What happens to rocks that are subjected to stress quickly?

When rocks are subjected to stress quickly, they tend to behave in a brittle way due to the rapid increase in pressure and strain. This is because the speed of the applied stress does not allow the rocks to deform plastically; instead, the bonds between the minerals within the rock break suddenly.

In brittle behavior, the rocks will fracture instead of deforming over time or flowing like more ductile materials. Common examples of this include earthquakes, where the rock layers break and create faults due to the quick release of stress.

Understanding the concept of brittle deformation is crucial as it explains why certain geological features can develop under rapid stress conditions and is fundamental in fields like seismology and structural geology. Other options imply different behaviors under stress, which do not accurately reflect the response of rocks to rapid stress.