Stude
Date:
Objective
To identify metamorphic rocks based on physical properties such as the presence of
foliation, composition, crystal size, and parent rock
Materials
• Metamorphic Rock Identification Website
• Metamorphic Rock Images (found in Canvas)
• Foliated and Non-Foliated Metamorphic Rock Chart (appended to this worksheet)
Purpose (5 pts)
Refer to the Objective of this lab and read through the and to write a 1–2 Procedure
sentence purpose statement for this lab. What do you want the outcome to be?
What question(s) are you trying to answer?
Hypothesis (5 pts)
Write a hypothesis for what you think the outcome of this lab will be. If you are able
to correctly identify the properties of each rock sample, then what will happen?
Procedure
1. Go to the Metamorphic Rock Identification website (link included in the
Materials section).
2. Identify the properties and the names of the 8 unknown metamorphic rocks.
Ava Philbrook
10/20/2020
The purpose of this lab is too identify the properties of the 8 unknown metamorphic rocks. I want the outcome
of this lab to be all correctly identified rocks.
If, I am able to correctly identify each rock the outcome of this lab will be getting them all correct.
3. Complete the chart in the section of the lab worksheet using the Data
information from the website, the Foliated and Non-Foliated Metamorphic
Rock Chart, and the images provided in Canvas.
4. Complete the remaining sections of the lab worksheet. 5. Save and upload
the completed lab worksheet to Canvas.
Data (50 pts)
Fill in the chart below in order to identify each rock sample.
(1 pts per blank + 3 pts per Rock Name = 50 pts total)
Sampl
e
Numb
er
Foliated or
Non-Foliated
Type of Foliation
(N/A if Non-Foliated)
Compositi
on
Probable
Parent
Rock
Rock
Nam
e
#1 Non-Foliated Gneissic banding Feldspar,
mica,
quartz
schist gnei
ss
#2 Foliated schistose Mica,Quartz slate schis
t
#3 Non-Foliated N/A calcite limestone marb
le
#4 Foliated slaty mica mudstone slate
#5 Foliated schistose Mica,
Quartz
Slate schis
t
#6 Non-Foliated N/A Quartz sandstone quar
tzite
#7 Foliated phyllitic Quartz,
mica,
chlorite
mudstone phyll
ite
#8 Non-Foliated N/A Carbon Bituminous
coal
Anth
racit
coal
Data Table 1
Observations (10 pts)
Write down a few differences you observe between Samples #2 and #6 from the
Metamorphic Rock Identification Website (texture, color, parent rock, etc.). Now look
at the pictures of metamorphic rock samples in Canvas. What differences do you
notice between the pictures of Slate and Phyllite? State your answers in 3-5
sentences.
Analysis & Conclusion (15 pts)
According to the Foliated Metamorphic Rock Chart slate, phyllite, schist, and gneiss
can all have the same parent rock (shale). If this is true, what determines the
difference between a slate and a gneiss rock that both are formed from a shale?
What role does the parent rock play in determining the type of metamorphic rock
that will be formed? In a rock that has undergone contact metamorphism, would
you expect to find foliation? Why or why not? State your answers in 3-5 sentences.
Application (5 pts)
Quartzite and marble can look very similar. Why do you think artists carve
The first thing I noticed was their color. Slate was dark greyish while Phyllite looked like gold. There is no
difference in #2 and #6 with their texture, parent rock, composition, and foliation. But, there was a small
difference in their color #2 had some more crystal you could see and was more shiny. And #6 was a little less shiny
but the had the same color base but not really when you looked at a close up picture.
The parent rock determines the degree to which change will happen. No, you would not expect to find foliation. You
would not expect to foliation because it was not changed by pressure.
I think they carve out of marble more often because marbles parent rock is, Limestone. And Quartz parent rock is,
sandstone. Limestone will hold up better when you carve it while sandstone I think will fall apart more easily because
of its mostly made up of sand.
FOLIATED AND NON-FOLIATED METAMORPHIC ROCK CHARTS
