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Explore the fascinating world of rocks and discover how they undergo continuous transformations through the processes of cooling, weathering, erosion, and recrystallization. Learn about the three main rock groups - igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic - and witness the journey of rocks as they evolve and change over time.
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The Rock Cycle Chapter 3.1
What is a Rock? • A rock is a solid mass of minerals or mixture of minerals that occurs naturally. • We classify all the rocks on our planet into three different groups based on how they were formed. • The three different groups are Igneous Rocks, Sedimentary Rocks, and Metamorphic Rocks.
What is the Rock Cycle? • The Rock Cycle is a continuous cycle that rocks undergo as they are exposed to the all the different processes that can occur on the earth. • Granite for example, is formed when magma cools down and crystallizes into an Igneous Rock. • But if Granite weathers and erodes into sediment and settles to form a new rock, it can turn into Sandstone, Siltstone or Shale. These are Sedimentary Rocks. • If Granite is exposed to extreme heat and pressure when buried underground at extreme depths, it could recrystallize to form Gneiss. A Metamorphic Rock.
