Igneous textures
Okay kiddo, do you ever wonder how rocks are made? Sometimes rocks are made when hot melted rock, which is called magma, cools down and turns solid again. These rocks are called igneous rocks. And just like how cookies can have different textures like chewy, crispy, or soft, igneous rocks can have different textures too.
When the magma cools down, it can happen in different ways. Sometimes it cools down and hardens very quickly, which means the crystals in the rock don’t get much time to form. This makes the rock smooth and shiny, kind of like glass. We call this texture glassy.
Other times, the magma cools down more slowly and the crystals have more time to grow. When this happens, the crystals can be seen with the naked eye and the rock looks kind of like marble. This texture is called a crystalline texture.
Now, sometimes when magma cools down, it can start to get really thick and hard to move. Think of it like trying to pour really thick honey out of a jar. When this happens, the magma can start to crack and form deep grooves in the rock. We call this texture a vesicular texture.
Finally, sometimes magma can get trapped inside other rocks or get pushed up to the surface of the Earth. When this happens, it can cool down really fast and form tiny crystals that can’t be seen with the naked eye. This texture is called a porphyritic texture.
So, just like how cookies can have different textures, igneous rocks can have different textures too. Some are smooth like glass, some are sparkly like marble, some have deep grooves, and some have tiny crystals. How cool is that?
When the magma cools down, it can happen in different ways. Sometimes it cools down and hardens very quickly, which means the crystals in the rock don’t get much time to form. This makes the rock smooth and shiny, kind of like glass. We call this texture glassy.
Other times, the magma cools down more slowly and the crystals have more time to grow. When this happens, the crystals can be seen with the naked eye and the rock looks kind of like marble. This texture is called a crystalline texture.
Now, sometimes when magma cools down, it can start to get really thick and hard to move. Think of it like trying to pour really thick honey out of a jar. When this happens, the magma can start to crack and form deep grooves in the rock. We call this texture a vesicular texture.
Finally, sometimes magma can get trapped inside other rocks or get pushed up to the surface of the Earth. When this happens, it can cool down really fast and form tiny crystals that can’t be seen with the naked eye. This texture is called a porphyritic texture.
So, just like how cookies can have different textures, igneous rocks can have different textures too. Some are smooth like glass, some are sparkly like marble, some have deep grooves, and some have tiny crystals. How cool is that?