Metamorphic Rocks
Pages 172-180
Vocabulary:
1. pressure - a squeezing force that pushes things together
2. metamorphic rock - rocks formed from other rocks by extreme heat and pressure
deep inside the Earth
3. bands - thin mineral layers in rocks
4. geologist - a scientist who studies rocks to learn about Earth’s history
5. rock cycle - the cycle that shows how rocks change from one form to another
Facts to Know:
 Temperatures under the Earth’s surface can be very high.
 Rocks can change under great heat and pressure.
 Metamorphic rocks can be formed from igneous, sedimentary, or even from
other metamorphic rocks.
 Shale can change into slate with heat and pressure.
 Metamorphic rocks each have different properties because of the different
minerals that they are made from and the amount of heat and pressure that
form them.
 Bands can be straight or wavy.
 Many metamorphic rocks are ground up into small chunks and used in the
gravel for driveways and on the side of the road.
 Anthracite coal (metamorphic rock) is found deeper in Earth’s layers and is
much harder than bituminous coal (sedimentary rock).
Uses for Metamorphic Rock:
Marble is used for
statues
Coal is used for energy
Lapis lazuli is used
for jewelry