How are basalt and gabbro similar,and how are they different? How about andesite and diorite? Rhyolite and granite? How are basalt,andesite,and rhyolite the same,and how are they different? How about gabbro,diorite,and granite?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Basalt and gabbro are both felsic rocks,but basalt is aphanitic due to rapid cooling and gabbro is phaneritic due to slower cooling.The same is true for composition but not cooling rate of andesite,the fine-grained,and diorite,the coarse-grained,equivalents.Rhyolite is a fine-grained,rapid cooling felsic rock,and granite is a coarse-grained,slow cooling felsic rock too.Basalt,andesite,and rhyolite are increasingly felsic fine-grained rocks,and gabbro,diorite,and granite are increasingly felsic coarse-grained rocks.The first set is extrusive,and the second set is intrusive.

How Are Basalt and Gabbro Similar,and How Are They Different