1. The Rock Cycle
What drives it?

2. What is a rock? An aggregate (combination) of minerals.
There are 3 main categories of rock known as “rock types”.

3. Rock Types
Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic

4. Rock Formation -formation -destruction -alteration -reformation
Is a sequence of events that may involve one or all of the following processes:
-formation
-destruction
-alteration
-reformation
The original state of all rocks on earth is Magma.

5. Rock Evolution generation and movement of magma weathering erosion
Created by the following geological processes:
generation and movement of magma
weathering
erosion
transportation
deposition of sediment
metamorphism of preexisting rocks.

6. Magma Requires Heat Melted rock Found under the earth’s crust
Known as “lava” above the earth’s crust
Crystallizes to form Igneous Rocks

7. Igneous Rocks Requires crystallization
Intrusive - crystallized inside the earth
Extrusive - crystallized outside the earth (see picture)
Can be eroded to produce sediment

8. Sediment Produced by the erosion of any type of rock.
Rock is eroded by mechanical (rain, wind, freezing/thawing) and chemical (dissolution) processes.
Sediment is deposited and layered to form Sedimentary Rocks

9. Sedimentary Rocks
Requires the transport, deposition, compaction and lithification of sediment.
Can be melted to form magma.
Can be eroded to form sediment.
Can be metamorphosed through intense heat & pressure.

10. Heat and Pressure
Any rock type can be subjected to intense heat and pressure.
Commonly occurs at plate boundaries and volcanically active areas, including hotspots.
Forms metamorphic Rocks

11. Metamorphic Rocks
Formed through intense heat and pressure without melting the rock.
Folds are created in the rock due to grain/crystal alignment from intense pressure.
New crystals form due to the rearrangement (not melting) of original crystals in the rock matrix.

12. Sediment produced by erosion
Magma
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
The Rock Cycle
Heat & Pressure
Sediment produced by erosion
Sedimentary Rocks

13. The Never-ending Cycle