The rock cycle is a process in which rocks are continuously transformed between the three rock types igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. If the sediments are buried under further layers of sediment, they can become lithified to produce a sedimentary rock. Magma is produced when rocks are melted.

Rocks change as a result of natural processes that are taking place all the time. In the rock cycle the three main rock types are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Arrows connecting the three rock types show the processes that change one rock type into another. The cycle has no beginning and no end.

Summary. The three main rock types are igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. The three processes that change one rock to another are crystallization, metamorphism, and erosion and sedimentation. Any rock can transform into any other rock by passing through one or more of these processes.

As strange as it sounds, rocks are made from stardust; dust blasted out and made from exploding stars. In fact, our corner of space has many rocks floating around in it. From really fine dust, to pebbles, boulders and house-sized rocks that can burn up in the night sky to make meteors or “shooting stars”.

Eating rocks can be good for you, but only the right ones! All these elements come from minerals in rocks so, with every mouthful of cereal, we are eating rocks as part of our daily diet. Look at your cereal packet to see what elements it contains (they may be listed as ‘minerals’).

In 1999, the oldest known rock on Earth was dated to 4.031 ±0.003 billion years, and is part of the Acasta Gneiss of the Slave craton in northwestern Canada.

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