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Dolerite

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What material is most abundant in oceanic crust?

Mafic igneous rock, predominately gabbro and its fine-grained equivalent, basalt.


What is four mafic igneous rocks?

Four mafic igneous rocks include basalt, gabbro, diabase, and scoria. Basalt is a fine-grained volcanic rock, while gabbro is its coarse-grained counterpart formed deep within the Earth. Diabase, also known as dolerite, has an intermediate texture between basalt and gabbro. Scoria is a vesicular volcanic rock that is typically formed from lava with a high gas content.


How can you tell the gabbro crystallized deeper underground than basalt did?

Gabbro crystallizes slowly at greater depths within the Earth's crust, resulting in larger, well-formed mineral crystals, typically visible to the naked eye. In contrast, basalt forms from the rapid cooling of lava at or near the surface, leading to smaller, finer-grained crystals that may not be discernible without magnification. The textural differences—coarse-grained in gabbro and fine-grained in basalt—indicate their respective formation environments. Additionally, the mineral composition can vary, with gabbro often containing more abundant plagioclase feldspar and pyroxenes.


What is coarse grained igneous but not granite?

Gabbro is a coarse-grained igneous rock that is different from granite. It forms from the slow cooling of magma deep within the Earth's crust and is composed mainly of dark-colored minerals like pyroxene and olivine. Gabbro typically has a similar coarse texture to granite but has a darker color due to its mineral composition.


Which igneous minerals are found in gabbro and basalt?

Gabbro and basalt primarily contain the same igneous minerals, with the main difference being their texture and formation. Both typically feature plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene as their dominant minerals. Gabbro, being coarse-grained, often includes additional minerals like olivine and amphibole, while basalt is fine-grained and may contain smaller amounts of these minerals. Overall, both rocks are rich in mafic minerals due to their basaltic composition.

Related Questions

What material is most abundant in oceanic crust?

Mafic igneous rock, predominately gabbro and its fine-grained equivalent, basalt.


Is basalt the fine-grained equivalent of gabbro?

Yes, basalt is the fine-grained equivalent of gabbro. Both rocks are formed from the same magma composition (mafic), but basalt is extrusive, cooling quickly at the Earth's surface, resulting in smaller mineral grains, while gabbro is intrusive, cooling slowly beneath the surface, resulting in larger mineral grains.


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.


How is basalt different from gabbro?

Basalt 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.


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.


What do granite and gabbro have in common?

Granite and gabbro are both types of igneous rocks that solidify from molten material beneath the Earth's surface. They both contain large mineral crystals, with granite being a coarse-grained rock and gabbro being a fine-grained rock. Additionally, both rocks are commonly used in construction and as decorative stone.


Granite and gabbro have?

similar mineral compositions but differ in their texture. Granite is coarse-grained, consisting of larger mineral grains that are visible to the naked eye, while gabbro is fine-grained with smaller mineral grains. Additionally, granite is typically found in continental crust, whereas gabbro is more common in oceanic crust.


What is the main difference between gabbro and basalt?

is plutonic (meaning it is formed slowly deep within the earth) while basaltis volcanic (meaning it has been transported to or near the surface)same composition, gabbro would be more likely to exhibit crystalline growth while basalt would be more fine grained to aphanitic


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.


Are igneous rocks like gabbro and basalt silica-deficient with high magnesium and iron?

Yes, gabbro and basalt are silica-deficient igneous rocks that have high magnesium and iron content. Gabbro is a coarse-grained rock, while basalt is fine-grained due to differences in cooling rates. Both rocks form from the cooling of magma with low silica content.


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.