Metamorphic rocks exercise

Metamorphic rocks were once sedimentary, igneous, or another metamorphic rock. These rocks are physically deformed and chemically changed due to different temperatures and pressures. The elements in the minerals can actually "move" to form new minerals in solid state. The temperature can never reach melting temperature or else it would be considered an igneous rock. A rock looks different after it has been metamorphosed. The rocks texture and overall appearance changes also.

There are three types of metamorphism as we learned from the classification of metamorphic rock diagram the regional, contact, and dynamic metamorphism.

Here we only going to look at the regional metamorphic rocks:

1. Low grade:

Slate:  Copy and paste a really good slate picture here ( just a thumbnail size) and answer the following questions: (to copy a picture here, find the picture, right click on it, choose copy; go back to your paper, right click at the place where you want to put it and choose paste; when the picture is there you can change the size by clicking on the image.)

a. In what kind of environment does slate form?

c. How does the foliation form?

Mica schist: Copy and paste a really good mica schist picture here ( just a thumbnail size) and answer the following questions:

a. what kind of environment does mica schist form?

b. What are the characteristic porphyroblasts in mica schist? (http://geology.about.com/od/more_metrocks/ig/porphyroblasts/)

What is the legend behind fairystone, and what kind of mineral is fairy stone? (http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fai.shtml). Put your favorite fairystone picture here.

Gneiss: Copy and paste a really good gneiss  picture here   (just a thumbnail size) and answer the following questions:

a. What kind of environment does gneiss form in?

b. What are the characteristic minerals in gneiss?

c. How is gneiss used?

Quartzite: Copy and paste a really good quartzite  picture here   (just a thumbnail size) and answer the following questions:

a. What is the difference between quartzite and marble? How can you tell them apart?

b. What is the parent rock for quartzite?

Marble: Copy and paste a really good marble  picture here   (just a thumbnail size;) and answer the following questions:

a. What is marble?

b. What kind of environment does it form?

c. What is the parent rock for marble? 

d. List some building and famous sculpture built of marble?

After you finished with looking at the pictures, please practice your knowledge on this website: http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/labs/metamorf/index.htm

Pick your sample and try to identify the rocks