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Large, well formed crystals form in solutions that cool rapidly. When solutions cool slowly, crystals are more likely to nucleate in higher numbers at the same time, leading to many very small and irregular shaped crystals.
Crystal size in these rock types is determined by their rate of cooling. Pegmatites have large crystals due to very slow cooling. Obsidian has microscopic crystals due to almost instantaneous cooling.
They grow large.
Phaneritic.
large crystals
Large, well formed crystals form in solutions that cool rapidly. When solutions cool slowly, crystals are more likely to nucleate in higher numbers at the same time, leading to many very small and irregular shaped crystals.
large crystals
Crystal size in these rock types is determined by their rate of cooling. Pegmatites have large crystals due to very slow cooling. Obsidian has microscopic crystals due to almost instantaneous cooling.
fast cooling rate forms smaller crystals eg Andesiteslow cooling rate forms large crystals eg.Pegmatite
Slower rates of cooling will create larger crystals. Rapid cooling allows little time for element accumulation in the crystal, therefore, the crystals created will be smaller. Larger, visible crystals in igneous rock indicate that the magma was slow cooling, usually at depth. Much smaller crystals in igneous rock indicate rapid cooling of lava, usually at or near the surface. Crystals in igneous rock will grow larger and have more time to accumulate material for their growth the more time they have at their crystallization temperature.
large rocks
They grow large.
Slow cooling of igneous rocks typically forms large crystal grains. This is because slow cooling allows more time for mineral grains to grow, resulting in larger crystals. Examples of rocks formed through slow cooling and having large crystal grains include granite and gabbro.
Phaneritic.
large crystals
Slow cooling of molten rock leads to rocks with an phaneritic texture; one with larger, visible mineral crystals.
Intrusive rocks are igneous rocks that form when magma solidifies below the Earth's surface. They usually form by rather slow cooling, which allows time for large crystals to grow, and these large crystals tend to give them a coarse grain. Extrusive rocks are igneous rocks that form when magma solidifies above the Earth's surface. They usually form by comparatively rapid cooling, which does not allow time for large crystals to form, so they are often fine-grained or amorphous.