Rock Cycle?

Question

please descibe the rock cycle to me . In earth speak please ( dont copy off websites plz)

thz x

Answer 1

1. Molten magma from the interior of the Earth is extruded into an environment where it cools, forming igneous rocks.

2a. Through erosion and weathering, igneous rock is broken down into small particles, which can then be deposited in beds with other rocks and minerals, forming sedimentary rock.

2b. Igneous and sedimentary rock can be altered by high heat and pressure into metamorphic rock.

3. Any and all types of rock can be subducted into the interior of the Earth, there becoming molten and starting the process over.

Answer 2

Lava is erupted onto the surface and (in this case - can also be intruded as a pluton/batholith) becomes an igneous granite. Over time, various weathering forces (wind, water, whatever) break that granite into small pieces that get blown somewhere. These pieces form sedimentary deposits, in this case let's just say quartz (silica) granules. Increasing weight of sediment on top of sediment forces them deeper and deeper, where heat and pressure finally cement the small clasts together into a solid sedimentary sandstone (in this case). It may go back to the surface and be exposed, it may not. Someday, with increasing pressure and temperature, the quartz sandstone will be metamorphosed into a quartzite, which may or may not be exposed. Go into the future some more, and this metamorphic rock can be put under so much heat and pressure that it completely melts, becoming new magma that may or may not ever be erupted again. Keep in mind that the rock cycle is not that simple. An igneous rock can go straight to being a metamorphic rock. A sedimentary rock can become another kind of sedimentary rock. A metamorphic rock can be turned into a sedimentary rock. A sedimentary rock can be turned directly into magma, etc.

Answer 3

easy
So the rock cycle attempts to describe the potential path a given rock may be churned through in its "life" as it passes from one type (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary) of rock to another.
Keep in mind that what follows is simplified and generalized.

So in the simpliest scenario imagine a volcano pouring out lava, which solidifies to become an igneous rock. this igenous rock is over time caught up in a subduction zone and subsequently deformed slowly over time, causing a variety of physical and chemical changes to occur which change the rock without melting it, i.e. the igneos rock has been metamorhposed and is now a metamorphic rock.
In the process of being metamorphosed the rock was lifted to great heights and now sits on top of a mountain.. where it is slowly eroded by wind/rain/weather etc.. and little peices are eroded away which travel down the mountain on their way to the sea via glaciers, rivers, streams, lakes etc.. it's a long path, may take a long time, and may get trapped in any number of places along the way.. but lets say eventually these sand grains of metamorphic rock eventually make it to a river and get dumped into the sea, where they are deposited as sand in a delta. Over time this delta is buried, compacted and slowly cemented into a rock, a sedimentary rock.

So there is one example of the rock cycle.. remember not all rocks go through the full cycle or do so in this sequence. there is no reason why a igneous rock cannot first become sedimentary and then metamorphic if ever.
the idea to take from all of this is that any given rock type can be converted and recycled into other rock types by natural processes occuring on the earth. In theory everything started out as igneious.. and slowly diverged into the multiple rock types

Answer 4

First you need to understand the 3 types of rocks.

Metamorphic: These rocks were once either igneous or sedimentary but have been changed physically and/or chemically by heat and/or pressure in the Earth's crust

Igneous: These rocks are formed but he cooling of magma inside the crust or the cooling of lava on the Earth's surface.

Sedimentary: These rocks are formed when other rocks are broken down by physical weathering and the reformed into other rocks. They can also be rocks formed from the remains of biotic organisms.

The rock cycle is how these types of rocks form and are destroyed.

Igneous and metamorphic rocks can weather down eventually forming sedimentary rocks.

Igneous and sedimentary rocks can be pushed deep into the crust and metamorphosed.

All three types can be pushed into the crust and melted into magma eventually forming new igneous rocks or erupted on to the surface by volcanoes forming new igneous rocks.


Here is a simple diagram illustrating the cycle.

http://teach.fcps.net/trt20/projects/EKU/Rocks/rock_cycle_1.htm

Answer 5

ok first there is igneous rocks which are made form lava or magma lava is above the earths surface and magma is below.

they can be heated or put on alot of preasure to make a metmorphic rock or can be weathered or eroded into sediments.

then sediments can be depositied compacted and then cemented.

sedimentary rocks can turn into metamorphic by heat or preassure. and a metamorhic rock can turn in to magma again by melting it .

more info go to this web page it a chart for the whole thing

http://www.mrsciguy.com/sciimages/pg06a.gif

Answer 6

In earth-speak, there are three basic classes of rock: igneous, which crystalizes out of molten rock material; sedimentary, which is composed of particles of weathered rock laid down by wind or water, compressed and cemented; and metamorphic rock, which is a kind of rock that results from the heating and compression of one of the other two.

All the rock types can be processed into the other two. Sedimentary rock can be compressed and heated until it becomes metamorphic rock, or it can be melted completely, then cool and crystallize into igneous rock. After it cools and crystallizes, igneous rock can be heated and compressed into metamorphic rock or weathered into particles that are laid down by wind or water into bedding planes that are compressed and cemented into sedimentary rock. Metamorphic rock can also become igneous or sedimentary rock, and all rock moves through this cycle over and over.