Rocks continually change from one form to another through the rock cycle, involving processes such as weathering, melting, and metamorphism. Each type forms under different conditions and has distinct characteristics. Types of Rocks: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic Igneous Rocks Igneous rocks form from...
Classifying igneous rocks into these two main types is easy and logical for the most part. If the rock formed from lava spilling onto the surface of the rock then it is an extrusive or volcanic igneous rock. If the rock never made it to the surface before it cooled into a rock, then ...
Volcanic rocks(also called extrusive igneous rocks) include all the products resulting from eruptions of lava (flows and fragmented debris called pyroclasts). Plutonic rocks(also called intrusive igneous rocks) are those that have solidified below ground; plutonic comes from Pluto, the Greek god of...
Igneous rocks are created when lava cools and becomes hard. Learn how igneous rocks are formed and discover the two types of igneous rocks: intrusive and extrusive. How Igneous Rocks Are Formed We have all seen a volcano erupt on television or in a movie. They are explosive, and the lava...
Igneous Rocks Rocks are generally separated into one of three different categories: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The word igneous means that the rock became a solid after having originally been hot magma, or lava. These rocks are formed from the molten material found beneath the Earth...
Types of Igneous Rocks The igneous rocks definition includes two categories of rock formation. These two types are discussed below in detail. Intrusive Igneous Rocks:When the molten lava cools slowly below the earth’s surface, the crystallization results in the formation of large crystals. These ...
We describe these two basic types: Intrusive igneous rocks crystallize below Earth's surface, and the slow cooling that occurs there allows large crystals to form. Examples of intrusive igneous rocks are: diabase, diorite, gabbro, granite, pegmatite, and peridotite. Extrusive igneous rocks erupt ...
Learn about igneous rocks. Discover what an igneous rock is and how they are formed. Also learn about the different types of igneous rocks, along...
Classifying Igneous Rocks As we just learned, there are two main types of igneous rocks: intrusive rocks (also known as plutonic rocks) and extrusive rocks (also known as volcanic rocks). Volcanic rocks break down into two more categories: (a) lava flows and (b) tephra (pyroclastic material...
Rocks are classified by the way they form. Igneous rocks are those that form when magma cools and hardens. This process can occur on the Earth's surface or underground. The exact location of the formation of the rock determines the type of igneous roc