What should a model of the rock cycle show as the process that changes sedimentary rock to metamorphic rock?(1 point)

Responses

melting
melting

heat and pressure
heat and pressure

compaction and cementation
compaction and cementation

cooling
cooling

heat and pressure

The process that changes sedimentary rock to metamorphic rock is heat and pressure.

The correct answer is "heat and pressure". A model of the rock cycle should show that sedimentary rock is changed to metamorphic rock through the process of heat and pressure. To understand this, it is important to know how the rock cycle works and the processes involved.

To find the correct answer, you can start by understanding the definition of the rock cycle. The rock cycle is a continuous process that describes how rocks are formed, transformed, and destroyed over time. It involves the interplay of various geological processes such as the formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Now, let's break down the given options:

1. Melting: While melting is a process in the rock cycle, it is associated with the formation of igneous rocks, not the transformation of sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks. So, it is not the correct answer in this case.

2. Heat and pressure: This is the correct answer. Metamorphic rocks are formed when existing rocks, typically sedimentary or igneous rocks, undergo intense heat and pressure. These forces cause the minerals within the rocks to recrystallize and reorganize, resulting in the formation of new minerals and the transformation of the rock into a metamorphic rock.

3. Compaction and cementation: This is the process associated with the formation of sedimentary rocks, not the transformation of sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks. Therefore, it is not the correct answer.

4. Cooling: Cooling is related to the solidification of molten rock into an igneous rock, but it is not the process that changes sedimentary rock to metamorphic rock.

In conclusion, to accurately represent the transformation of sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock in a model of the rock cycle, the process of heat and pressure should be included.