Rock Cycle

The rock cycle is the process that makes and recycles rocks, involving the formation, breakdown, and reformation of rocks through various geological processes.

The three major classes of rock are igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary.

Heat and pressure can change granite (igneous rock) into gneiss (metamorphic rock).

Igneous rock is formed when lava cools and hardens.

Fossils are commonly found in sedimentary rocks.

Igneous rock is formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.

Metamorphic rock is formed from existing rocks that are changed by heat, pressure, or chemically.

Sedimentary rock is formed from the accumulation and cementation of mineral and organic particles.

Weathering breaks down rocks into smaller pieces, which can then be transported and form sedimentary rocks.

Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed from one location and transported to another by wind, water, or ice.