Question

What is a mineral phase change?

a. when a mineral melts from a solid state to a liquid state
b. the exterior of a mineral weathers and changes color
c. a mineral changes density because of the addition of water
d. atoms in a mineral are rearranged into a more stable and denser structure?

Answer 1

A mineral phase change involves the action of a mineral changing physical form. This can involve changing from a solid to a liquid, changing in to a gas form, etc. This phenomenon may sometimes be referred to as metamorphism.