Difference Between Basalt and Granite

Basalt is an igneous, volcanic rock that forms commonly in oceanic crust and parts of continental crust. It forms from lava flows which extrude onto the surface and cool. Basalt is extrusive, mafic, and common throughout the Solar System whereas granite is intrusive, felsic, and common only on Earth. ...

How are granite and basalt different?

Igneous rocks are formed by the crystallisation of a magma. The difference between granites and basalts is in silica content and their rates of cooling. A basalt is about 53% SiO2, whereas granite is 73%. Intrusive, slowly cooled inside the crust.

Is Basalt stronger than granite?

Basalt weathers faster than granite because it is not as hard and it's easier for outside substances to impact and manipulate its structure.

Is Basalt lighter than granite?

What is difference between Granite and Basalt? Granite is lighter in color than basalt. The color of the rocks is dependent on the mineral composition of the rock. Basalt is basic and contains a substantial amount of olivine whereas granite is acidic and is rich in quartz.

What is the difference between granitic and basaltic magma?

Granitic magma has high levels of potassium and sodium, while basaltic magma has very low levels of these minerals. ... Granite is formed by the slow cooling of magma within the surface of the earth, while basalt is formed when magma quickly cools after breaching the earth's surface through volcanic activity.

Is Granite older than basalt?

Differences between basalt and granite

Basalt can form in a few days to months, whereas granite plutons can take millions of years to cool and harden. Basalt is more common in oceanic crust while granite is more common in continental crust.

How does basalt turn into granite?

While early Earth's undersea surface was made entirely of dark, heavy volcanic rock called basalt, over time, a lighter kind of rock formed. This rock, called granite, was buoyant. It floated up from the ocean floor and gathered in thick layers, creating landmasses that we call continents.

What is special about Basalt?

Basalt, extrusive igneous (volcanic) rock that is low in silica content, dark in colour, and comparatively rich in iron and magnesium. Basalt. Some basalts are quite glassy (tachylytes), and many are very fine-grained and compact.

Is Basalt a strong rock?

Basalt is largely composed of minerals with little resistance to weathering. Hence, basalt as a whole also tends to disintegrate faster than granite and other felsic rock types. Magnetite is one of the most resistant common minerals in basalt and forms the bulk of heavy mineral sands.

Is basalt rock hard?

Basalt is a hard, black extrusive igneous rock. Extrusive means it comes mainly from volcanic eruptions. It has a low silica content which enables this lava to flow quickly and allows volcanic gases to escape without explosive events. It is a fine grained rock and is the most common rock type in the Earth's crust.

Is granite light or dark in color?

Known for its top spot in the kitchen counter department, granite is a beautiful and durable option when choosing a surface to match your cabinetry and appliances. Granite is a natural stone and it is available in a variety of colors, including white, black, brown, beige, blue and red.

What color is basalt?

Basalt is the volcanic equivalent of gabbro. Group - volcanic. Colour - dark grey to black.

What do granite and basalt have in common?

Basalt and granite actually have quite a bit in common. Both are igneous rocks, which means that they cooled from a magma (the earth gets very hot just below the surface, and there is lots of liquid rock available). Both are made up of minerals from the silicate group, so both have large amounts of silicon and oxygen.

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