The Rock Cycle

Rockin' Rocks

Erosion

As you can see in this picture, weathering can carve out a lot of land. Erosion is the process of carrying these small pieces of land (sediments) away. When the sediments settle, it is called deposition.

Convergent Boundaries

Divergent Boundaries

Convergent boundaries are where two plates move towards each other and collide. This may cause mountain ranges to form.

Weathering

Transform Boundaries

Fossils

When two plates move in opposite directions, it is called a divergent boundary. Since the layer under the crust is made up of magma, when a crack is in the crust a volcano will form.

This picture depicts the effects of weathering on sand. Wind and rain are common forms of weathering. The ground breaks up into small particals.

Transform boundaries occur when two plates rub up against each other. This friction causes earthquakes along a fault line.

Fossils are made up of plants or animals that have died in the past and were quickly buried. Because sediments can conform to the shape of an animal before the sediments are compacted into solid rock, fossils are often found in sedimentary rock. Some fossils, though, are not found in the ground. Ancient tree sap may contain insects that have fallen into it millions of years ago.

Human Impact

Human impact is what effects take place on Earth because of humans. A big one is pollution. When you release something on Earth, like toxic waste or plastic bottles, it doesn't leave right away. Things like that will get buried deep in the ground and cause damage for years.

Plate Tectonics

Plate tectonics is a theory that suggests Earth used to have one big continent, but when it split, the pieces drifted apart. Earth is divided into different "plates" which move and shift over the gooey mantle. Some natural disasters occur due to plates moving in certain ways.

Weathering and Erosion

The Inner Core

At the very center of the earth, there is the core.

Weathering and erosion both occur naturally. When you walk you are slowly weathering down the ground. Then wind or rain erodes the dirt.

• convergent

• divergent

• solid iron and nickel

Igneous Rock

• weathering=breaking down

• transform

• highest heat and pressure

Igneous rocks are formed when magma cools and hardens.

• erosion=carrying away

Metamorphic Rock

Heat and pressure transform sedimentary or igneous rocks into metamorphic rocks.

Different Types of Rocks

There are three different types of rocks: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. All three types can be found on earth's surface, but not all are made there.

The Crust

• all rocks are part of the Rock Cycle

The Earth's crust is the outermost layer of Earth.

• thinnest layer

Layers of the Earth

• made of rocky material

The Outer Core

There are four layers that make up our earth. The deeper into Earth you go, the higher the temperature is and the more pressure there is.

The outer core is the layer that surrounds the inner core.

• liquid iron and nickel

• crust, mantle, outer core, & inner core

Bibliography

Video!

Sedimentary Rock

Sediments are compacted and cemented together, forming sedimentary rock.

The Mantle

The mantle is made of pudding-like magma that moves and flows.

• http://www.fossilsforkids.com/Amber.html
• http://www.safesearchkids.com/google/
• http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/AskGeoMan/geoQuerry13.htm
• http://www.easybib.com/reference/guide/mla/book
• Knapp, Brian. Rocks. Danbury: Atlantic Europe Publishing Company Ltd, 2000. Print.
• http://www.factmonster.com/dk/encyclopedia/human-impact.html
• http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/teachers/t_tectonics/p_pangaea2.html

• thickest layer

Magma

Cooling

Melting

Metamorphic

Igneous Rock

The Rock Cycle

Heat & Pressure

Weathering & Erosion

Sedimentary

Sediments

Compaction & Cementation