rock cycle essay 300 words

• Science Notes Posts
• Contact Science Notes
• Todd Helmenstine Biography
• Anne Helmenstine Biography
• Free Printable Periodic Tables (PDF and PNG)
• Periodic Table Wallpapers
• Interactive Periodic Table
• Periodic Table Posters
• Science Experiments for Kids
• How to Grow Crystals
• Chemistry Projects
• Fire and Flames Projects
• Holiday Science
• Chemistry Problems With Answers
• Physics Problems
• Unit Conversion Example Problems
• Chemistry Worksheets
• Biology Worksheets
• Periodic Table Worksheets
• Physical Science Worksheets
• Science Lab Worksheets
• My Amazon Books

The Rock Cycle – Diagram and Explanation

The rock cycle is the natural, continuous process that forms, breaks down, and reforms rock through geological, chemical, and physical processes. Through the cycle, rocks convert between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary forms. It is a dynamic system that recycles Earth’s materials in different forms, from molten magma deep below the surface to solid rock formations and sediments. Understanding the rock cycle is not only crucial for geologists but also provides insight into Earth’s history, climate change, and the availability of natural resources.

Importance of the Rock Cycle

The rock cycle is an integral aspect of Earth sciences that sheds light on Earth’s age, history, and the forces that shape it. Understanding the rock cycle is key to discerning how rocks change forms, contributing to soil fertility, and providing resources like minerals and fossil fuels. It also has practical applications in industries like construction, where rock characteristics must be understood for structural integrity.

Types of Rocks

The three types of rocks are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks:

Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks form from the cooling and solidification of molten magma or lava. They have a crystalline structure.

• Intrusive Igneous Rocks : These rocks form when magma cools slowly beneath Earth’s crust , allowing for larger crystals to develop. Examples include granite, which is commonly used in countertops and is known for its coarse-grained structure.
• Extrusive Igneous Rocks : These rocks form when lava erupts from a volcano and cools quickly on Earth’s surface. This rapid cooling results in small or even microscopic crystals. Basalt is a common extrusive rock often found in oceanic crust.

Sedimentary Rocks

Sedimentary rocks form through the layering, compression, and cementation of mineral and organic matter. These rocks often have a layered appearance and are softer than most igneous and metamorphic rocks.

• Clastic Sedimentary Rocks : These rocks, such as sandstone and shale, form from the mechanical breakdown of other rocks and are classified by grain size and composition.
• Organic Sedimentary Rocks : Limestone and coal are examples of organic sedimentary rocks. Limestone typically comes from shells and skeletal fragments of marine organisms, while coal forms from the accumulation of plant debris.
• Chemical Sedimentary Rocks : Halite and gypsum are examples of rocks formed through evaporation or chemical reactions. Halite, or rock salt, forms when saltwater evaporates, while gypsum forms in various evaporative contexts including desert ponds and lake beds.

Metamorphic Rocks

Subjecting either igneous or sedimentary rocks to high heat and pressure alters their physical or chemical composition, forming metamorphic rocks .

• Foliated Metamorphic Rocks : These rocks, like slate and schist, have a layered or banded appearance from exposure to heat and directed pressure.
• Non-foliated Metamorphic Rocks : These rocks lack layers. Examples of non-foliated metamorphic rocks include marble and quartzite. Marble forms from the metamorphism of limestone, while quartzite forms from the metamorphism of quartz sandstone.

Steps of the Rock Cycle

Molten rock called magma is the source material for rocks. Igneous rocks form both under the surface and above it when magma becomes lava. Heat and pressure changes igneous and sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks. Erosion and weathering break igneous and sedimentary rocks up, which compact into sedimentary rocks. Sediments from organic sources also contribute to sedimentary rocks. Tectonic forces drive some rocks back below the surface, where they can change forms or melt and become magma once again.

Melting : Rocks beneath Earth’s crust melt due to high pressure and temperature, forming magma.

Cooling and Solidification : Magma cools and solidifies either beneath the Earth’s surface (intrusive) or upon reaching the surface as lava through volcanic activity (extrusive). Magma and lava form igneous rocks.

Mechanical and Chemical Weathering : Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks on Earth’s surface undergo mechanical disintegration and chemical decomposition.

Erosion : Natural forces like wind, water, and ice erode rocks. Temperature changes also play a role, making rocks expand and contract and sometimes break.

Deposition : Eroded materials from all rock types as well as organic sources settle in basins.

Compaction and Cementation : Layers of sediment are compacted and cemented together, forming sedimentary rocks.

Heat and Pressure : Existing rocks undergo changes in physical or chemical composition due to high heat and pressure, leading to the formation of metamorphic rocks.

Remelting : Metamorphic rocks may melt again, forming magma, and the cycle continues.

Forces Driving the Rock Cycle

Several forces driving the rock cycle, including internal forces within the Earth, surface actions, and even gravity:

Earth’s Internal Heat

• Radioactive Decay : The decay of radioactive isotopes like uranium provides heat, facilitating the melting of rocks.
• The Earth’s surface cools magma and lava, forming rocks. Seasonal changes and variations due to latitude cause temperature stresses in rocks and impact the rate at which weathering occurs.

Tectonic Forces

• Subduction Zones : Subduction zones occur where tectonic plates meet and one gets pushed beneath another, leading to high heat and pressure.
• Rift Zones : Plates moving apart form spreading rift zones that allow magma to rise, creating new crust.

Surface Processes

• Weathering Agents : Water, ice, and wind play roles in mechanical weathering.
• Chemical Agents : Acid rain and oxidization cause chemical weathering. Water dissolves soluble compounds.

Gravitational Forces

• Gravity : Aids in the settling of sedimentary particles during the deposition phase.
• Blatt, Harvey; Tracy, Robert J. (1996). Petrology; Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic (2nd ed.). W. H. Freeman. ISBN 0-7167-2438-3.
• Bucher, Kurt; Grapes, Rodney (2011). Petrogenesis of Metamorphic Rocks . Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-3-540-74169-5.
• Plummer, Charles; McGeary, David; Carlson, Diane (2005). Physical Geology . Mc Graw Hill. ISBN 0-07-293353-4.
• Vigneresse, Jean Louis; Barbey, Pierre; Cuney, Michel (1996). “Rheological Transitions During Partial Melting and Crystallization with Application to Felsic Magma Segregation and Transfer”. Journal of Petrology . 37 (6): 1579–1600. doi: 10.1093/petrology/37.6.1579
• Wyllie, Peter J. (August 1988). “Magma Genesis, Plate Tectonics, and Chemical Differentiation of the Earth”. Reviews of Geophysics . 26 (3): 370–404. doi: 10.1029/RG026i003p00370

Related Posts

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

The rock cycle.

