Is Basalt Denser Than Granite

Basalt and granite are two types of igneous rocks that we can find on earth.

Is basalt denser than granite.

Basaltic crust is dark and thin and heavy while granite is light and accumulates. It is common both on earth and other planetary bodies. Basalt is an igneous volcanic rock that forms commonly in oceanic crust and parts of continental crust. When we have to compare granite vs basalt the texture color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock.

Which would be less dense granite or magma that contains the same minerals as granite. Granite is available in black grey orange pink white colors whereas basalt is available in black brown light to dark grey. Granite is an igneous plutonic rock which is. These impurities make it roughly 10 percent heavier than granite.

Rock density is very sensitive to the minerals that compose a particular rock type. As it turns out most of the ocean floor is basalt and most of the continents are granite. Its principle minerals include pyroxene feldspar and olivine. Basalt as a mafic rock contains more calcium oxide manganese oxide and iron compounds than granite.

It wants to be there and heat is the key which unlocks the door. The key difference between basalt and granite is that basalt is mostly occurring on ocean floors while granite is in the crust of the earth in all continents. The molten minerals would less dense for the same reason hot water is less dense than cold water and hot air is less dense than cold air. Ocean crust is made of basalt and continental crust is mostly granite 3.

Basalt is denser than granite because basalt is a an oceanic type of rock so it has had more pressure from the ocean making it denser than granite because granite is a continental type of rock. Sedimentary rocks and granite which are rich in quartz and feldspar tend to be less dense than volcanic rocks. And if you know your igneous petrology you will see that the more mafic rich in magnesium and iron a rock is the greater its density. It forms from lava flows which extrude onto the surface and cool.

Summary basalt vs granite. Basalt is denser than granite because basalt is a an oceanic type of rock so it has had more pressure from the ocean making it denser than granite because granite is a continental type of rock.