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- DictionaryRock cy·cle/räk ˈsīkəl/
noun
- 1. an idealized cycle of processes undergone by rocks in the earth's crust, involving igneous intrusion, uplift, erosion, transportation, deposition as sedimentary rock, metamorphism, remelting, and further igneous intrusion.
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- The rock cycle is a series of processes that create and transform the types of rocks in Earth’s crust.
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Dec 13, 2023 · Learn how sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks are formed and changed by physical and chemical processes. Explore the rock cycle with an infographic, vocabulary, and examples.
The rock cycle is a basic concept in geology that describes transitions through geologic time among the three main rock types: sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. Each rock type is altered when it is forced out of its equilibrium conditions.
Learn how rocks on Earth form and change over time in this free article aligned to NGSS standards. See examples of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, and read questions and answers from other learners.
Learn how rocks transform from one type into another through Earth's internal heat, pressure, and surface processes. Explore the rock cycle and its interactions with other Earth system processes and phenomena.
Aug 22, 2023 · Learn how rocks change forms through geological, chemical, and physical processes in the rock cycle. See the diagram and examples of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, and the forces that drive the cycle.
Apr 11, 2024 · The rock cycle is driven by two forces: (1) Earth’s internal heat engine, which moves material around in the core and the mantle and leads to slow but significant changes within the crust, and (2) the Sun which powers the hydrological cycle, moving water, wind and air along Earth’s surface.