Geology
Rocks are made out of minerals, solid cristals that are the natural shape of specific molecules at our conditions of pressure and temperature. For example, quartz is SiO2. Minerals are the cells of rocks.
Rocks are constantly made, transformed or destroyed through what we call the Rock Cycle. Lava and magma hardens as it cools to become igneous rocks. Exposed rocks are weathered and their broken down parts we call sediments accumulate in specific settings. These accumulation of sediments can then be buried and made into sedimentary rocks. Under intense heat and pressure, rocks can metamorphose (transform) into new rocks we call metamorphic rocks. And all these rocks can then melt if pushed downwards and turn back into magma.
Rocks are constantly made, transformed or destroyed through what we call the Rock Cycle. Lava and magma hardens as it cools to become igneous rocks. Exposed rocks are weathered and their broken down parts we call sediments accumulate in specific settings. These accumulation of sediments can then be buried and made into sedimentary rocks. Under intense heat and pressure, rocks can metamorphose (transform) into new rocks we call metamorphic rocks. And all these rocks can then melt if pushed downwards and turn back into magma.
The surface of our planet is made of puzzle pieces we call tectonic plates that move over the surface of our planet, sometimes toward each other and sometimes away from each other. This process has redesigned the Earth’s ocean and continents regularly over the length of time our planet has existed.
The Earth is 4.6 billion years old; 4,600 million years old. Humans are not really equipped to understand this length of time. But we have been able to reconstruct the history of our planet over these thousands of millions of years thanks to evidence in the rocks. We can now understand our mountains were formed, where the continents were in the past, how life evolved and how the climate of our planet changed. Be sure to check our digital timeline tool to explore the vast history of our planet.