1. The Rock Cycle
By Josh Wickersham, Alyssa Wong-Conway, Alex Levin, and Rachel Connolly

2. Ecological/Biological Roles
Plants and animals require minerals for life
Make up soil for plants
Source for precious minerals and metals
Provide shelter to small animals
Tools to early humans

3. What is a rock?
An assemblage of one or two minerals that form a part of the Earth’s solid body.
A rock normally connotes an individual specimen; it is detached from its outcrop so it has visible boundaries.

4. How much rock is there total?
Atmosphere – 0%
Lithosphere – 100%
Biosphere – 0%
Hydrosphere – 0%

5. Types of rocks - Sedimentary
Made of sand, shells, or other particles compressed into sediment and harden over time.
soft and breaks easily.
Ex: Conglomerate, limestone

6. Types of rocks - Metamorphic
Formed under the surface of the Earth from the metamorphosis that occurs in and under the crust
Often have ribbon-like layers, may have shiny crystals on their surface
Ex: Gneiss, marble

7. Types of rocks – Igneous
Formed from the crystallization of magma sometimes inside the Earth and other times erupts onto the surface through volcanoes (lava).
Ex: Basalt, obsidian

8. Rock chart

9. How sedimentary rocks are formed
Weathering- rocks wear down due to wind, man, or water
Transportation of sediments- rock is brought down a river bed
Deposition- rocks are deposited at the mouth of a river

10. How metamorphic rocks are formed
Sedimentary or igneous rock is put under intense heat and pressure and then goes through metamorphism.
Through weathering, transportation, and deposition, it becomes sediment again.
Through melting, they become magma.

11. How igneous rocks are formed
Magma undergoes cooling and crystallization and solidifies into igneous rock
Through weathering, transportation, and deposition, it becomes sediment again

12. Rock Cycle Chart

13. Bibliography
Geology for Kids; September 22,
No title; September 22,
The Rock Cycle; September 22,
Classifying Rocks and Minerals; September 22,
Principles of Soils and Hydrology; September 22,
The Rock Cycle; September 22,
Some Basic Concepts Underlying the Science of Geology; September 22,
Interactives: Rock Cycle