The rock cycle is a series of processes that create and transform the types of rocks in Earth’s crust.

Chemistry, Earth Science, Geology

Loading ...

There are three main types of rocks: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Each of these rocks are formed by physical changes—such as melting , cooling , eroding, compacting , or deforming —that are part of the rock cycle . Sedimentary Rocks Sedimentary rocks are formed from pieces of other existing rock or organic material. There are three different types of sedimentary rocks: clastic , organic (biological), and chemical . Clastic sedimentary rocks, like sandstone, form from clasts, or pieces of other rock. Organic sedimentary rocks, like coal, form from hard, biological materials like plants, shells, and bones that are compressed into rock. The formation of clastic and organic rocks begins with the weathering , or breaking down, of the exposed rock into small fragments. Through the process of erosion , these fragments are removed from their source and transported by wind, water, ice, or biological activity to a new location. Once the sediment settles somewhere, and enough of it collects, the lowest layers become compacted so tightly that they form solid rock. Chemical sedimentary rocks, like limestone, halite, and flint, form from chemical precipitation. A chemical precipitate is a chemical compound—for instance, calcium carbonate, salt, and silica—that forms when the solution it is dissolved in, usually water, evaporates and leaves the compound behind. This occurs as water travels through Earth’s crust, weathering the rock and dissolving some of its minerals, transporting it elsewhere. These dissolved minerals are precipitated when the water evaporates. Metamorphic Rocks Metamorphic rocks are rocks that have been changed from their original form by immense heat or pressure. Metamorphic rocks have two classes: foliated and nonfoliated. When a rock with flat or elongated minerals is put under immense pressure, the minerals line up in layers, creating foliation . Foliation is the aligning of elongated or platy minerals, like hornblende or mica, perpendicular to the direction of pressure that is applied. An example of this transformation can be seen with granite, an igneous rock . Granite contains long and platy minerals that are not initially aligned, but when enough pressure is added, those minerals shift to all point in the same direction while getting squeezed into flat sheets. When granite undergoes this process, like at a tectonic plate boundary, it turns into gneiss (pronounced “nice”). Nonfoliated rocks are formed the same way, but they do not contain the minerals that tend to line up under pressure and thus do not have the layered appearance of foliated rocks. Sedimentary rocks like bituminous coal, limestone, and sandstone, given enough heat and pressure, can turn into nonfoliated metamorphic rocks like anthracite coal, marble, and quartzite. Nonfoliated rocks can also form by metamorphism, which happens when magma comes in contact with the surrounding rock. Igneous Rocks Igneous rocks (derived from the Latin word for fire) are formed when molten hot material cools and solidifies. Igneous rocks can also be made a couple of different ways. When they are formed inside of the earth, they are called intrusive, or plutonic, igneous rocks. If they are formed outside or on top of Earth’s crust, they are called extrusive, or volcanic, igneous rocks. Granite and diorite are examples of common intrusive rocks. They have a coarse texture with large mineral grains, indicating that they spent thousands or millions of years cooling down inside the earth, a time course that allowed large mineral crystals to grow. Alternatively, rocks like basalt and obsidian have very small grains and a relatively fine texture. This happens because when magma erupts into lava, it cools more quickly than it would if it stayed inside the earth, giving crystals less time to form. Obsidian cools into volcanic glass so quickly when ejected that the grains are impossible to see with the naked eye. Extrusive igneous rocks can also have a vesicular, or “holey” texture. This happens when the ejected magma still has gases inside of it so when it cools, the gas bubbles are trapped and end up giving the rock a bubbly texture. An example of this would be pumice.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Production Managers

Program specialists, last updated.

December 13, 2023

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service .

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources

Understanding Global Change

Discover why the climate and environment changes, your place in the Earth system, and paths to a resilient future.

The rock cycle describes the processes through which the three main rock types (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary) transform from one type into another. The formation, movement and transformation of rocks results from Earth’s internal heat , pressure from tectonic processes , and the effects of water , wind , gravity, and biological (including human) activities.  The texture, structure, and composition of a rock indicate the conditions under which it formed and tell us about the history of the Earth.

On this page:

What is the rock cycle, earth system model of the rock cycle, explore the earth system, links to learn more.

For the classroom:

• Teaching Resources

Global Change Infographic

The rock cycle is an essential part of How the Earth System Works.  Click the image on the left to open the Understanding Global Change Infographic . Locate the rock cycle icon and identify other Earth system processes and phenomena that cause changes to, or are affected by, the rock cycle.

Rocks can be: (1) made of minerals, each of which has a specific crystal structure and chemical composition; (2) made of pieces of other rocks; (3) glassy (like obsidian); or, (4) contain material made by living organisms (for example coal, which contains carbon from plants). Different types of rocks form in Earth’s different environments at or below the Earth’s surface. For example, igneous rocks form when molten rock from the mantle or within the crust (see plate tectonics ) cools and either hardens slowly underground (e.g., granite), or hardens quickly if it erupts from a volcano (e.g., basalt). Rocks that experience sufficient heat and pressure within the Earth, without melting, transform into metamorphic rocks.  Rock exposed by mountain building or even modest uplift weathers and erodes and the resulting sediments can form sedimentary rocks. The formation and transformation of the various rock types can take many paths through the rock cycle depending on environmental conditions, as shown in the diagram below.

