardens and becomes igneous rock. As soon as new igneous rock is formed, the processes of weathering and erosion begin, starting the whole cycle over again!
as the plates become heavier with mountains and such, they sink slowly into th mantle where there is enormous pressure. as th mantle burns th underside of th plate, th plate becomes lighter; allowing th mantles great heat output 2lift th plate again
The rock cycle is a fundamental concept in geology that describes the dynamic transitions through geologic time among the three main rock types: sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. As the diagram to the right illustrates, each of the types of rocks are altered or destroyed when it is forced out of its equilibrium conditions. An igneous rock such as basalt may break down and dissolve when exposed to the atmosphere, or melt as it is subducted under a continent. Due to the driving forces of the rock cycle, plate tectonics and the water cycle, rocks do not remain in equilibrium and are forced to change as they encounter new environments. The rock cycle is an illustration that explains how the three rock types are related to each other, and how processes change from one type to another over time.
No they don't. Google it and you should find it. But it depends on the type of rock on how it is formed
No It goes 1 fish red fish 2 fish yellow fish.... Lol I dunno! That's doctor Suisse but I think I messed it up XD
One possible stage is that they undergo weathering by water.
What are the steps in the water cycle and what happens at each step
a rock cycle is known as a " rock cycle " because the wheel of a bicycle spins at a total 360 degrees and therefore never has an interfierence to when it comes to an end. SO the word cycle was given to a rock cycle because the prosedure never ends.
In Death Valley, stages of the rock cycle that are apparent are stages in which the rock is a rock. once it becomes sand, it is part of the sandusky cycle.
Weathering.
hey how do rock cycle form????pliz tell me k??
by steps
There are seven steps in the rock cycle.
Igneous
Orogenesis and Metamorphism.
heat and pressure change the sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock
yes i think so
Its called a cycle because it has to go through steps to form the rocks or minerals. Just like a water cycle is called a water cycle because it also has to go through different stages or steps. Another reason why is because it doesn't have an end, it just keeps going round and round. They all need each other to create the other.because it just keeps on going and it doesent have a beginning it can start with any rock igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. the rock cycle is for example an igneous can turn into a metamorphic and that rock can turn into sedimentary and then that rock turns into any of the 3 but itself of course.
the endpoint of a rock cycle is the metamorphic rock
No, the rock cycle does not have to start from the sedimentary rock
The rock cycle and water cycle both are natural.
It is called the Rock Cycle.
they are not the same b/c the steps of the rock cycle that happen above the eartths surface require other things(evaporation etc.) than below the earths surface(heat, pressure, etc)