t h e r o c k c y c l e

The RockCycle

Click here to begin

Hi, my name is Kirby! I am a quartz crystal. Follow me as

I travel through the Rock Cycle. As we go, keep track

of the processes and the types of rocks each creates. Keep going until you’ve tried

every link. Remember, a cycle has no beginning or no

end. Get ready for an exciting ride!

Click here to begin

Whew! It’s hot here! When temperatures reach thousands of degrees rocks and

minerals like me melt.

Melted rock beneath the surface is called

MAGMA.

Melted rock above the surface is called LAVA.

See what happens next

Ahh! The water and air are helping me to cool and harden. This process

is called SOLIDIFICATION.

Time to Rock!

After magma/lava

solidified, I

am now an IGNEOUS

ROCK!

We have 3 options from here. Choose which action you want to

take.

Melt

Weather & Erode

Heat & Pressure

Ouch! Water and wind are breaking me down into pieces. This process is called WEATHERING &

EROSION

See what happens next

Weathering has broken me

down in SEDIMENTS and am

carried away by wind or

water erosion!

See what happens next

The river has carried me to the end and deposited me on the ocean floor. This process is called DEPOSITION. Over time more and more

sediments piles up.

See what happens next

I’ve been buried under tons of sediments so am squashed and my

pieces are glued together. This process is called CEMENTATION &

COMPACTION

Time to Rock!

After sediments

were cemented

&compacted, I

am now a

SEDIMENTARY ROCK!

We have 3 options from here. Choose which action you want to

take.

Melt

Weather & Erode

Heat & Pressure

Ouch! HEAT & PRESSURE

applied during mountain

building has deformed me.

Time to Rock!

After heat &

pressure, I am now a

METAMORPHICROCK!

We have 3 options from here. Choose which action you want to

take.

Melt

Weather & Erode

Heat & Pressure

I’m MELTING!! Way down deep within the Earth it

gets so hot the solid rock turns to liquid.

See what happens next

I’m MELTING!! Way down deep within the Earth it

gets so hot the solid rock turns to liquid.

See what happens next

I’m MELTING!! Way down deep within the Earth it

gets so hot the solid rock turns to liquid.

See what happens next

Ouch! Water and wind are breaking me down into pieces. This process is called WEATHERING &

EROSION

See what happens next

Ouch! Water and wind are breaking me down into pieces. This process is called WEATHERING &

EROSION

See what happens next

Ouch! HEAT & PRESSURE

applied during mountain

building has deformed me.

Time to Rock!

Ouch! HEAT & PRESSURE

applied during mountain

building has deformed me.

Time to Rock!