What does the term intrusive mean in geology?
When a magma body or molten rock flows to the surface, the magma can solidify under the weight of the overlying rock into a solidified body known as intrusive rock. These bodies of crystallized magma, called crystal-rich or crystalline intrusive rocks, are usually cooled rapidly from the surface by contact with groundwater or ocean water. As the molten rock crystallizes in a cooling environment, it becomes much more chemically distinct from the surrounding rock. As a result, a single intrusion can
What is intrusive mean in geology?
An intrusive body is formed when magma molten rock, or some other hot, dense material forces its way through cracks in the Earth’s crust. When the magma cools, it forms solid rock, which is called an intrusion. The solidified magma can crystallize before it cools, leaving minerals behind.
What does the term intrusive mean in a geology class?
When you look at a map of the earth, you’ll notice that the rock layers are often organized into what are called “stratigraphy,” or geological layers. These are named based on their order in which they were formed. The “intrusive” layer of shale that you see in many places is formed from molten rock that gushed up from deep in the earth’s mantle. This melted rock created a thick layer of rock that formed our
What does intrusive mean in a rock?
In crystalline rocks, intrusion refers to the process of one rock body or magma slowly forcing its way into another rock, often causing the surrounding rock to become deformed. The main difference between extrusive and intrusive processes is that the intrusive rock is cooled slowly beneath the surface, whereas the extrusive rocks are cooled quickly through contact with air. The cooled magma that makes up an intrusive body is called dike, a rock that is more solid than the surrounding rock.
What does intrusive mean in science?
An intrusive rock is a magma body that rises through the Earth’s surface, forming a sheet of rock that blankets an area. When the magma crystallizes, it forms a rock that is solidified in place and looks like the magma, or molten rock, from which it was created.