Rock Cycle
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Solid aggregates of minerals that form Earth’s crust, classified by how they are formed.
rocks
A continuous process where rocks change between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic forms over millions of years.
rock cycle
How long does the rock cycle take?
can take millions to hundreds of millions of years
3 main rock types
• Igneous • Sedimentary • Metamorphic
how are igneous rocks formed
From cooling and solidification of magma or lava.
molten rock underground
magma
molten rock on surface
lava
2 types of igneous rocks
Extrusive – cools fast (small/no crystals) Intrusive – cools slowly (large crystals)
composition types of igneous rocks
Ultramafic, Mafic, Intermediate, Felsic
high silica, light-colored
felsic
high iron/magnesium, dark-colored
mafic
How are sedimentary rocks formed?
From accumulation and hardening of sediments.
What processes form sediments?
Weathering, erosion, deposition
Process of turning sediments into rock.
lithification
2 main steps of lithification
Compaction (squeezing) Cementation (gluing)
types of sedimentary rocks
Clastic (rock fragments) Organic/Bioclastic (living remains) Chemical (precipitation)
How are metamorphic rocks formed?protolith
From existing rocks changed by heat and pressure (without melting).
The original rock before transformation.
protolith
Solid-state change due to heat, pressure, and fluids.
metamorphism
Contact, Regional, Burial, Hydrothermal, Shock
types of metamorphism
Heat, pressure, chemically active fluids
drivers of metamorphism
textures of metamorphism rocks
Foliated (layered/banded) Non-foliated (massive)
What breaks rocks into sediments?
weathering
What transports sediments?
erosion