The Rock Cycle
and how rocks are formed
my rock story
I started as a normal sediment living underground. I was compacted together for 10,000 years. I finally became a sedimentary rock after all that time. You thought 10,000 years was alot? I stayed as sedimentary rock for another 10,010,000 YEARS. Eventually the tectonic plate I was on crashed into another tectonic plate. I got crushed and I turned into a metamorphic rock! maaagic. Another 10,000 years flew by really fast. I got exposed to a nearby source of magma, and I melted into magma. Who doesn't like magma? As a matter of fact, me. I stayed as magma for 100,00 years in a volcano. Then on a totally normal day, my volcano erupted! I exploded out of the volcano and quickly cooled into an igneous (extrusive) rock. As I was exposed to the surface, I slowly eroded off my rock into a sediment in 1,000 years. I got absorbed into the roots of a plant in 10 years. Once I was part of the plant, an ostrich ate me! After 1,000 my ostrich had already died and decomposed. I became part of the ocean floor over and became a sediment. I am still being washed further downstream and don't know what I should do with my life. :)
Igneous Rocks
Igneous rocks are formed from the solidification of molten rock material. There are two basic types: 1) intrusive igneous rocks are rocks that turn into a solid state of matter below Earth's surface; and 2) extrusive igneous rocks are rocks that turn into a solid state of matter on or above the Earth's surface.
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks are changed by heat and pressure usually when they're buried underneath the Earth's surface. There are two basic types of metamorphic rocks: 1) foliated metamorphic rocks are rocks that have layered or banded patterns that are made by heat and directed pressure (compaction) ; and, 2) non-foliated metamorphic rocks are rocks that don't have layered or banded patterns.
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary rocks are formed by sediments gathering together and slowly forming a sedimentary rock. There are three basic types of sedimentary rocks: 1) clastic sedimentary rocks are formed from mechanical weathering debris; 2) chemical sedimentary rocks form from precipitation of minerals from water and, 3) organic sedimentary rocks form by plants and animal debris gathering together.
Geology Kitchen: The 3 Types of Rocks