Rocks & Minerals (Including Rock Cycle)

The top layer of Earth is called the crust, beneath that is the mantle, and the inner-most layer is the core.

As you move from the crust to the core, the temperature rises to almost 5000°C at the core. The crust is solid, and the outer core is liquid.

Erosion refers to the natural processes that move solid materials from one place to another by wind, water, or other ways.

A compound is a molecule that is made up of atoms of one or more elements.

All rocks have properties. You can observe a rock’s hardness, color, and appearance (stratified or not) to help determine what type of rock it is.

Earth’s crust makes up Earth’s surface. Ocean crust is more dense than continental crust. The crust is broken into large pieces called tectonic plates. Tectonic plates move slowly over millions of years and form distinct boundaries.

Minerals are solid, naturally formed substances that always have the same composition and the same properties. Rocks are made of minerals.

Hot water dissolves minerals. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind the dissolved minerals in a crystal structure.

Gabbro is a type of rock used to make roads; granite is used in building materials; coal is used to generate electricity; and shale is used to make bricks.

Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic

Igneous rocks form by liquid magma cooling as it gets closer to the surface of Earth. As the magma cools, it forms igneous rock that will break apart over thousands of years to form sediment.

Rocks metamorphose, or change, when exposed to heat, pressure, or both heat and pressure.