Metamorphic Rocks Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary effect of heat during metamorphism?

It provides energy for chemical reactions, allowing new minerals to form. (correct)

It enables the stabilization of existing minerals.

It reduces the pressure on the rock layers.

It causes the rock to break apart.

What primarily causes metamorphic changes in rocks?

Weathering and erosion

Sedimentation and compaction

Cooling and crystallization

Heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids (correct)

Which high-pressure minerals are commonly identified in impact craters?

Basalt and granite

Gneiss and schist

Stishovite and coesite (correct)

Quartz and feldspar

What characterizes high-grade metamorphism?

Complete transformation of the parent rock Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes regional metamorphism?

It involves heat and pressure on a widespread scale due to burial. Signup and view all the answers

Which source of heat is NOT involved in the process of metamorphism?

Friction between tectonic plates Signup and view all the answers

Which type of metamorphism occurs mainly due to the intrusion of magma?

Contact or Thermal Metamorphism Signup and view all the answers

What process can occur during metamorphism that affects the structural integrity of rocks?

Folding and fracturing Signup and view all the answers

How does pressure affect rocks during metamorphism?

It manifests as body forces and surface forces. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by confining pressure in metamorphic processes?

Equal pressure applied in all directions to the rock Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of low-grade metamorphism?

Minor changes with the parent rock still distinguishable Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between depth and pressure in metamorphic rocks?

Pressure increases with increasing depth. Signup and view all the answers

Which metamorphic condition is associated with rapid pressure application?

Dynamic Metamorphism Signup and view all the answers

What happens chemically during contact metamorphism?

Chemical changes occur from heat-driven reactions with ion-rich water Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following processes primarily promotes chemical reactions in metamorphic rocks?

Heat acting on minerals Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a primary factor of metamorphism?

Heat and pressure Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Metamorphic Rocks Overview

Formed from existing parent rocks transformed by heat and pressure beneath the Earth's surface or at tectonic plate boundaries.
Primary causes of metamorphism: heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids.
During metamorphism, rocks may fold, fracture, or partially melt before reforming.

Types of Metamorphism

Low-Grade Metamorphism:
- Lower temperatures and compressional forces lead to minor changes in parent rock.
- Parent rock may remain easily distinguishable post-metamorphism.
High-Grade Metamorphism:
- Results in total transformation of the parent rock, making identification difficult.

Metamorphic Conditions

Contact or Thermal Metamorphism:
- Occurs when magma intrudes into parent rock, primarily causing temperature changes.
- Hot, ion-rich water can circulate through fractures, inducing chemical changes.
Dynamic Metamorphism:
- Involves rapid pressure application, often in fault zones or impact craters.
- Fault zones produce heat through friction, potentially melting and altering the rock.
- Impact craters identify high-pressure minerals such as stishovite and coesite from meteorite collisions.
Regional Metamorphism:
- Subjected to heat and pressure on a large scale, typically from burial in the crust.
- Associated with large-scale deformation and mountain-building processes.

Causes of Metamorphism: Heat

Provides energy for chemical reactions that form new minerals from original ones.
Heat enables ions in rock to move, migrate, and recrystallize into new minerals.
Sources of heat:
- Contact metamorphism by nearby magma.
- Geothermal gradient increases temperature with depth in the Earth.

Causes of Metamorphism: Pressure

Pressure defined as force per unit area; increases with depth due to overlying rock weight.
Two types of pressures:
- Body Force (Confining Pressure): Applied equally in all directions, compressing mineral grains closer together.
- Surface Force (Differential Stress): Operates across surfaces, affecting how rocks deform under stress.

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Description

Test your knowledge on metamorphic rocks and their formation processes. This quiz covers the causes of metamorphism, including heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids. Understand how existing rocks transform into new rock types under varying conditions.