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QuizMultiple Choice

Metamorphic Rock — Quiz

Question 3 • Earth and Space Science

Imagine that the magma chamber slowly cooled and hardened while the weight of the overlying rock layers stayed the same. What would most likely happen to the metamorphic conditions in the surrounding rock?

Answer
A
Heat would decrease while pressure remained constant, reducing the amount of mineral change over time.
B
Heat would increase as the magma solidified, creating new mineral layers around the hardened rock.
C
Pressure would drop as the magma cooled, increasing crystal size and forming new foliation bands.
D
Both heat and pressure would rise, turning the rock directly above the chamber into partially melted material.

Explanation

As the magma chamber cools, it supplies less heat to the surrounding rock, so the temperature decreases. The question says the overlying rock layers keep the same weight, so pressure stays about the same. With less heat, metamorphic mineral changes would generally slow or become less extensive over time; this matches choice A.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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