A simplified diagram of the rock cycle highlighting some of the UGC concepts related to this process

Molten lava cooling to form igneous rocks forming in Hawai’i National Park (left) metamorphic rocks in Death Valley National Park (right). Source: NPS Igneous Rocks and NPS Metamorphic Rocks

The rock cycle is affected by various human activities and environmental phenomena, including:

Sedimentary rocks along the California coast. Source: Explore Sediments Story Map

• The Earth’s internal heat and pressure, which can cause rock to melt completely or transform it into a metamorphic rock.
• The uplift of land caused by tectonic processes , which exposes rock that was underground to weathering and erosion .
• The rate of weathering, which is affected by climatic conditions such as precipitation and temperature . The rate at which the chemical reactions of weathering break down minerals often increases in the presence of water and under warmer temperatures. Plant growth , especially roots can physically break up rocks and also change the environmental chemistry (for example, increase acidity), increasing the rate of chemical weathering. In turn, the kind of rock that is weathered determines soil quality , nutrient levels (especially nitrogen and phosphorus levels), and local biodiversity .
• Rates of erosion caused by water , wind , ice , or gravity, which are driven by the water cycle, atmospheric and ocean circulation patterns, and regional topography (the structure of the landscape).
• The size and depth of the bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, or the ocean, where sediment is deposited. Slower rates of water flow lead to the deposition of finer grained sediments and to slower rates of deposition.
• The extraction of rocks and fossil fuels , which in turn can destabilize soils , increase erosion , and decrease water quality by increasing sediment and pollutants in rivers and streams.
• Urbanization , which involves paving land with concrete, which can increase water runoff, increasing erosion and decreasing soil quality in the surrounding areas.
• Hydraulic fracking to remove oil and gas, which uses water, sand, and chemicals to create new or expand existing cracks in rocks that allow oil and gas to flow into drill holes for extraction .
• Human land and water use , including deforestation and agricultural activities .  Removing trees and other plants, plowing fields, and overgrazing by livestock destabilizes soils and can increase rates of erosion by 10 to 100 times.
• Damming rivers and extracting water from freshwater ecosystems for human use changes where and how much sedimentation occurs, which affects soil quality and causes changes in habitats .
• Plants and other organisms, such as those that build coral reefs, can trap sediment that otherwise might be deposited elsewhere.
• Extreme weather events , which can cause accelerated rates of erosion due to flooding or wave action.

The Earth system model below includes some of the processes and phenomena related to the rock cycle.  These processes operate at various rates and on different spatial and temporal scales. For example, urbanization and industrialization of many agricultural activities has occurred over the last 300 years, and especially over the last 70 years, while tectonic processes and mountain building occur over millions of years. Can you think of additional cause and effect relationships between the parts of the rock cycle and other processes in the Earth system?

Click the icons and bolded terms (e.g. plate tectonics , Earth’s internal heat, and erosion ) on this page to learn more about these process and phenomena. Alternatively, explore the Understanding Global Change Infographic and find new topics that are of interest and/or locally relevant to you.

• National Park Service: Rocks and Minerals
• National Park Service: Igneous Rocks
• National Park Service: Sedimentary Rocks
• National Park Service: Metamorphic Rocks

• Why Does Water Expand When It Freezes
• Gold Foil Experiment
• Faraday Cage
• Oil Drop Experiment
• Magnetic Monopole
• Why Do Fireflies Light Up
• Types of Blood Cells With Their Structure, and Functions
• The Main Parts of a Plant With Their Functions
• Parts of a Flower With Their Structure and Functions
• Parts of a Leaf With Their Structure and Functions
• Why Does Ice Float on Water
• Why Does Oil Float on Water
• How Do Clouds Form
• What Causes Lightning
• How are Diamonds Made
• Types of Meteorites
• Types of Volcanoes
• Types of Rocks

What is the Rock Cycle

The rock cycle is the process that describes the gradual transformation between the three main types of rocks : sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. It is occurring continuously in nature through geologic time.

What Causes the Rock Cycle

It occurs due to:

• Plate tectonic activity
• Erosional processes

Steps of the Rock Cycle: How does it Work

1) Formation of Igneous Rock – Melting, Cooling, and Crystallization

Magma, the molten rock present deep inside the earth, solidifies due to cooling and crystallizes to form a type of rock called igneous rocks . Cooling of igneous rocks can occur slowly beneath the surface of the earth or rapidly at its surface.

2) Formation of Sedimentary Rock – Weathering, Erosion, Sedimentation, and Compaction

Due to weathering and erosional activities, the igneous rocks are broken down to form sediments in the form of gravel, sand, silt, and clay, which gets mixed and pressed together for extended periods to form sedimentary rocks .

3) Formation of Metamorphic Rocks – Metamorphism

Over a very long period of time, sedimentary and igneous rocks end up being buried deep underground the soil, usually because of the movement of tectonic plates. Deep below the surface, these rocks are exposed to high heat and pressure, which change them into a different type of rock called metamorphic rock.

4) Weathering

Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks present on the surface of the earth are constantly being broken down by wind and water over a long time.

5) Transportation

Carrying away of broken rocks by rain, streams, rivers, and oceans to a distant place from their origin.

6) Deposition

During the carriage of rocks by rivers, the rock particles (mixed with soil) sink and become a layer of sediment. Often the sediments build up and form small accumulations, which over time and pressure turn into sedimentary rock.

Melting of underground metamorphic rock forms magma, which on crystallization forms igneous rock, thus continuing the cycle.

Why is the Rock Cycle Important

• Helping in the formation of soil thus sustaining every life forms on earth
• Forming life-sustaining minerals such as sodium, iron, potassium, and calcium into the biosphere
• Forming the energy reserves of the earth like fossil fuels and radioactive sources
• Providing the building materials used to build structures such as iron, limestone, marble, granite, and basalt
• Providing raw materials for currency, investments, and adornments such as gold, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds

Ans. The two main forces that provide energy for the earth’s rock cycle are the sun and the internal heat of the earth. While the sun provides energy for weathering, erosion, and transportation, the earth’s internal heat helps in the processes like subduction, melting, and metamorphism.

Ans. The concept of the rock cycle was first suggested by James Hutton, the 18th-century founder of modern geology.

Ans. Since the rock cycle is a continuous process, the cycle does not stop after the formation of quartzite. Eventually, the quartzite rock could change into a sedimentary or an igneous rock to continue the cycle.

Ans. Compaction is the process in which sediment is squeezed to reduce the pore space between the grains due to the weight and pressure of overlying layers. Cementation is the process in which sediments are glued together by minerals that are deposited by water. Both compaction and cementation help in the formation of sedimentary rocks.

Article was last reviewed on Monday, November 2, 2020

Related articles

8 responses to “Rock Cycle”

its a good website and also helped me to complete my assignment really like this website.

Thanks for the webpage. I am 8th grade Earth Science Teacher in Arizona. This is very helpful for me and for my students.

this is nice :0

Very helpful.

Good explanatory notes

this helps so much

i loved reading this

nice and understandable

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Popular Articles

Join our Newsletter

Fill your E-mail Address

Related Worksheets

• Privacy Policy

© 2024 ( Science Facts ). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Chapter 3 Intrusive Igneous Rocks

3.1 The Rock Cycle

The rock components of the crust are slowly but constantly being changed from one form to another and the processes involved are summarized in the rock cycle (Figure 3.2). The rock cycle is driven by two forces: (1) Earth’s internal heat engine, which moves material around in the core and the mantle and leads to slow but significant changes within the crust, and (2) the hydrological cycle, which is the movement of water, ice, and air at the surface, and is powered by the sun.

