The rock cycle - What are rocks?

Rocks are made of grains that fit together. Each grain in the rock is made from a mineral,
which is a chemical compound. The grains in a rock can be different colours, shapes and
sizes.

Some types of rock have interlocking grains that fit tightly together. Granite is a rock
with interlocking grains. Other types of rock have rounded grains. Sandstone is a rock
with rounded grains.

Porous rocks

Rocks with rounded grains are more likely to absorb water than rocks with interlocking
grains. This is because the water can get into the gaps between the grains. Rocks that
absorb water are called porous.

Rocks with rounded grains are usually softer and more crumbly than rocks with
interlocking grains. So porous rocks tend to be softer than non-porous rocks. Rocks with
interlocking grains are more likely to be hard and non-porous. Rocks with rounded grains
are more likely to be crumbly and porous.

The rock cycle - Sedimentary rocks

There are three main types of rock: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic.

Formation of sedimentary rocks

A river carries, or transports, pieces of broken rock as it flows along. When the river
reaches a lake or the sea, its load of transported rocks settles to the bottom. We say that
the rocks are deposited. The deposited rocks build up in layers, called sediments. This
process is called sedimentation.

The weight of the sediments on top squashes the sediments at the bottom. This is called
compaction. The water is squeezed out from between the pieces of rock and crystals of
different salts form.

The crystals form a sort of glue that sticks or cements the pieces of rock together. This
process is called cementation.

These processes eventually make a type of rock called sedimentary rock. It may take
millions of years for sedimentary rocks to form.

These are the different processes in order:

Sedimentation → compaction → cementation

What are they like?

Sedimentary rocks contain rounded grains in layers. Examples of sedimentary rock are:

• chalk
• limestone
• sandstone
• shale

The rock cycle - Igneous rocks

The second type of rock we'll look at is igneous rock.

Formation

The inside of the Earth is very hot - hot enough to melt rocks. Molten (liquid) rock forms
when rocks melt. The molten rock is called magma. When the magma cools and
solidifies, a type of rock called igneous rock forms.

What are they like?

Igneous rocks contain randomly arranged interlocking crystals. The size of the crystals
depends on how quickly the molten magma solidified. The more slowly the magma
cools, the bigger the crystals.

Obsidian and basalt

If the magma cools quickly, small crystals form in the rock. This can happen if the
magma erupts from a volcano. Obsidian and basalt are examples of this type of rock.
They are called extrusive igneous rocks because they form from eruptions of magma.

Granite and gabbro

If the magma cools slowly, large crystals form in the rock. This can happen if the magma
cools deep underground. Granite and gabbro are examples of this type of rock. They are
intrusive igneous rocks because they form from magma underground.

Unlike sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks do not contain any fossils. This is because any
fossils in the original rock will have melted when the magma formed.

The rock cycle - Metamorphic rocks

Metamorphic rocks are the third type we'll look at. They formed from other rocks that are
changed because of heat or pressure.

Formation

Earth movements can cause rocks to be deeply buried or squeezed. As a result, the rocks
are heated and put under great pressure. They do not melt, but the minerals they contain
are changed chemically, forming metamorphic rocks.

Sometimes, metamorphic rocks are formed when rocks are close to some molten magma,
and so get heated up.

Metamorphic rocks may form from rocks heated by magma

Remember that metamorphic rocks are not made from melting rock. (Rocks that do melt
form igneous rocks instead.)

What are metamorphic rocks like?

When a metamorphic rock is formed under pressure, its crystals become arranged in
layers. Slate, which is formed from shale, is like this. Slate is useful for making roof tiles
because its layers can be split into separate flat sheets.

Marble is another example of a metamorphic rock. It is formed from limestone.

Metamorphic rocks sometimes contain fossils if they were formed from a sedimentary
rock, but the fossils are usually squashed out of shape.

Metamorphic rocks can be formed from any other type of rock - sedimentary or igneous.
Remember these two examples of common metamorhpic rocks and where they come
from:

• slate is formed from shale

• marble is formed from limestone

Rocks gradually wear away. This is called weathering. There are three types of
weathering:

• physical weathering
• chemical weathering
• biological weathering

Remember, when you answer questions about weathering, mention what is causing the
weathering and what it does to the rock.
Physical weathering

Physical weathering is caused by physical changes such as changes in temperature,

freezing and thawing, and the effects of wind, rain and waves.

Temperature changes

When a rock gets hot it expands a little, and when a rock gets cold it contracts a little. If
a rock is heated and cooled many times, cracks form and pieces of rock fall away. This
type of physical weathering happens a lot in deserts, because it is very hot during the day
but very cold at night.

Wind, rain and waves

Wind, rain and waves can all cause weathering. The wind can blow tiny grains of sand
against a rock. These wear the rock away and weather it. Rain and waves can also wear
away rock over long periods of time.

Freeze-thaw

Water expands slightly when it freezes into ice. This is why water pipes sometimes burst
in the winter. You might have seen a demonstration of this sort of thing at school - a jar
filled to the brim with water eventually shatters after it is put into a freezer.

The formation of ice can also break rocks. If water gets into a crack in a rock and then
freezes, it expands and pushes the crack further apart. When the ice melts later, water
can get further into the crack. When the rock freezes again, it expands and makes the
crack even bigger.

This process of freezing and thawing can continue until the crack becomes so big that a
piece of rock falls off.

Rocks gradually wear away. This is called weathering. There are three types of
weathering:

• physical weathering
• chemical weathering
• biological weathering

Remember, when you answer questions about weathering, mention what is causing the
weathering and what it does to the rock.

