partial melting

Partial melting occurs when only certain parts of a rock melt while the rest remains solid. This happens because different minerals within the rock melt at different temperatures. As temperature increases, the minerals with lower melting points melt first, producing magma. This process is essential in forming igneous rocks and helps explain volcanic activity and the movement of Earth's layers. Partial melting allows the Earth's crust to evolve chemically, as the magma formed can carry distinct mineral compositions compared to the original rock.