Final answer:
If an igneous rock exposed to the sun's energy is later subjected to high heat and pressure from the Earth's interior, it can become a metamorphic rock. This change is part of the rock cycle, where rocks are continuously formed, transformed, and recycled over geologic time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Rock Transformation
When an igneous rock is first exposed to the sun's energy, it typically undergoes weathering and erosion due to the external environment. However, if that same rock is then subjected to high energy from the Earth's interior, such as heat and pressure, it can become a metamorphic rock. This process is part of the vast geological cycle that also includes the formation of sedimentary rocks from weathered rock materials and the creation of igneous rocks from cooled magma or lava.
Through geologic processes driven by plate tectonics, rocks are continuously recycled over time. An igneous rock exposed to surface conditions may weather, break down into sediment, and potentially form a sedimentary rock. However, when later subjected to the intense heat and pressure present within the Earth's crust, that same rock can undergo significant physical and chemical changes without melting, resulting in metamorphic rock. This alteration might cause minerals within the rock to realign or recrystallize, creating distinct textures such as foliation.
Therefore, the accurate answer to the student's question is that if an igneous rock, after being exposed to the sun's energy, is later affected by the energy from the Earth's interior, it would likely transform into a metamorphic rock due to the effects of heat and pressure, completing a part of the rock cycle.