Rock Cycle
The continuous process by which rocks are formed, changed, and destroyed over geological time.
Definition
The rock cycle is the continuous set of geological processes by which rocks are transformed from one type to another over geological timescales. Igneous rocks form from cooling magma; they weather and erode to form sediments that compact into sedimentary rocks; heat and pressure metamorphose all rock types into metamorphic rocks; and these can melt to form magma, restarting the cycle. The rock cycle is driven by Earth's internal heat and surface weathering.
Example
“Granite (igneous rock) at Earth's surface weathers into sand grains that wash into the sea, compact over millions of years into sandstone (sedimentary rock), which may later be buried and heated to become quartzite (metamorphic rock).”
Synonyms
- geological cycle
- lithological cycle
- rock transformation cycle
Images
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Related Terms
- Erosion
- Plate Tectonics
- Igneous Rock
- Metamorphic Rock