The Rock Cycle: The Formation Of The Earth

When the earth was first created, the materials that it made were so hot from the contractions that formed the planet and from the heat generated by the core that the outer layers were mostly liquid. Over time, it slowly cooled, and a hard crust formed on the outer surface. This was much like the thin layer of ice that first forms over a pond when the temperature dips below freezing. And just as there is liquid under the layer of ice, there is still liquid magma flowing under the crust. As this happened, a cycle of events began to be put into place that causes changes in the rocks that exist on the earth. This cycle is known as the rock cycle. The rock cycle is a model used to describe the creation, alteration, and destruction of the rocks that form from magma.

It is important to note that new matter is never created on the earth. All the matter that the earth contains was present when the earth formed and still is here today. It may be in different forms, but it is still present. The rock cycle is the earth's way of recycling the matter used to make up rocks from formation to destruction and back to formation. …show more content…
All rocks, whether solid or liquid, are located at some point on that cycle.' 'How long does the whole cycle take?' 'It can take a long time, sometimes thousands of years.' 'Well, we won't ask your age or anything, but you still look great! So, Crystal, do you remember this voice?' 'Hi Crystal, remember when we both came up and were formed and spent the beginning of the cycle together? Those were some of the best times!' 'Wow! It's my good friend Iggy Neous! We started the cycle at the same time! We were igneous rocks because we were rocks that formed directly from magma or