Processes Shape Materials - Middle School Earth and Space Science

Crystallization. Atoms reorganize from liquid disorder to solid crystal order.

Melting followed by crystallization. Heat transforms solid to liquid, then cooling rebuilds crystals.

Movement of weathered material by water, wind, ice, or gravity. Natural forces transport weathered particles to new locations.

Breakdown of rock into smaller pieces or new substances. Physical or chemical processes break rock at Earth's surface.

Magma or lava cools and forms solid mineral crystals. Minerals form as atoms arrange into ordered structures during cooling.

Solid rock becomes liquid magma due to heating. Heat causes minerals to break down and atoms to move freely.

Chemical weathering. Water and acids react with minerals to create new compounds.

Continuous movement and transformation of Earth materials. Rock materials change form but atoms are conserved and reused.

They are continually reused by processes. Rock cycle continuously transforms materials between forms.

Weathering then erosion. Rock must break before pieces can be transported.

Cooling and crystallization. Temperature drop triggers mineral formation from melt.

Weathering and erosion. Weathering breaks rock; erosion moves the pieces.

It redistributes sediment, moving Earth materials to new locations. Transports materials to sites where new rocks can form.

It produces sediment and dissolved materials from existing rock. Breaks down rock to release materials for new formations.

It creates new solid rock and minerals from melted material. Transforms liquid rock back into solid minerals.

It recycles rock into magma, enabling new rock to form later. Returns solid rock to liquid state for reprocessing.

Erosion. Transport processes relocate weathered materials.

Rock breaks down into smaller pieces or new substances at the surface. Physical and chemical processes decompose rock in place.

Melting. Deep Earth temperatures exceed rock melting points.

Weathering. Weathering breaks rock without moving it from its location.

Moves sediment to new locations where it can be deposited and buried. Erosion relocates sediment to depositional environments.

Creates sediment and dissolved ions that can form new rocks later. Weathering produces raw materials for future sedimentary rocks.

Turns magma into new igneous rock, creating solid material again. Crystallization rebuilds solid rock from liquid magma/lava.

Transport of weathered sediment by water, wind, ice, or gravity. Moving agents carry broken rock pieces to new locations.