Lesson 3: The Rock Cycle and Igneous Rocks

In this lesson, we will discuss rocks– the foundation of the Earth! There are three main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. At first glance, you may think that rocks are static, stable materials that don’t change much. However, that is far from the truth! Rocks can be crushed, worn away, melted, recrystallized, pressurized, stretched, or can experience any combination of these forces and more. All of these processes can change rocks from one type to another. This constant change is known as the rock cycle. In this lesson, you will learn more about the rock cycle, rock types, and the characteristics and classification of igneous rocks.