Question

‘The rock cycle has no beginning and no end.’ Justify this statement with examples.

Answer 1

“The rock cycle has no beginning and no end” because it is a continuous process in which rocks change from one type to another over time without any fixed starting or ending point.

• Igneous to Sedimentary: Igneous rocks like granite break down through weathering and erosion into small particles. These particles are transported by wind or water and deposited in layers, eventually forming sedimentary rocks like sandstone.

• Sedimentary to Metamorphic: Sedimentary rocks can be buried deep inside the Earth, where they are subjected to heat and pressure. For example, limestone can change into marble, a metamorphic rock.

• Metamorphic to Igneous: Metamorphic rocks may melt due to intense heat inside the Earth and turn into magma. When this magma cools, it solidifies to form new igneous rocks like basalt or granite.

• Repetition: The newly formed igneous rocks can again undergo weathering, erosion, and deposition to become sedimentary rocks, or they can be subjected to heat and pressure to become metamorphic rocks again.