Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphosis is based in Greek from meta meaning “to change” and morph meaning “form” . Metamorphism is the process in which rocks are subjected to physical and chemical conditions at elevated temperatures and/or pressures that cause the parent rock to change form. In this lab, we will explore how rocks experience deformation under stress to create geologic features and landscapes, and we will learn how parent rocks undergo metamorphism to become metamorphic rocks. Finally, we will learn to identify some common metamorphic rocks by their characteristic attributes.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing the exercises and reading the text in this chapter, you should be able to…
- Explain the processes that transform preexisting rocks into metamorphic rocks
- Explain the types of stress and strain involved in deforming rocks
- Distinguish between common geologic structures found in crustal rocks
- Identify metamorphic textures and grades and explain how they develop in samples
- Identify metamorphic rocks from hand specimens
