Shock metamorphism

Shock metamorphism is a process that happens when rocks are hit really hard by something fast and heavy, like a meteorite or asteroid. Imagine you're playing with a bunch of stacking blocks, and someone suddenly smashes them with a hammer. The blocks will change shape and maybe even break into smaller pieces. That's kind of what happens to rocks when they get hit by something really fast and heavy.

When rocks are hit by something like a meteorite, a shockwave is created that travels through the rock at incredibly high speeds. This shockwave can cause a lot of damage to the rock, like creating new cracks and fractures, melting some parts of the rock, or even completely shattering it into smaller pieces.

Scientists study shock metamorphism to learn more about the history of our planet and the things that have happened to it. By examining the rocks that have been impacted by meteorites, they can learn more about the size and formation of these space rocks, as well as the conditions of the Earth at the time of impact.