The Rock Cycle

ROCKS are naturally occurring solid mass of minerals, remember they have to be inorganic - so things like coal cannot be rocks because they are made from organic materials. The three major types of rocks are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.

Important- the energy that drives the Rock Cycle comes from the Earth's interior (igneous and metamorphic rocks) and from the Sun (weathering for sedimentary rocks).

• When magma cools igneous rocks can form intrusive (below ground) or extrusive (above ground).
• Compaction and cementation (lithification) from the weathering of surface rocks for sedimentary rocks.
• Metamorphic rocks occur deep in the ground from the processes of high temperatures and high pressures.