The rock cycle is still active on Earth because our core is hot enough to keep the mantle moving, our atmosphere is relatively thick, and we have liquid water. On some other planets or their satellites, such as the Moon, the rock cycle is virtually dead because the core is no longer hot enough to drive mantle convection and there is no atmosphere or liquid water.

In describing the rock cycle, we can start anywhere we like, although it’s convenient to start with magma. As we’ll see in more detail below, magma is rock that is hot to the point of being entirely molten. This happens at between about 800° and 1300°C, depending on the composition and the pressure, onto the surface and cool quickly (within seconds to years) — forming extrusive igneous rock (Figure 3.3).

Magma can either cool slowly within the crust (over centuries to millions of years) — forming intrusive igneous rock, or erupt onto the surface and cool quickly (within seconds to years) — forming extrusive igneous rock. Intrusive igneous rock typically crystallizes at depths of hundreds of metres to tens of kilometres below the surface. To change its position in the rock cycle, intrusive igneous rock has to be uplifted and exposed by the erosion of the overlying rocks.

Through the various plate-tectonics-related processes of mountain building, all types of rocks are uplifted and exposed at the surface. Once exposed, they are weathered, both physically (by mechanical breaking of the rock) and chemically (by weathering of the minerals), and the weathering products — mostly small rock and mineral fragments — are eroded, transported, and then deposited as sediments . Transportation and deposition occur through the action of glaciers, streams, waves, wind, and other agents, and sediments are deposited in rivers, lakes, deserts, and the ocean.

Exercise 3.1 Rock around the Rock-Cycle clock

Referring to the rock cycle (Figure 3.2), list the steps that are necessary to cycle some geological material starting with a sedimentary rock, which then gets converted into a metamorphic rock, and eventually a new sedimentary rock.

A conservative estimate is that each of these steps would take approximately 20 million years (some may be less, others would be more, and some could be much more). How long might it take for this entire process to be completed?

Unless they are re-eroded and moved along, sediments will eventually be buried by more sediments. At depths of hundreds of metres or more, they become compressed and cemented into sedimentary rock . Again through various means, largely resulting from plate-tectonic forces, different kinds of rocks are either uplifted, to be re-eroded, or buried deeper within the crust where they are heated up, squeezed, and changed into metamorphic rock .

Physical Geology Copyright © 2015 by Steven Earle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Making & Breaking: The Rock Cycle

Lesson Making & Breaking: The Rock Cycle

Grade Level: 7 (6-8)

Time Required: 15 minutes

Lesson Dependency: Rock Cycle unit lesson 1

Subject Areas: Earth and Space

• Print lesson and its associated curriculum

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

• Soapy Stress
• Rocks, Rocks, Rocks: Test, Identify Properties & Classify
• Rock Jeopardy!
• Fossil Fondue
• Tunnel Through!
• Soil Core Sampling

TE Newsletter

Engineering connection, learning objectives, worksheets and attachments, more curriculum like this, pre-req knowledge, introduction/motivation, associated activities, lesson closure, vocabulary/definitions, user comments & tips.

Geotechnical engineers belong to a branch of civil engineering; these engineers study the rocks and minerals in the earth's crust. They understand the rock cycle and the effects that a change in environment, including heat and pressure, might have on different rocks and soils. They use their knowledge to create technologies to help predict natural hazards, such as landslides and earthquakes, as well as assess the impacts and risks to humans associated with the development of housing and industrial areas.

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Draw a complete, labeled diagram of the rock cycle.
• Explain why engineers must know about rocks when developing land or designing new structures.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science.

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

State Standards

Colorado - science.

Students should be familiar with the different types of stress and weather related to rocks, as presented in the Rock Cycle unit, lesson 1: Rock Solid.

Today we are going to learn more about something that you walk over every day—rocks! To get started, can anyone tell my why engineers need to know about rocks? Engineers must know about rocks, how they are formed, and how strong they are so that they can design safe buildings, tunnels and bridges for us. Engineers also use their knowledge of rocks to help determine and prevent natural disasters to humans from rock falls, landslides and earthquakes. These natural hazards can all be caused by breaking rocks.

Weathering, erosion, cooling, melting, pressure, compaction, cementation, and heat are all factors that affect the breakdown and formation of rocks. Even though rocks seem so strong to us, they can be forced to change when their environmental conditions change. The three main types of rock can all change—igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock. All three types can be melted into magma under the earth's surface, which then hardens into igneous rock. Extreme heat or pressure can change rocks into metamorphic rocks. Rocks that are exposed to the atmosphere can undergo weathering and erosion to break into smaller pieces (sediment) that can be affected by pressure or cementation to form sedimentary rocks.

The rock cycle is a very slow cycle. Rocks might take a thousand years to change into another type of rock. In the rock cycle, rocks are continuously (although slowly) being changed from one form to another. The rock cycle proceeds in no particular order. For example, igneous rock can change into metamorphic or sedimentary rock over time, and metamorphic rock can become sedimentary or igneous.

Engineers use the rock cycle to help them understand the geology of region. Geotechnical engineers understand the rock cycle, what causes the rocks to break, and how a rock reacts when exposed to different environmental factors. These engineers are the people to contact when you want to develop a new area of houses or stores on land that has never been built upon before. These engineers are able to identify different types of rocks and soils in an area, and determine if the rocks may break if exposed to new forces, such as the pressure from vehicle traffic, structures and people. These engineers also study how changes to the area might cause unwanted side effects and risks to humans and property, such as landslides, unstable ground, and rock falls. In this way, they keep us safe by predicting and preventing natural hazards. Engineers must consider the environmental effects of their interactions with the earth and rocks, and how the addition of a structure or removal of some rocks might impact the stability of the area, increasing the risk of natural disasters and causing damage to structures over time. Following the lesson, students can play the fun game of Rock Jeopardy! through the associated activity to reinforce their understanding of rocks, the rock cycle and geotechnical engineering. 

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

The rock cycle explains the series of changes that rocks go though as they slowly are altered from one form into another. Key concepts for students to understand are that the rock cycle is a slow and continuous process, occurring over thousands of years, and that rocks change from one form to another under heat, weathering, erosion, melting, cooling, pressure, compaction and cementation.

