What is the rock cycle?
Q: What is the rock cycle?
A: The rock cycle is a process by which rocks of one kind change into rocks of another kind.
Q: What are the three main kinds of rocks?
A: The three main kinds of rocks are igneous rock, metamorphic rock, and sedimentary rock.
Q: How do these rocks change into each other?
A: These rocks can change into each other through physical processes such as cooling, melting, heat, weathering/erosion, compacting (squeezing tightly together), cementing, and pressure.
Q: What happens when heated deep underground?
A: When heated deep underground, rocks become magma (liquid rock). Above ground it is called lava.
Q: Where does sediment come from?
A: Sediment comes from the particles from rock erosion and weathering and serves as the basis for sedimentary rock of the future.
Q: How is metamorphic formed?
A: Metamorphic rock is formed under extreme pressure and temperature deep inside mountain chains by either igneous or sedimentary being heated and squeezed.
Q: What processes occur in Earth to change rocks?
A:Earth has several processes for changing rocks such as wind and water creating sediment from existing rocks and movement of one tectonic plate against another creating enormous heat and pressure that affects existing rocks greatly. Subduction also converts all types of existing rocks into magma which eventually rejoins the cycle as igneous rocks.
