Day: February 12, 2026

Earth Science The three primary types of rocks—igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic—are classified by the United States Geological Survey based on their distinct formation processes involving cooling magma, accumulating debris, or intense heat and pressure.

Metamorphic rocks are formed when existing igneous, sedimentary, or even other metamorphic rocks are transformed by intense heat, extreme pressure, or chemically active fluids deep within the Earth’s crust. This process, known as metamorphism, changes the rock’s physical and chemical properties without actually melting it if the rock were to melt, it would become igneous rock instead.…