Correct option is B
Basalt is classified as an extrusive igneous rock, which forms when lava from volcanic eruptions cools rapidly on the Earth’s surface. Since it cools quickly, the mineral crystals in basalt are small and fine-grained, making it a dark-colored rock, rich in iron and magnesium. Extrusive rocks like basalt are typically found in regions with volcanic activity or on the ocean floor, where they form part of the oceanic crust.
Basalt is an essential component of the Earth's crust, especially in oceanic areas, where it forms most of the seabed. It is also found in many volcanic regions on land.
Information Booster:
• Basalt makes up a significant portion of the Earth's oceanic crust and is crucial in shaping the landscape in volcanic regions.
• Pahoehoe and A’a are types of basalt flows with different textures based on the speed of cooling.
• Basalt is often used in construction and as an aggregate in road building.
Additional Information:
• Hypabyssal rock: Hypabyssal rocks form below the Earth’s surface but at a shallower depth than plutonic rocks. They cool slowly, but not as slowly as basalt.
• Plutonic rock: Plutonic rocks like granite form deep underground and cool slowly over millions of years. These rocks are typically coarse-grained due to the slower cooling process, unlike basalt, which cools quickly.
• Metamorphic rock: Basalt is not a metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rocks form when existing rocks are subjected to high heat and pressure, changing their structure, such as marble or schist. Basalt forms from the cooling of magma, not from the alteration of pre-existing rocks.