Rock Cycle Terms

Weathering-  The breaking down of rock into smaller pieces----- gravity was the most common, but also wind and rain.

Erosion is the moving of this broken rock (sediment) again the most common way is gravity, but we can also always point to rain or water as a major source   

Deposition is the depositing of the sediment in an area that eventually gets a build up of the sediment.

Compression is the build up of sediment that causes pressure pushing downward and compacting

Cementation is the natural sticking together that is caused by time and minerals combining.

Heating-  This is when a rock is heated at extreme temperatures, but not melted because it is not in the magma

Re-crystallization-  Due to heat crystals begin to grow again in the rock.

Folliation-  Minerals line themselves up in layers or get pushed due to pressure into layers

Melting-  The rock finds it’s way into magma and completely melts and the minerals mix with the other minerals in the “mineral soup”

Crystallization-  As a new rock solidifies, mineral deposits begin to form on the rock.  Remember, the longer this process takes, the bigger the crystals will be.  If it is intrusive, the crystals will be bigger because the process of cooling would take longer due to the extreme temperatures of the magma.
            If it is extrusive, the process is shorter because the rock will cool on the land or in water, therefore thecrystals are smaller or even absent.