Rock Cycle

The rock cycle describes how Earth's rocks change over time through natural processes. Igneous rocks form when magma or lava cools and solidifies. These rocks can break down into sediments, which settle and compact to create sedimentary rocks. Both sedimentary and igneous rocks can be subjected to heat and pressure, transforming into metamorphic rocks. Through erosion, weathering, and plate movements, rocks continually break down and reassemble in different forms, cycling endlessly. This process shapes Earth’s surface and recycles materials in a dynamic system, illustrating the ongoing transformation of rocks over geological time.