The rock cycle is a continuous series of steps. For example: when igneous rock undergoes weathering and erosion it becomes sediment. Then, when that sediment undergoes compaction and cementation it becomes sedimentary rock. If that sedimentary rock becomes pressed together by heat and pressure, it can turn into metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rock, when it undergoes melting, becomes magma. That magma, when it cools, can become igneous rock—and the cycle continues!

In addition to going around the circle, changes in rocks can also occur across the circle—igneous rock can become metamorphic rock under heat and pressure, and metamorphic rock can become sediment under weathering and erosion.

While these concepts are fairly straightforward, it is worth taking the time to make sure that students can both draw the diagram of the rock cycle and explain the different steps. Additionally, you may need to review with the students the different processes that occur in the cycle: heat, pressure, melting, cooling, weathering, erosion, compaction and cementation. Refer to the Vocabulary/Definitions section and lesson 1 of this unit for explanations of several of these terms.

• Rock Jeopardy! - Students create their own jeopardy trivia game questios/answers and then compete against each other, all the while reinforcing their understanding of rocks, the rock cycle and geotechnical engineering.

What have we learned today? What factors can affect rocks? What factors cause the breakdown and formation of rocks? (Collect answers from students: Weathering, erosion, cooling, melting, pressure and heat.) So basically, rocks can be forced to change when their environmental conditions change, and these changes can be described using the rock cycle. What is the order of the rock cycle? (Answer: The rock cycle goes in no particular order.) Explain to me how it works. (Answer: Rocks and minerals can go around the rock cycle in a circle, and changes to rocks can also occur across the circle. For example, igneous rock can become metamorphic rock under heat and pressure, and metamorphic rock can become sediment under weathering and erosion.)

Engineers use the relationships described in the rock cycle to help them understand the geology of an area of land. What do they want to find out? (Answer: Geotechnical engineers study the rock cycle, what causes rocks to break, and what reaction might occur when a rock is exposed to different environmental conditions, including heat and pressure.) Engineers use their knowledge of rocks and the rock cycle to create technologies to help predict and avoid causing natural hazards, such as ____________ and _______________ (Answers: landslides and earthquakes). They also evaluate the impacts and risks to humans and the environment that might be caused by our development of housing and industrial areas.

cementation: The act or process of cementing. Another part of how sedimentary rocks are formed is by sediment being glued together by natural glues such as calcite and silica. Compaction and cementation work together to create sedimentary rocks from sediment.

compaction: The act of pressing something together. Part of the way sedimentary rocks are formed is by sediment being compacted together.

erosion: The process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc.

magma: Molten rock inside of the earth.

sediment: Material deposited by wind, water or glaciers.

weathering: In geology, the various mechanical and chemical processes that cause exposed rock to decompose.

Pre-Lesson Assessment

Warm up Question : Write the following question on the classroom board and have each student take a moment to write down their own answer. Walk around, looking at what students wrote, marking their answers if correct, and gauging the class' understanding of the subject. Consider making the "correct" mark by using a rubber stamp and a colorful ink pad.

• Why do engineers need to know about rocks? (Possible answer: Because engineers must design strong foundations, structures, bridges and tunnels to keep us safe.)

Post-Introduction Assessment

Drawing : Ask students to draw the complete rock cycle, starting with blank paper. Remind them to include all the steps, and label all the arrows between the different parts of the cycle. Hint : Note the five main "stops" along the cycle, and nine arrows (as shown in the Rock Cycle Handout-Overhead ). Next, review the entire diagram as a class to make sure that everyone has all the parts drawn in and correctly labeled. Help students fill in any missing parts of their rock cycle diagrams and review the entire cycle with the class.

Class Voting: Ask a true/false question and have students vote by holding thumbs up for true and thumbs down for false. Tally the votes and write the total on the board. Give the right answer.

• True or False: Geotechnical engineers study the rock cycle. (Answer: True)
• True or False: The rock cycle can help engineers predict natural hazards. (Answer: True)
• True or False: All engineers use the rock cycle in their work. (Answer: False. Many engineers use the rock cycle, especially civil and geotechnical engineers. However, many other types of engineers do not use the rock cycle in their work.)
• True or False: Engineers use the properties of rocks to determine the best place to build a structure. (Answer: True)
• True or False: Geotechnical engineers determine the risks to humans, property and the environment from natural hazards. (Answer: True)

Lesson Summary Assessment

Where to Build It? Engage students in a discussion about how engineers use their understanding of the properties of rocks and the rock cycle when designing a structure, such as a house, a dam, or even a wind turbine. Have students look at the Rock Cycle Handout-Overhead . At what place on the rock cycle would provide the best conditions to build a structure? On sedimentary rock in an area that gets lot of rain? All rocks can change over time. As an engineer, what factors should you consider when choosing the best place to build a house? (Possible answers: Weather conditions, range of temperatures, types of rocks, etc.)

Lesson Extension Activities

Rock Cycle Race : As a timed race, ask two students at a time to volunteer to draw the rock cycle (appropriately labeled) on the board. The first student to correctly draw the entire cycle wins.

Research Project : Have students identify an engineering design (such as a specific bridge, tunnel or building) and research the particular issues its engineers would have needed to know about the rocks underlying the structure. Have students write a one-page report describing the structure, the rock formations under it, and the associated risks to the environment from the development of the structure (if any).

Students are introduced to three types of material stress related to rocks: compressional, torsional and shear. They learn about rock types (sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic), and about the occurrence of stresses and weathering in nature, including physical, chemical and biological weathering.

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the basic elements of our Earth's crust: rocks, soils and minerals. They learn how we categorize rocks, soils and minerals and how they are literally the foundation for our civilization.

Students are introduced to the concept of energy cycles by learning about the carbon cycle. They learn how carbon atoms travel through the geological (ancient) carbon cycle and the biological/physical carbon cycle.

Students learn about landslides, discovering that there are different types of landslides that occur at different speeds — from very slow to very quick. All landslides are the result of gravity, friction and the materials involved. Students learn what makes landslides dangerous and what engineers ar...

