Rocks form in many different environments. Igneous rocks develop where melt rises from depth and cools. Intrusive igneous rocks form where magma cools underground; extrusive igneous rocks form where lava and ash erupt at the surface. Weathering and erosion break up existing rock and produce sediment. Different kinds of sediments develop in different places, reflecting both the composition of the source and the setting in which the sediment accumulates. We distinguish among sediment that collects in different environments. When this sediment eventually gets buried and undergoes lithification, new sedimentary rocks form. Under certain conditions, pre-existing rocks can undergo change in the solid state metamorphism which produces metamorphic rocks. Contact metamorphism is due to heat released by an intrusion of magma. Regional metamorphism occurs where tectonic processes cause rocks from the surface to be buried very deeply. Because the Earth is dynamic, environments change through time. Tectonic processes cause new igneous rocks to form. When exposed at the surface, these rocks weather to make sediment. The slow sinking of some regions creates sedimentary basins in which sediment accumulates and new sedimentary rocks form. Later, these rocks may be buried deeply and metamorphosed. Uplift as a result of mountain building exposes the rocks to the surface, where they may once again be transformed into sediment. This progressive transformation is called the rock cycle.
The rock cycle occurs because the Earth is a dynamic planet and there are many rock-forming environments. The planet’s internal heat and gravitational field drive plate movements and plume associated hot spots. Plate interactions cause the uplift of mountain ranges, a process that leads to weathering, erosion, and sediment production. Plate interactions also generate settings in which metamorphism occurs, where rock melts, and where sedimentary basins develop. At the surface of the Earth, the gases initially released by volcanism collect to form the ocean and atmosphere. Heat (from the Sun) and gravity drive convection in the atmosphere and oceans, leading to wind, rain, ice, and currents, the agents of weathering and erosion. In the Earth System, life also plays a key role by adding corrosive oxygen to the atmosphere and by directly contributing to weathering. In sum, external energy (solar heat), internal energy (Earth’s internal heat), gravity, and life all play a role in driving the rock cycle by keeping the mantle, crust, atmosphere, and oceans in motion.
These all processes combined are the rock cycle but what would happen if you wake up and see wind blowing, water flowing, ice melting but none of these contribute to sediments erosion and transportation?. The weathering is no more in the universe every landscape is just the same even after millions of years time passes. Nothing on planet will be altered, well that would be something you can tolerate as dusty winds will be no more and no more sediment filled water flowing but indeed the crystal clear water everywhere. But it cannot be when wind blows it will take sediments and water flows will be suspension in it. Then how would weathering and erosion stops?. Indeed it will stop if the water stops flowing, winds stops blowing and ice stops moving and melting. There will be NO topography, no ice, no winds, no water, no river, no lakes, no aquifer, no seas, no ocean. Minerals would get scarce, no more will be deposited. There will be no sediments for rooting of the plants, if plants cannot grow so there will be no photosynthesis on the universe because of no plantation. As plants in photosynthesis are the cause for oxygen in the atmosphere, there will be no oxygen. If there is no oxygen there is no breathing and thus no life. So there will be no animals, bacteria, algae, fungi and yes Us. Climate will be same as it is no global warming and as no life so there is nothing to really worry about then. This really tells us that weathering and erosion is a vital part of the universe where when it stops, universe will stop and there will be nothing else than just land where no topography changes but remains just as it is.
