The Rock CycleThinking about relationships among the major rock groups

*Major Rock GroupsIgneousFormed from a melt (molten rock)Plutonic (intrusive):slow cooling and crystallizationVolcanic (extrusion): quick cooling at the surfaceSedimentaryFormed at the Earths surfaceClastic (Mineral Fragments or grains, clays)Chemical (crystalline chemical/biochemical precipitates)MetamorphicChanged by pressure, temperature and fluids.

Fig. 2.9

MAGMA

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Crystallization

IGNEOUS

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IGNEOUSPlutonicCrystallization

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VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonicCrystallization

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VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonic

UpliftCrystallizationWeathering

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VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonicSEDIMENT

UpliftCrystallizationWeathering

SEDIMENT

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VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonic

SEDIMENTSEDIMENTARY

UpliftCrystallizationWeatheringErosionTransportDeposition

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MAGMA

VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonic

SEDIMENTSEDIMENTARY

UpliftCrystallizationWeatheringErosionTransportDeposition

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VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonic

SEDIMENTSEDIMENTARYMETAMORPHIC

UpliftBurialIncreased P&TCrystallizationWeatheringErosionTransportDeposition

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VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonic

SEDIMENTSEDIMENTARYMETAMORPHIC

UpliftBurialIncreased P&TMeltingCrystallizationWeatheringErosionTransportDepositionCan you seeany shortcuts?

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MAGMA

VolcanicIGNEOUSPlutonic

SEDIMENTSEDIMENTARYMETAMORPHIC

UpliftBurialIncreased P&TMeltingCrystallizationWeatheringErosionTransportDeposition