Barker, Rachel M. Collecting Rocks: Rocks Tell the Story of the Earth . Last modified June 24, 21997. U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed August 6, 2008.http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/collect1/collectgip.html

Colorado Geology . Colorado Geological Survey. Accessed August 6, 2008. http://geosurvey.state.co.us/Pages/CGSHome.aspx

Dictionary.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Accessed August 6, 2008. (Source of some vocabulary definitions, with some adaptation)http://www.dictionary.com

Earthquake Hazards Program, Southern California, Pasadena, CA Field Office. Last Modified: July 30, 2008. National Earthquake Hazards Program. Accessed August 6, 2008. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/sca/

Merriam-Webster Online. 2005-2006. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Accessed July 23, 2007. (Source of some vocabulary definitions, with some adaptation)http://www.m-w.com

The Rock Cycle Web Site: Cementation and Compaction . Last updated December 4, 2000. The Rock Cycle Web Site. Accessed August 6, 2008. http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/c/l/cll161/insys%20441/cementation.htm

The Rock Cycle Web Site for Teachers: The Toughest Sandcastle . Last updated December 4, 2000. The Rock Cycle Web Site. Accessed August 6, 2008. http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/c/l/cll161/insys%20441/sedimentation_act2.htm

Contributors

Supporting program.

Last modified: October 9, 2022

Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Natural Environment — Different Types of Rocks

Different Types of Rocks

• Categories: Natural Environment

About this sample

Words: 549 |

Published: Dec 18, 2018

Words: 549 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited

• Blatt, H., Tracy, R. J., & Owens, B. E. (2006). Petrology: Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic (3rd ed.). W. H. Freeman and Company.
• Marshak, S. (2018). Earth: Portrait of a planet (6th ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.
• Skinner, B. J., Porter, S. C., & Botkin, D. B. (2011). The blue planet: An introduction to earth system science (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
• Winter, J. D. (2010). Principles of igneous and metamorphic petrology (2nd ed.). Pearson Education.
• Prothero, D. R., & Schwab, F. (2004). Sedimentary geology: An introduction to sedimentary rocks and stratigraphy (2nd ed.). W. H. Freeman and Company.
• Boggs, S. (2018). Principles of sedimentology and stratigraphy (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
• Tucker, M. E. (2010). Sedimentary petrology: An introduction to the origin of sedimentary rocks. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Prothero, D. R., & Dott, R. H. (2004). Evolution of the earth (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• Yardley, B. W. (2018). An introduction to metamorphic petrology. Cambridge University Press.
• Blatt, H., Middleton, G., & Murray, R. (1980). Origin of sedimentary rocks (2nd ed.). Prentice Hall.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Environment

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 772 words

1 pages / 469 words

1 pages / 608 words

11 pages / 5036 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Natural Environment

Delgado, J. P. (2008). Khubilai Khan's Lost Fleet: In Search of a Legendary Armada. HarperCollins.Seymour, G. (1995). Divided Loyalties: Fort St. George During the American Revolution. Rutgers University Press.Belloc, H. (1926). [...]

Personality, the unique combination of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that make each individual distinct, is a complex interplay between genetics and environment. While genetics provide the foundation, the environment plays a [...]

Forbes.com. 'A Long-term Study Conducted by Max Planck Institute for Human Development.' Forbes, 18 June 2021, [...]

The Valparaiso Moraine is a geological feature located in the Midwestern United States, specifically in the states of Indiana and Illinois. It is a significant landform that has played a crucial role in shaping the landscape of [...]

Forestry was commonly a misunderstood topic in which it was thought to be the study of trees alone, yet in actuality is much more. Forestry, in short, is known to be the science and understanding of managing forest trees and [...]

Eutrophication is when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients. All living things need specific nutrients to live. Because too many or too few can cause problems, nature does a good job of providing the right amount [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Final Formula Series

Iron Souls Series

Death’s legacy series.

• The Night Traveler Series

The Rock Cycle – A Story

Posted by Becca on Jan 31, 2014 in Fun Stuff | 32 comments

I mentioned on Twitter a few weeks ago that my son had written a story for his sixth grade science class.  The assignment was to write a narrative and do character sketches to illustrate the rock cycle.  You know, when an igneous rock becomes a sedimentary rock, etc.  Some readers expressed an interest in seeing his story, so here it is.

This tale is my son’s, but I might have helped with sentence structure and punctuation. 😉  Also, if you enjoyed the story, please leave a comment.  He’ll be thrilled.

(The picture of “Maggie” was done by my daughter.  Both kids really got into this assignment.  We had a blast!)

The Rock Cycle

“I’m bored,” Iggy complained to Grandpa Granite one day. Grandpa Grant was president of the Intrusive Igneous Rock Club. He’d been around so long that he now lived on the surface instead of where he was born inside the mountain.

“You need to go on a rock cycle,” Grandpa Grant said.

“What’s a rock cycle?” Iggy asked.

“It’s like a tour of the rock world. You see how the other rocks live.”

“Sound like fun!”

“Start at Cousin Bobby Sandstone’s. He runs the Country Brothers’ Sedimentary Rock Spa.”

“It’s all about spa treatment, little bro. Erosion, deposition, compaction and cementation.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“Not at all, little bro.”

So Iggy hung out at the spa for tens of thousands of years. His hard edges wore away and he relaxed in the riverbed, his minerals settling into layers. It was relaxing, but nothing ever happened.

“I’m bored,” Iggy complained.

“Have you tried the glacier rub?” Cousin Bobby asked. “It’s a great way to chill, little bro.”

“I’m tired of just laying around. I want change.”

“Change?” a new voice asked.

Iggy turned around and saw a dark gray rock in a military uniform standing at attention.

“Commander Slate,” the dark gray rock said. He ignored Cousin Bobby and looked at Iggy. “If you want change, come to the Metamorphic Rock Camp. We’ll change you.”

“How?” Iggy asked.

“It’s intense. The pressure, the heat. But so worth it.” Commander Slate saluted him. His minerals were packed tight.

That’s what I want, Iggy thought. He enrolled in Metamorphic Rock Boot Camp and for the next tens of thousands of years, he transformed his image. He went through a metamorphosis. Commander Slate led the non-foliated platoon, and Iggy worked his way into the foliated platoon.

“You could be more,” Commander Slate said to Iggy one day. “Push yourself, apply more pressure, and—”

“No. I’m tired of all the pressure. I’ve had all the heat I can take. It’s too intense,” Iggy said.

“What are you girls doing?” Iggy asked.

“Going with the flow,” Lav said.

“Want to join us?” Maggie called from below.

“It’ll melt all that tension,” Lav said.

“My minerals are pretty tight,” Iggy said.

So he jumped in the lava flow and for the next thousand years, he flowed everywhere. Over land with Lav and beneath the ground with Maggie. He travelled a lot, but it made him unhappy to have no place to call home.

