In what ways could it be said that volcanic activity is "opposite" to the forces of weathering and erosion? How could eroded material eventually become part of a new rock formation again? How do you think the Earth's surface would be different without the constant influence of volcanoes?

Question

mww · Answer

Volcanoes are required to form new crust. If you recall, subduction is where the an oceanic plate is taken up by the mantle, while you have new crust formed around mid-oceanic ridges https://static1.squarespace.com/static/542372fee4b01aabacc4bfec/t/544beb3ce4b039375994a6e8/1414261565103/

dopeboydee · Answer

yea

osprey · Answer

from what's written in the post, volcanoes take seem to eventually take in all the "earth's debris", heat it up a lot, pressurise it a lot, and then eject it, bit like a sort of rock factory ? 
Maybe it could be said that the earth's "boiler room" is the core - molten iron I've read (I've not been there) - and the boiler room stokes the engine of regeneration by recycling the stuff that's around to be pressurised and heated to enormous temperatures. 
And, then, out may pop a few diamonds, a spot of gold and a few other high pressure high temperature "goodies".

SkyVoltage43 · Answer

hello