Which statement best describes the rock cycle as a whole?

• A. The cycle is a linear progression from igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic.
• B. Rocks can transform from one type to another through weathering, metamorphism, melting, and cementation.
• C. Rocks only change through time but never melt.
• D. Sedimentary rocks cannot become metamorphic rocks.

Answer: (B)

The rock cycle shows rocks continually changing from one form to another through a set of processes, not along a single fixed path. Rocks can become different types when they are broken down and transported as sediment (weathering and erosion), then compacted and cemented into sedimentary rock. Existing rocks can also be altered by heat and pressure to become metamorphic rocks, or melted into magma that later crystallizes into igneous rocks. This makes the cycle a many-to-many set of transformations connecting igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

The statement captured here is the best because it recognizes that rocks can transform from one type to another via weathering, metamorphism, melting, and cementation, covering the major pathways in the cycle. The other options imply an unidirectional path, deny melting, or claim sedimentary rocks can’t become metamorphic rocks, which aren’t correct for how the cycle operates.