Essay about Metamorphic Rock

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Pages: 5

Metamorphic Rock
Metamorphism means to change form; this is exactly what metamorphic rocks do. This paper will take a look at the Earth’s rock cycle to examine exactly where the metamorphic rock fits into it. It will also look at how metamorphic rocks are formed and the relationship between metamorphic rocks and igneous rock and sedimentary rocks. This paper will examine the geological characteristics and materials of metamorphic rocks, and examine some examples of metamorphic rocks and will describe mineral composition of some examples and explain its economic uses.
The Rock Cycle The rock cycle helps people to understand the starting point of the igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. In addition to explaining how each of the
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Slate is black when it contains organic materials, it is red when it contains iron oxides, and it is green when it has chlorite. Slate can form shale or sometimes even volcanic ash. Slate can be found all over but is most commonly found in Britain. It is used in consumer products like pool tables, chalkboards, and roofing tiles.
Another example of a very common metamorphic rock seen quite frequently is marble. Marble is used as a common building material in things from tiles and countertops, to statues and other carved arts. Marble is made up of calcite crystals formed from smaller re-crystallized rocks usually containing limestone and dolostone. Limestone is where the marble receives its color so marble can come in almost any color. Marble is mostly found in Canada, Italy, Germany, Spain, India, the United States and China.
Geological Characteristics and Materials of Metamorphic Rock
Metamorphic rock takes on several characteristics after formation. The most noticeable characteristic is foliation. This is the banding that occurs during metamorphism. The banding arrangement varies from fine to coarse crystalline structures. The banding can be uniform as seen in slate or discontinuous as found in Gneiss. Rocks with no apparent orientation are called nonfoliated. This characteristic of metamorphic rock generally consists of a single mineral of larger interlocking crystals (Tarbuck, Lutgens, & Tasa, 2006). Marble is an