The Rock Cycle A Cycle of Many Pathways (pages 114–116)
Objective Students will be able to describe the rock cycle.
Key Concept: Forces deep inside Earth and at the surface produce a slow cycle that builds, destroys, and changes the rocks in the crust.
The rock cycle is a series of processes that slowly change rocks from one kind to another.
There are many ways rocks go through the rock cycle. Here is one way rocks go through the rock cycle:
Igneous rock on the surface is turned into sediment by erosion.
The sediment is deposited and slowly becomes sedimentary rock.
The sedimentary rock is buried by more sediment.
Heat and pressure slowly change the sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock.
The metamorphic rock is forced into the mantle.
The metamorphic rock melts to form magma.
The magma erupts and cools to form igneous rock again.
A rock that melts to form magma will next become an ___________ rock. A rock that is being heated and pressed is on its way to becoming a ____________ rock. igneous metamorphic
erosion Heat and pressure melting Volcanic activity melting erosion deposition erosion Heat and pressure sedimentary metamorphic igneous a. b. c.