“Iggy! Where have you been?” Grandpa Grant sat in his usual place on the side of the mountain, his course-grained surface glittering in the sun. “The Igneous Rock Club hasn’t been the same without you.”

“I do miss the mountain and my friends.”

“Then join us.”

So Iggy flowed back into his old place at Grandpa Grant’s side. He sat there until he cooled into the smooth-grained, black stone once more.

“I’ve missed this,” Iggy said. He settled in beside Grandpa Grant and watched the world change around them.

32 comments

Clever and cute! You have a budding author on your hands.

That’s a great little story! I loved the pictures, and how educational AND fun the story was! I loved the personalities that were given to the different rock/mineral types! Very charming!

This is a fun little story. I really like the picture your daughter drew.

Cool– the story really rocks! I’m glad that Iggy got to have his adventures, but that he then returned home. He wasn’t the sort of personality to hang around stoned at the Sedimentary Spa, and while he did well when he volunteered for the military, getting sent to A-rock was too much pressure. And admittedly, the girls he met when he got out, Lav and Maggie, were really hot, but he knew they weren’t very stable. And so he went back to the Extrusive Igneous Rock Club, where at least he knew no one would take him for granite!

Seriously, though… a remarkably good story for a a Middle Schooler. With some lengthening and editing (and more of his sister’s witty rock pictures) this could easily be published as a children’s picture book. Good work by both the author and the illustrator!

Awesome summary, lol! And thank you. I wish there were more homework assignments like this one. It was a lot more fun than solving for X. 😉

Awesome story! I really enjoyed it. It is a shame it ended. I wished T could write more stories. I liked “FLAT CAT” too. That was another great story he wrote. It was accepted in a children’s short story anthology. He is turning out to be a terrific writer just like his mother and great-grandfather, John.

i like it its good i like the guy that says little bro

wow amazing love this story its amazin mind blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

my teacher read me this story in s ience classs

What a great story, Iggy really did’t look happy in that first picture but it sounds like everything worked out for him in the end 🙂

I loved the story, AND the illustration. I think my favorite “rock” person is Commander Slate! Grandpa Grant is right up there too. They are all so good! You are such an amazing writer! Must run in the family. It would be such a gift to the kids your age learning Geology to read your books. You explain so clearly and in such a COOL way about the different types of rocks. Congratulations on an Amazing story!

Thanks! He had a lot of fun with this assignment and it shows. 🙂

That was a very cute story. The illustrations were very good, also.

Hey do u mind if I copy some parts of this story I wont plagiarize I just want to use some of its words because I got this 100 points project and I need some of these words do u mind?

Yes, you may use this story as inspiration for your own work. Good luck on your project!

Thank you very much tell your son he did a great job

Thanks! I will. 🙂

Aww so cute

WOW great story he did great i have a project like this i hope i can make mine as good as his.

I teach 6th grade science and am planning for my students to work on a creative writing story about the rock cycle. Your son did an outstanding job on this story. I would love to share this story with my kids.

Thanks! You’re welcome to share it with your class. 🙂

My class and I really enjoyed this story. We are going to write our own. The pictures are really cute. This is fun, but still educational. I’m glad that you shared this piece with us; you helped us with some ideas for our own writing. We liked how you used very descriptive words, like intense, and how you included intrusive and foliated. Great work! P.S. My students want to know what grade you were in when you wrote this.

Thanks for the comment! Yes, this was a great assignment and educational. I still remember the rock cycle because of it, lol. My son was in the sixth grade when he wrote this–which was two years ago. As I mentioned above, the story was his, but I helped with the sentence structure and punctuation. It was part of the assignment to use a list of rock related vocabulary words like intrusive and foliated. So, we worked those in where they made sense. Best of luck to your class with their stories. 🙂

Brilliant- so talented! I would love to use this as a stimulus for our Primary 5 class assembly- do you think he would mind? Such an accessible way for younger ones to understand. Thank you for sharing 🙂

Thanks! Yes, you are welcome to use it.

We will be having an employee appreciation day. one of the activities is to write a nice message on a rock which will be passed around in a circle. We want to find a fun rock story and each time the word “rock” is mentioned the rock will be passed around. at the end of the story, the rock that each person ends up with, they will keep. I would like to use your son’s rock story for this purpose. I thought is was a cute creative story and it made me laugh. I will give him credit when we read his story. this story is awesome!

That sounds like fun and yes, you’re welcome to use my son’s rock cycle story. Thanks for asking! 🙂

I love the creative writing! Very clever.

You have found the website of fantasy author Becca Andre. Click the books tab to learn more about my books or read an excerpt.

Subscribe to my newsletter here .

Find me on  Facebook or  Twitter . Or join my FaceBook Reader Group for snippets, daily games, and fun. Thanks for stopping by!

New Release

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  | Smashwords  |  Apple

The Final Formula Series

• Random Ramblings

An Essay on Rocks

     The rock cycle is the process in which rocks are made. Some parts of the chain may take as long as a few years. The first part of the cycle is erosion, which happens when weather chips bits and pieces off of a giant boulder.  Transportation is the second part of the cycle; rivers and streams transport the rock to deltas and such. The third part of the cycle is deposition. This is where rocks are deposited as the river looses power. When the rocks are buried this is the fourth portion of the cycle. As more and more rocks pile on top of it, as it goes deeper into the earth that leads us to the fifth part of the cycle. When the rock is very deep in the earth it begins to deform, either it melts or the rock is under so much pressure that it crumbles.  After that, the rock solidifies through the sixth part of the cycle. The last part of the cycle is the rock begins to uplift, either slowly or quickly by a volcano or an earthquake.

            There are three main types of rocks that come from the rock cycle. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Igneous rock forms after rock has been melted.  There are two types of igneous rock, Plutonic (intrusive) and volcanic (extrusive). Plutonic rock cools slowly under ground and has big crystals.  Volcanic rock cools quickly and has small crystals. An example of igneous rock is granite.

          Sedimentary rock is formed in the fourth part of the rock cycle. It is made from mostly silt. An example of sedimentary rock is Shale. Sandstone is also sedimentary rock; sandstone can come in many different colors.

         Metamorphic rock is made in the sixth part of the cycle. There are two types of metamorphic rock, foliated and non-foliated. Foliated has a texture while non-foliated doesn’t. I hope that you have learned a lot about rocks. Isn’t God wonderful to make all of these types of rock?

Share this:

Leave a comment cancel reply.

