Lab: Metamorphic Rocks
Introduction: The word metamorphic comes from the Greek word meaning to change form. Metamorphic rocks result
from heat, pressure and chemical action applied to a pre-existing rock. These processes cause the minerals in the preexisting rock to change (recrystallize) and reorient themselves. Geologists divide metamorphic rocks into two broad
groups, Foliated and Nonfoliated. (See ESRT). Foliated rocks exhibit mineral alignment (layers) or banding. Nonfoliated
show no mineral orientation.
Objective: Using your ESRT and rock samples, student will investigate the properties by which metamorphic rocks can be
identified.
Vocabulary:
Recrystallization: ______________________________________________________________
Foliation_____________________________________________________________________
Parent Rock __________________________________________________________________
Contact Metamorphism_________________________________________________________
Regional Metamorphism________________________________________________________
Questions:
1. Based on its composition, how could you tell marble from quartzite?
______________________________________________________________________
2. Would you expect fossils to be found in metamorphic rocks? Why or Why not?
______________________________________________________________________
3. How could you distinguish between a phyllite and gneiss?
______________________________________________________________________
4. Does heat and pressure increase or decrease as you change from slate through gniess? (circle one)
5. List the minerals that make up gneiss. ____________ _______________ _____________
_______________ ______________ ________________
6. List the mineral that makes up slate. ________________
7. List the mineral that makes up marble ________________
8. What is the parent rock of the following metamorphic rocks:
a. Quartzite _______________ b. Marble _____________c. Gneiss ____________
d. Slate ______________
Metamorphic Rocks
Sample
Number
Foliated
(Banding, Flat ,
Sparkly)
or
Nonfoliated
(None of the above)
Grain Size
Composition
Mineral(s)
Present*
Type of
Metamorphism
(Regional or
Contact)
Parent Rock
(See
Comment
Column ESRT)
Rock
Name
Rock
Symbol