Igneous rock

Igneous rocks form when molten rock, called magma or lava, cools and solidifies. If magma cools slowly beneath the Earth's surface, it creates coarse-grained rocks like granite with large crystals. If lava cools quickly on the surface, it forms fine-grained rocks like basalt with tiny crystals. These rocks are the Earth's primary building blocks and can vary greatly in appearance and composition based on their cooling history and original mineral content. Igneous rocks are essential in understanding Earth's geology and often serve as the foundation for many landscapes and mineral deposits.