Igneous Rocks: Definition and Formation

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Questions and Answers

How are igneous rocks formed?

  • Through the metamorphosis of existing rocks
  • By the evaporation of water from the Earth's surface
  • By the cooling and solidification of magma (correct)
  • By the compression of sedimentary rocks

What makes magma rise to the Earth's surface?

  • It is pushed up by the movement of tectonic plates
  • It is exposed to extremely high temperatures
  • It is denser than the surrounding rock
  • It is less dense and more buoyant than surrounding rock (correct)

Where are melts commonly found?

  • In sedimentary rock layers
  • In the Earth's core
  • In the upper atmosphere
  • In boundaries between tectonic plates or hot spots (correct)

What conditions are required for rocks to melt and form magma?

<p>High temperature, decrease in pressure, and presence of volatiles (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of rocks are formed when magma is trapped underneath the surface and slowly cools?

<p>Intrusive or plutonic rocks (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of batholiths?

<p>Irregularly shaped and can reach up to hundreds of kilometers long (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes sills from dikes?

<p>Sills are horizontally oriented parallel to the rock beds and foliations (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the formation of dikes and sills?

<p>They are formed when magma intrudes on a pre-existing rock body and starts to crystallize as sheet intrusions (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of rocks are commonly observed in batholiths?

<p>Granite, quartz monzonite, or diorite (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable example of a sill formation mentioned in the text?

<p>Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between volcanic and plutonic igneous rocks?

<p>Volcanic rocks form from molten material that reaches the Earth's surface, while plutonic rocks form from magma trapped underneath the Earth's surface (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason for the fine-grained or glassy texture of volcanic rocks?

<p>The rapid cooling of the molten material on the Earth's surface (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which mineral is a significant component of pumice, an example of extrusive igneous rock?

<p>Quartz (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason why granite, an example of intrusive igneous rock, has a coarse-grained texture?

<p>The slow cooling of the magma underneath the Earth's surface (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a pluton in the context of igneous geology?

<p>A large igneous body that cools and solidifies near the Earth's surface (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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