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

• study guides
• lesson plans
• homework help

Rock cycle Essay | Essay

Stony and the Rock Cycle

(read more)

FOLLOW BOOKRAGS:

Toll-Free Numbers

• Forgot password?
• To register place your 1st order

Custom «The Rock Cycle» Essay Paper

• Free essays
• Informative
• Custom «The Rock Cycle» Essay Paper essay

Free of charge

• FREE revision (within 2 days)
• FREE bibliography
• FREE outline (on request)
• FREE e-mail delivery
• FREE formatting

Save an additional

300 words/page instead of 275 words/page

Our Benefits

• 12 pt. Times New Roman
• Double-spaced/Single-spaced papers
• 300 words/page
• 1 inch margins
• Any citation style
• Up-to-date sources only
• Fully referenced papers
• 100% Confidentiality
• Unique customer system
• 24/7/365 customer support

Use your writer's ID for your subsequent assignment

You can rest assured that you will be provided with authentic and engaging papers deserving top grades!

Table of Contents

• Buy The Rock Cycle essay paper online

Related Free Informative Essays

Ideally, rock cycle is a continuous phase of changes. For instance, igneous rock may change into metamorphic rock or into sedimentary rock. On the other hand, sedimentary rock can change either into metamorphic rock or into igneous rock, whereas metamorphic rock may change into sedimentary or igneous rock. In essence, igneous rock is formed when magma cools and forms crystals.

According to Allen (2010), rocks undergo several cycles in order to yield the different types of rocks. The raw materials of rocks are magma from volcanic activity and organic material. The accumulations of these raw materials over a certain period yield the different types of rocks.

Magma from the centre of the earth plays a major role in the formation of rocks. Sedimentary rocks can however be formed through accumulated organic material. Magma is known to have come from light weighted rocks that slipped into the part of the earth known as the mantle (Morgan, 2010). Plate tectonics is known to have played a major role in this displacement.

Preparing Orders

Active Writers

Positive Feedback

Support Agents

• Total price

The whole process begins from the eruption of magma. Basically, igneous rocks are formed from magma that has cooled over time. Rapid cooling of the magma yields small crystals and this is known as an extrusive igneous rock. This rapid cooling can only happen at the earth’s surface where there is free flow of air hence the name extrusive (Morgan, 2010). Slow cooling of magma yields larger crystals and hence the name intrusive igneous rocks. These types of rocks are found deep in the earth, and contain valuable minerals.

Igneous rocks are easily identifiable due to their exclusive characteristics. Some of these characteristics are; the minerals are arranged in no particular pattern, they have crystals of varying sizes and this rock is usually very hard. Some of these characteristics are absent in other types of rocks such as the sedimentary rocks, which are usually not very strong (Brotzge, 2009). 

Specimen 98031 is a type of igneous rock that contains medium coarse grain measuring about nine millimeters in width. This means that this rock did not form very deep near the earth, but somewhere in between. The conditions must have allowed some free flow of air. During the cooling of magma, air improves the rate of crystal formation (Brotzge, 2009). Thus the rock can be classified as an intrusive igneous type of rock. It is composed of feldspar and quartz, which are more of alkaline materials.

Hurry up! Limited Time Offer

Get 19% OFF

with discount code:

This category of rock is known to be formed through a method known as fracture propagation (Allen, 2010). The centre of the earth rather known as the core is known to have very high temperatures. As such, magma is at a very high temperature as well as pressure. Magma that is meant to form granite is also very buoyant (Brotzge, 2009). These characteristics push the magma through the earth surface on the brittle areas; they form splits known as dykes. Pre-existing fault lines can also work in this process. After magma has erupted, it cools at different paces depending on the temperatures. This type of igneous rock is granular in structure and the crystals can be easily seen (Morgan, 2010). This form of physical appearance is a result of how the crystals arrange during cooling.

a) Conglomerate

This is an ordinary sedimentary rock, which form in dissimilar environments and weather conditions limited to the availability of adequate energy to move huge grains. The sediment that rock is formed from is regularly coarser compared to other sedimentary rock with exception of breccias. The grains of this rock are rounded and normally indicate that they have been carried more than angular grains thus differentiating them from other sedimentary rocks.

b) Limestone

In fact, limestone is a form of sedimentary rock made up of calcium carbonate in form of calcite. This is basically an organic rock formed in shallow, warm and clear marine environs. In such environment, organisms extract ingredients necessary for the formation of calcium carbonate fro marine water. Marine contains skeletal debris of dead animals thus a source of minerals that accumulate to form limestone. However, some limestone may form from the process of precipitation whereby high temperatures cause rapid flow of calcium carbonate from marine water.

This is a widespread from of surface rock or rather metamorphic rock. This rock has veins of minerals al through and its main constituents are mica and quartz. It is formed in environments such as high temperatures regions and areas experiencing considerable pressure to emit heat capable of melting rocks. Precisely, rocks under pressure are faulted and end up shearing resulting angular, fine-grained rock sediments. As a result gneiss rock is formed.

Save up to 25%!

We offer 10% more words per page than other websites, so actually you got 1 FREE page with every 10 ordered pages.

Together with 15% first order discount you get 25% OFF!

This is a form of metamorphic rock usually formed from limestone and is mainly made up of dolomite or a combination of various carbonate minerals. It is formed in areas under great heat and pressure beneath the earth’s crust. The process involves recrystallization. It involves rearrangement of fossilized materials such as grains of calcite, carbonate minerals (Suzanne, 2007).

This is a variety of igneous rock, which ids quite dark in appearance. It mainly constitutes the ocean floor. It comprise of minerals such as, olivine and pyroxene. Basalt forms in areas that experience frequent volcanic eruption pouring lava on the earth’s surface. The cooling of the lava flow in a couple of days results in a solid rock, basalt (Suzanne, 2007).

f) Obsidian

This is an igneous rock that is formed from molten magma after an extrusive volcanic activity. It lacks minerals crystals. It forms in areas where geological process result in volcanic eruptions and the chemical composition of minerals are appreciably rich in silica. After an eruption the lava flows slowly on the earth’s surface in a viscous manner to form obsidian rock.

• Typical Interview Questions
• Switzerland
• Role of the Gentry in Late Imperial China
• National Information Infrafrastrure
• America’s Post-Civil War Growing Pains
• Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbour
• Andreas Vesalius
• The Parthenon
• Changing a Flat Car Tire

Silver member

Gold member

Platinum member

What Our Customers Say