Rocks that form when great heat, pressure, and chemical reactions change existing rocks are called

Rocks that form when great heat, pressure, and chemical reactions change existing rocks are called

• A. Igneous rock
• B. Sedimentary rock
• C. Metamorphic rock
• D. Limestone

Answer: (C)

Metamorphic rocks are formed when an existing rock is transformed by high heat, high pressure, and chemical activity. The intense conditions push the minerals to recrystallize and often align into layered textures, a feature called foliation, while new minerals may form that are stable under the altered conditions. This transformation happens deep in the crust or at tectonic boundaries, and the rock stays solid while its minerals and structure change. For example, shale can become slate, sandstone can become quartzite, and limestone can become marble through metamorphism. Igneous rocks come from cooling molten material, and sedimentary rocks form from deposited sediments that lithify, so the description fits metamorphic rocks.

Metamorphic rocks are formed when an existing rock is transformed by high heat, high pressure, and chemical activity. The intense conditions push the minerals to recrystallize and often align into layered textures, a feature called foliation, while new minerals may form that are stable under the altered conditions. This transformation happens deep in the crust or at tectonic boundaries, and the rock stays solid while its minerals and structure change. For example, shale can become slate, sandstone can become quartzite, and limestone can become marble through metamorphism. Igneous rocks come from cooling molten material, and sedimentary rocks form from deposited sediments that lithify, so the description fits metamorphic rocks.