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What Is The Rock Cycle?
The rock cycle is the interaction between the three main rock types, sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks, and, metamorphic rocks by the progressive transformation of Earth materials. The rock cycle shows the relationship between three different types of rocks and the processes involved in the transformation through millions of years.
The rock cycle is a recycling process of the Earth’s materials. The Earth’s crust is always changing by the rock cycle process under the right conditions.
The Rock Cycle Process
Check below figure 1 of the rock cycle processes that create and change the rocks. The rock cycle illustrates the three types of rock igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, and the processes that form them. If you look at the illustration, the rocks change through numerous processes. For instance, magma rising from the mantle cause the melting of the upper rocks, then when it cools, a new intrusive igneous rock forms through the crystallization process. If this magma reaches the surface, it is called lava. When it cools, it forms volcanic igneous rock.
The uplifting process brings the rocks to the surface. These uplifted igneous rocks are exposed to weathering and erosion and are broken into particles. Then clastic sediments are transported and deposited by winds, streams, ocean currents, or glaciers. And chemical or biochemical sediments form by precipitation due to changing physical conditions or the action of organisms. By lithification(compaction and cementation) process, the sediments become sedimentary rocks.
Sedimentary rocks by burial deep into the Earth’s crust and by heating will change into metamorphic rocks. Or the buried sedimentary rocks may be exposed to magma, which then will cool and become igneous rock. The igneous rock may expose to pressure or/and heat to form a metamorphic rock. By uplifting and exposure the metamorphic rock will be under weathering and erosion processes, eventually will change to sedimentary rock.
