List the four agents of metamorphism and describe the role of each
What will be an ideal response?
a. Heat is the most important agent of metamorphism. It causes recrystallization of minerals into new minerals that are stable under the conditions of metamorphism.
b. Confining pressure squeezes the rock, compacts it, makes it denser, and can cause recrystallization as well. Confining pressure applies forces equally in all directions.
c. Differential stress applies unequal forces in different directions, resulting in the elongation (lengthening) of rocks. Deformation caused by differential stress plays a major role in developing metamorphic texture.
d. Chemically active fluids can act as catalysts for recrystallization. The hotter the fluids, the more they influence recrystallization. The ions they contain can also result in changing the chemical composition of the rock during recrystallization.
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