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Rocks

Igneous Rocks - What is Granite?

Granite is an igneous rock that forms when molten magma
cools slowly. This happens when molten magma is
forced upwards from the mantle but does not reach the
surface. The magma cools slowly in the surrounding crust
forming a light coloured rock composed of many large
randomly arranged interlocking crystals. Granite is called
an intrusive igneous rock because it
forms inside the crust (compare this with extrusive).

It is generally true that fast cooling of a substance that can
crystallise will result in a large number of small crystals,
and slow cooling will result in a smaller number of large crystals.

Earth movements in the crust can cause the granite
to slowly reach the surface. This is called uplift. It
can happen with any kind of rock (see the rock cycle).


What are the Uses of Granite?

Granite is used for building and road construction.

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