metamorphism
The pressure's mounting...
I'm getting all hot under the collar now that the pressure is on.
Deep within the Earth's crust rocks can be put under huge pressures and temperatures are very high. These conditions can cause the minerals in the rock to change. This process is called metamorphism.
All rocks can be metamorphosed, and there are many different types of metamorphic rock. Limestone can change into marble, shale and mudstones into slate, and igneous rocks like granite can turn into gneiss. The extent to which the rocks are changed depends on:
- whether they are exposed to heat, pressure or both
- whether they are forced to change shape
- the time they are exposed to these conditions.
