The Rock Cycle Explained: From Magma to Metamorphic Rocks - Sedimentary Rocks: Formation Through Erosion, Deposition, and Pressure - Active, Dormant, and Extinct Volcanoes: Characteristics and Differences

Rock Cycle:

It is a natural phenomena of formation and disintegration of rocks. It all starts from magma inside the Earth's crust, which is semi-liquid. When magma finds a way to erupt on the surface of the Earth, it quickly cools down and becomes igneous rock, if igneous rock is formed inside the volcano, it is called intrusive, and when it is formed outside then it is called extrusive igneous rock. Then, due to weathering of the igneous rock, it is disintegrated into smaller bits, called sediments. These sediments are then carried away by wind or water, a process called erosion. After these sediments find a place where they get deposited, for example sea, in a process called deposition. When sediments keep on getting deposited, and beds of sediments are formed, creating immense pressure, as a result, sedimentary rocks are formed. Afterwards, when Sedimentary rocks enter the Earth's surface due to continued pressure of the beds and are exposed to intense heat of the mantle inside the surface, then these sedimentary rocks turn into metamorphic rocks. Finally, metamorphic rocks melt down due to intense heat, returning to the original form, magma, then the whole cycle repeats again.

Sedimentary Rocks: 

When sediments are collected in the basin layer upon layer that are called beds. These sediments turn into sedimentary rocks due to the immense pressure of the beds.

Erosion: 

When water, air, or ice carry the rocks, sand, clay, silt, or pebbles, known as sediments, from one point to another, this process of carrying sediments is called erosion. 

Deposition: 

When the sediments being carried away by water are dropped off, this is known as deposition.

Volcano: 

A volcano is a vent in the crust of the earth through which gases and magma escape. 

Types of Volcanoes:

• Active Volcano: 
• Active volcanoes erupt very often.

Dormant Volcano: 

These volcanoes which show eruptions after long intervals of time. During the dormant period, they appear quite inactive.

Extinct Volcano: 

Extinct volcano does not show any signs of eruptions and are considered to not erupt again in the future.