what is a rock?Explain the process of rock cycle in deatail.
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Answer:
Rock=
A rock is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its chemical composition and the way in which it is formed. Rocks are usually grouped into three main groups: igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks and sedimentary rocks
Rock cycle=
The rock cycle is the process by which rocks of one kind change into rocks of another kind. There are three main kinds of rocks: igneous rock, metamorphic rock, and sedimentary rock. It can melt into magma, erode into sediment, or be pressed tightly together to become metamorphic.
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The Rock Cycle
The rock cycle, illustrated in Figure below, depicts how the three major rock types – igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic - convert from one to another. Arrows connecting the rock types represent the processes that accomplish these changes.
Rocks change as a result of natural processes that are taking place all the time. Most changes happen very slowly. Rocks deep within the Earth are right now becoming other types of rocks. Rocks at the surface are lying in place before they are next exposed to a process that will change them. Even at the surface, we may not notice the changes. The rock cycle has no beginning or end.
The Three Rock Types
Rocks are classified into three major groups according to how they form. These three types are described in more detail in other concepts in this chapter, but here is a summary.
Igneous rocks form from the cooling and hardening of molten magma in many different environments. The chemical composition of the magma and the rate at which it cools determine what rock forms. Igneous rocks can cool slowly beneath the surface or rapidly at the surface. These rocks are identified by their composition and texture. More than 700 different types of igneous rocks are known.Sedimentary rocks form by the compaction and cementing together of sediments, broken pieces of rock-like gravel, sand, silt, or clay. Those sediments can be formed from the weathering and erosion of preexisting rocks. Sedimentary rocks also include chemical precipitates, the solid materials left behind after a liquid evaporates.Metamorphic rocks form when the minerals in an existing rock are changed by heat or pressure below the surface.
The Processes of the Rock Cycle
Several processes can turn one type of rock into another type of rock. The key processes of the rock cycle are crystallization, erosion and sedimentation, and metamorphism.
Crystallization
Magma cools either underground or on the surface and hardens into an igneous rock. As the magma cools, different crystals form at different temperatures, undergoing crystallization. For example, the mineral olivine crystallizes out of magma at much higher temperatures than quartz. The rate of cooling determines how much time the crystals will have to form. Slow cooling produces larger crystals.
Erosion and Sedimentation
Weathering wears rocks at the Earth’s surface down into smaller pieces. The small fragments are called sediments. Running water, ice, and gravity all transport these sediments from one place to another by erosion. During sedimentation, the sediments are laid down or deposited. In order to form a sedimentary rock, the accumulated sediment must become compacted and cemented together.
Metamorphism
When a rock is exposed to extreme heat and pressure within the Earth but does not melt, the rock becomes metamorphosed. Metamorphism may change the mineral composition and the texture of the rock. For that reason, a metamorphic rock may have a new mineral composition and/or texture.
Here☝☝Is The breafly described the process of the rocks cycle...
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