Key Stage 3
Meaning
You can see the sharp interlocking grains of the
igneous rock.
An igneous rock is a rock formed from magma or lava.
About Igneous Rocks
- When magma or lava freezes it is called an igneous rock.
- When the magma is trapped underground it freezes slowly and this makes very large crystals in the rock. This is called 'intrustive rock'.
- When the lava comes out of the volcano it cools down and freezes quickly making small crystals. This is called 'extrusive rock'.
- Igneous rocks have sharp interlocking grains.
Examples
Intrusive Igneous Rocks
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Granite is an igneous rock with large interlocking grains.
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Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock.
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Diorite cools very slowly underground so it has large crystals.
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Extrusive Igneous Rocks
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Basalt forms from lava so it is an extrusive igneous rock.
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Obsidian is an igneous rock that cools so quickly that crystals don't have any time to form at all.
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Pumice bursts out of Volcanoes and gives of gases that make bubbles inside making it look like a sponge.
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