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RossBasalt and gabbro are both igneous rocks, with major differences in grain size and where they form. Basalt has fine-grained crystals and forms from lava flows on the Earth's surface, while gabbro has coarse-grained crystals and forms from magma cooling beneath the Earth's surface.
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In what way is gabbro different from basalt?
Gabbro and basalt are both igneous rocks, but gabbro is a coarse-grained rock formed from slow cooling magma deep underground, while basalt is a fine-grained rock formed from rapid cooling lava on the Earth's surface. Gabbro typically contains more mafic minerals like pyroxene and olivine compared to basalt.
Which igneous rock has the same chemical composition as basalt but a different grain size?
Gabbro has the same chemical composition as basalt (both are mafic rocks) but differs in grain size. Basalt has fine-grained crystals due to rapid cooling at the Earth's surface, while gabbro has coarse-grained crystals as it cools slowly beneath the surface.
Where is basalt and gabbro formed?
Basalt is formed from volcanic lava flows that cool quickly on the Earth's surface, while gabbro is formed from the slow cooling of magma deep underground. Both rocks contain similar mineral compositions, with basalt having fine-grained crystals and gabbro having coarse-grained crystals.
How does a basalt differ from gabbro?
Basalt is a fine-grained volcanic rock, usually dark in color, while gabbro is a coarse-grained intrusive rock that is also dark in color. Basalt tends to cool and solidify quickly on the Earth's surface, resulting in a fine-grained texture, whereas gabbro cools slowly beneath the surface, allowing larger mineral crystals to form.
In what way is gabbro different from basalt why can you infer from this about how these two kinds of ingenious rocks form?
Gabbro has larger crystals and a coarse-grained texture compared to basalt, which has fine crystals and a fine-grained texture. This suggests that gabbro cooled slowly beneath the Earth's surface, allowing larger crystals to form. In contrast, basalt cooled quickly on the Earth's surface or in shallow intrusions, leading to the formation of smaller crystals.
