answersLogoWhite

0

First of all, the granite erodes. This means the original rock breaks down due to weathering. Wind, water, ice, they can all do that. As the rock breaks down into smaller and smaller parts, it eventually turns into sand. The sand is then deposited somewhere (let's say a beach), and then buried under more sand.

As more and more layers of sand get on top of the original sand, there is more pressure, and eventually, the pressure becomes big enough to turn the sand into sandstone.

But the process of sedimentation doesn't stop, and after enough time, there is enough pressure to deform the sandstone. This is where metamorphism enters the stage. As more and more pressure is added, the volume of the sandstone decreases. Now, there are different ways in which the volume of something can be decreased. That is removing the empty space, and putting the atoms in a crystalline texture. As the sand originally comes from granite - which is a very silica rich rock - there will be a lot of silica in the sandstone. The crystal that forms then, will be largely silica. Pure quartz is 100% silica. So if the sandstone that we have starts to form crystals to decrease it's volume under pressure, we get the quartzite.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Earth Science

Describe how the granite of a mountain could change first into sandstone and then into quartzite?

Weathering causes the granite to break down into small particles - sand. The sand becomes buried and compacts into sandstone. If the sandstone continues to be buried and comes into close contact with high heat, such as magma, it can be turned into quartzite.


A layer of sandstone is in contact with a mass of granite The granite contains small pieces of the sandstone Which rock is older?

The sandstone is older because it must have been there first to provide the small pieces found in the granite. This relationship implies that the sandstone layer was already in place before the granite formed and incorporated fragments of the sandstone.


If a mass of granite is in contact with a layer of sandstone that contains small pieces of the granite which rock is older?

The granite would be older because it had to form first in order for the sandstone to contain pieces of it. The sandstone would have formed later on top of the granite layer.


How the granite of a mountain could change first into sandstone and then quartzite?

Well, honey, let me break it down for you. Granite is a tough cookie, but over time, it can weather and break down into smaller pieces, forming sandstone. Then, with a little heat and pressure, that sandstone can get a makeover and transform into quartzite. It's like nature's way of giving rocks a glow-up.


What is the odd one out of granite basalt sandstone?

Sandstone is the odd one out as it is a sedimentary rock, as opposed to granite and basalt which are respectively felsic and mafic igneous rocks.

Related Questions

How can the granite of a mountain change first into sandstone and then into quartize?

The Granite mountain becomes weathered and eroded by surface processes and the debris is carried off and separated into its sandy components by water flowing in rivers. The sandy sediments pile up and become buried by more sediments and as this happens they fuse together to form a new sandstone rock. Should this new rock become involved in a continental collision that heats up and squashes the sandstone rock this will metamorphose into a quartzite.


Describe how the granite of a mountain could change first into sandstone and then into quartzite?

Weathering causes the granite to break down into small particles - sand. The sand becomes buried and compacts into sandstone. If the sandstone continues to be buried and comes into close contact with high heat, such as magma, it can be turned into quartzite.


How does change granite into sandstone?

Granite becomes Sandstone when water erodes the Granite on Earths surface, and then deposits the sediment.


A layer of sandstone is in contact with a mass of granite The granite contains small pieces of the sandstone Which rock is older?

The sandstone is older because it must have been there first to provide the small pieces found in the granite. This relationship implies that the sandstone layer was already in place before the granite formed and incorporated fragments of the sandstone.


If a mass of granite is in contact with a layer of sandstone that contains small pieces of the granite which rock is older?

The granite would be older because it had to form first in order for the sandstone to contain pieces of it. The sandstone would have formed later on top of the granite layer.


Is sandstone a scoria granite or pumice?

None of those. Scoria, Pumice and Granite are igneous rocks. Sandstone is sedimentary.


Is the great wall of China made of granite or sandstone?

granite


If a sandstone in contact with a granite contains fragments of the granite what can you infer?

If a sandstone in contact with a granite contains fragments of the granite, it suggests that the granite is older than the sandstone. The presence of granite fragments indicates that the granite was likely eroded and its material was transported and deposited to form the sandstone. This relationship can also imply that geological processes, such as weathering and erosion, played a significant role in shaping the landscape between the two rock types.


How does the granite of a mountain change first into a sandstone into a quartzite?

The forces of the mountain building slowly pushed the granite upward. This formed a mountain. Water and wind slowly wore the granite away. The sand remaining was carried by streams to the ocean. Over millions of years layers of sediment piled up on the ocean floor and changed to sandstone. Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock. Over time, the sandstone became deeply buried. Heat and pressure changed the sandstone to quartzite, a metamorphic rock. I got this from my science homework. :)


What rocks is the texture of sandpaper granite shale sandstone marble?

granite


Which rock holds more water shale sandstone or granite?

granite


What rock is harder than sandstone?

Granite is typically harder than sandstone. Granite is an igneous rock that forms from the cooling of molten magma, making it more dense and resistant to abrasion compared to sandstone, which is a sedimentary rock.