How does increase in confinding pressure affect a rocks melting temperature?
An increase in confining pressure raises the melting temperature of rocks. This occurs because higher pressure forces atoms closer together, stabilizing the solid structure and making it more difficult for the material to transition into a liquid state. As a result, rocks require a greater amount of heat to reach their melting point under higher pressures. This phenomenon is crucial in geological processes, such as the formation of magma in the Earth's crust.