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Igneous Rocks Are Classified by Texture and Chemical Composition Texture of Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks are classified based on their texture and chemical composition. Coarse-grained rocks have larger mineral grains and cooled slowly below the Earth's surface, while fine-grained rocks have smaller grains and cooled quickly above ground. Common igneous rocks include granites, basalts, and diorites. Granites are coarse-grained with over 70% silica and basalts are fine-grained with under 50% silica. Chemical composition and cooling rate determine texture and mineral content.

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52 views

Igneous Rocks Are Classified by Texture and Chemical Composition Texture of Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks are classified based on their texture and chemical composition. Coarse-grained rocks have larger mineral grains and cooled slowly below the Earth's surface, while fine-grained rocks have smaller grains and cooled quickly above ground. Common igneous rocks include granites, basalts, and diorites. Granites are coarse-grained with over 70% silica and basalts are fine-grained with under 50% silica. Chemical composition and cooling rate determine texture and mineral content.

Uploaded by

Nageswara Rao Nanduri
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Igneous rocks are classified by texture and chemical composition Texture of Igneous Rocks Depends on size of mineral grains:

Coarse-grained (larger grains) Large grains easily visible to naked eye Cooled slowly, below earths surface time for minerals to grow large Called intrusive or plutonic rocks. Example: granites in Yosemite Fine-grained (smaller grains) Small grains, most not visible to naked eye Cooled quickly on Earths surface no time for minerals to grow large Called extrusive or volcanic rocks. Example: basalts of the Hawaiian volcanoes and the oceanic crust
Table 4.2. CLASSIFICATION and PROPERTIES of IGNEOUS ROCKS and MAGMAS

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION (% Silica)


70% Glass Obsidian Rhyolite Granite
*Dacite *Granodiorite *Andesite *Basaltic Andesite

65%

60%

55%

50%

40%

TEXTURE

Fine Grained Coarse Grained Very Large Crystals

Basalt Gabbro Peridotite

Diorite

Pegmatite
Quartz Orthoclase-Feldspar
1

Common Minerals Color Density (g/cm ) Melting Temp. ( C) Viscosity of Magma Extent of Lava Flows % Volotile Fluids Type of Eruptions Types of Volcanoes
1

Amphibole Plagioclase-Feldspar

Pyroxene Black 3.0 1200 Low Large Area 1% Quiet


o

Olivine Dark Green 3.3 1400


o

Light 2.7

800

High Small Area 10% Explosive Composite Lava Dome Composite Lava Dome

Shield Cinder Cone

*Common igneous rocks in Mount Rainier National Park.


Obsidian is an exception. Even though it has very high silica content, the refractive properties of the glass make it black.

Felsic
(High SiO2, Low Mg, Fe) Granite

Plutonic and volcanic equivalents

Rhyolite

Quartz monzonite

Andesite

Obsidian (volcanic glass cooled too quickly for crystals to grow)

Gabbro

Basalt

Mafic
(Low SiO2, High Mg, Fe) Plutonic Volcanic

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