Metamorphic Rock Questions |
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How could mineral hardness be used to tell quartzite from marble?
What term is used for metamorphic rock with banded texture?
What happens to rock fragments that get buried after a long time?
What items do metamorphic rock make up?
Can a metamorphic rock become big?
Can a metamorphic rock mix up with a sedimentary rock? What would it form?
Which kind of metamorphic rocks are massive and lack banding?
What is slate? Tell me about it.
What happens to rock fragments that get buried for a long time?
How could mineral hardness be used to tell quartzite from marble?I don't know that hardness would be a good test since both of these rockshave undergone metamorphism. In theory, quartzite should be harder because it is made of Quartz which has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and Marble is made of calcite which is has a hardness of 3 on Mohs scale. The best test is the "fizz test." If you drop a dilute acid on the rocks, the marble will bubble or fizz. You can use vinegar since it is a very weak acid and see if you can observe the fizz. Anything made of calcite should fizz but quartz will not. Back to Top  |
What term is used for metamorphic rock with banded texture?You may be referring to “foliation” which is the layering within a metamorphic rock. Foliation occurs when there is a strong pressure applied to the rock in one direction, just like when you put your hands flat together and push. When this pressure is applied, certain minerals, like mica and chlorite, grow with their long direction perpendicular to the pressure. This make the rock appear with layering and/or banding.Back to Top |
What happens to rock fragments that get buried after a long time?These rock fragments will be heated and compressed and either combine into a new rock or be metamorphosed into a new rock.Back to Top |
What items do metamorphic rock make up?I assume based on the search you did that you are trying to determine what type of common household items may be made from metamorphic rocks. Mostly, they are used for building materials such as floors, roofs, walls, bathroom surfaces, etc. Marble and slate are two of the most common building materials. Gneiss (pronounced "nice") and quartzite also used for building materials sometimes. Some metamorphic rocks, like garnet schist, are mined for their mineral content. The minerals can be used for a variety of uses, like jewelry.Back to Top |
Can a metamorphic rock become big?Yes. Regional Metamorphism, which is the term used when large areas of rock are metamorphosed at the same time, will cause very large metamorphic rocks.Back to Top |
Can a metamorphic rock mix up with a sedimentary rock? What would it form?Sedimentary rocks are formed from pieces of other rocks and minerals. A metamorphic rock can become a sedimentary rock if the rock is broken apart through wind and flowing water and becomes sediment. The sediment can then be compacted or cemented into a sedimentary rock.Back to Top |
Which kind of metamorphic rocks are massive and lack banding?Hornfels, anthracite, marble and quartzite are examples of metamorphic rocks that can be massive and typically lack banding.Back to Top |
What is slate? Tell me about it.Slate is a metamorphic rock that is formed from the contact metamorphism (high pressure and heating) of the sedimentary rocks shale, mudstone or siltstone on the edges of mountain regions. Sometimes the original bedding of the shale can be seen in the slate. Slate has a fine-grained texture (the crystals are too small to see) and is often dark, blue-gray in color but also may be green, brown or red. The major minerals contained in slate are quartz, feldspar, carbonates (such as calcite), chlorite and micas. Slate can be easily broken into sheets along “cleavage planes.” Because of its properties, slate can be used as a building material for roofs and flooring and for gravestones. Slate is often found in France, Finland, United States, and England.Back to Top |
What happens to rock fragments that get buried for a long time?Rocks fragments that are buried for a long time may be cemented together or may undergo metamorphism and form a new rock. Depending on their location, buried rocks may once again appear on the land surface due to faulting or folding.Back to Top |