Physical weathering

Physical weathering is caused by physical changes such as changes in temperature,

freezing and thawing, and the effects of wind, rain and waves.
Temperature changes

When a rock gets hot it expands a little, and when a rock gets cold it contracts a little. If
a rock is heated and cooled many times, cracks form and pieces of rock fall away. This
type of physical weathering happens a lot in deserts, because it is very hot during the day
but very cold at night.

Wind, rain and waves

Wind, rain and waves can all cause weathering. The wind can blow tiny grains of sand
against a rock. These wear the rock away and weather it. Rain and waves can also wear
away rock over long periods of time.

Freeze-thaw

Water expands slightly when it freezes into ice. This is why water pipes sometimes burst
in the winter. You might have seen a demonstration of this sort of thing at school - a jar
filled to the brim with water eventually shatters after it is put into a freezer.

The formation of ice can also break rocks. If water gets into a crack in a rock and then
freezes, it expands and pushes the crack further apart. When the ice melts later, water
can get further into the crack. When the rock freezes again, it expands and makes the
crack even bigger.

This process of freezing and thawing can continue until the crack becomes so big that a
piece of rock falls off.

The rock cycle - Weathering

Biological weathering

Plants can cause biological weathering

Animals and plants can wear away rocks. This is called biological weathering. For
example, burrowing animals such as rabbits can burrow into a crack in a rock, making it
bigger and splitting the rock.

You may have seen weeds growing through cracks in the pavement. If you have gone for
a walk in the countryside, you may even have seen bushes or trees growing from cracks
in rocks or disused buildings. This is because plant roots can grow in cracks. As they
grow bigger, the roots push open the cracks and make them wider and deeper. Eventually
pieces of rock may fall away.

People can even cause biological weathering just by walking. Over time, paths in the
countryside become damaged because of all the boots and shoes wearing them away.
The rock cycle - Weathering
Chemical weathering

Limestone cavern in the Peak District

The weathering of rocks by chemicals is called chemical weathering. Rainwater is

naturally slightly acidic because carbon dioxide from the air dissolves in it. Minerals in
rocks may react with the rainwater, causing the rock to be weathered.

Some types of rock are easily weathered by chemicals. For example, limestone and
chalk are made of a mineral called calcium carbonate. When acidic rainwater falls on
limestone or chalk, a chemical reaction happens. New soluble substances are formed in
the reaction. These are washed away and the rock is weathered.

Gabbro, a hard wearing rock

Chemical weathering can hollow out caves form and make cliffs fall away.

Some types of rock are not easily weathered by chemicals. For example, granite and
gabbro are hard rocks that are weathered only slowly. Still some of their minerals do
react with the acids in rainwater to form new, weaker substances that crumble and fall
away.

Acid rain

Statues damaged by acid rain

When fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are burned, carbon dioxide and sulfur
dioxide escape into the air. These dissolve in the water in the clouds and make the
rainwater more acidic than normal. When this happens, we call the rain 'acid rain'.

Acid rain makes chemical weathering happen more quickly. Buildings and statues made
from rock are damaged as a result. This is worse when the rock is limestone rather than
granite. Acid rain also kills trees and fish.

The rock cycle - Erosion and transport

Erosion

Weathering and erosion are often confused, so be careful when answering questions
about them.
Weathering is the wearing away of rocks.

Erosion is the movement of the broken pieces away from the site of weathering.

Basalt columns

For example, a basalt cliff may be weathered by freeze-thaw, a type of physical

weathering. This means that pieces of the cliff may break away.

Erosion happens when these pieces of rock fall away down the cliff.

In the photograph you can see a basalt cliff. At the bottom there are heaps of rocks,
caused by weathering then erosion.

Transport

Rivers and streams can move pieces of rock. This is called transport. Fast flowing rivers
can transport large rocks, but slow moving rivers can only transport tiny pieces of rock.

As the pieces of rock are carried along by the water, they bash against each other and the
river bed. They gradually wear away because of this. They become smaller and more
rounded.

The rock cycle - The rock cycle

Remember that there are three main types of rock:

• Sedimentary, for example chalk, limestone, sandstone and shale;

• Igneous, for example basalt and granite;
• Metamorphic, for example slate and marble

Continual change

The Earth's rocks do not stay the same forever. They are continually changing because of
processes such as weathering and large earth movements. The rocks are gradually
recycled over millions of years. This is called the rock cycle.

For example sedimentary rocks can be changed into metamorphic rocks, and these can be
weathered and the pieces transported away. These pieces could be deposited in lakes or
seas and eventually form new sedimentary rock. Many routes through the rock cycle are
possible.
The rock cycle

The processes in the rock cycle are shown in this diagram. Make sure that you understand
how each type of rock forms, and be ready to give an example of each type of rock.

• Sedimentation creates layers or rock particles

• Compaction and cementation presses the layers and sticks the particles together.
This creates sedimentary rock.
• Rocks underground that get heated and put under pressure are changed into
metamorphic rock.
• Rocks underground that get heated so much they melt turn into magma. Magma
is liquid rock. Magma also comes from deeper inside the Earth, from an region
called the mantle.
• Pressure can forces magma out of the ground. This creates a volcano. When the
magma cools it turns into solid rock, called extrusive igneous rock.
• Magma that cools underground forms solid rock called intrusive igneous rock.
• Areas of rock can move slowly upwards, pushed up by pressure of the rocks
forming underneath. This is called uplift.
• Weathering breaks down rocks on the surface of the Earth. There are three types
of weathering - physical, chemical and biological.
• Wind and water move the broken rock particles away. This is called erosion.
• Rivers and streams transport rock particles to other places.
• Rock particles are deposited in lakes and seas, where they build up to form
layers. This starts the process of sedimentation which will create sedimentary
rock.