Igneous rock, or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. The magma can be derived from partial melts of existing rocks in either a planet's mantle or crust.
Metamorphic:
Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock, in a process called metamorphism. The original rock is subjected to temperatures greater than 150 to 200 °C and, often, elevated pressure of 100 megapascals or more, causing profound physical or chemical changes.
Sedimentary:
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at the Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles to settle in place.
Rocks are the very substance of the Earth. They are composed of the same elementary particles as all other matter in the universe, but the particles are so arranged in rocks that the aggregate masses are very extensive. Individual rock bodies commonly occupy hundreds or thousands of cubic miles of the Earth’s volume. Even so, they differ greatly from place to place because of the many different rock-forming processes.
What rocks are like at depths within the Earth is known only imperfectly from indirect measurements made by various techniques. Rocks near the surface, however, have been studied for many years, and their characteristics are well known. Studies of rocks have taught much about the structure, composition, and history of the Earth. In fact, the success of geologists in reconstructing the Earth’s story by piecing together information from rocks is one of the wonders of science.
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Igneous rock, or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. The magma can be derived from partial melts of existing rocks in either a planet's mantle or crust.
Metamorphic:
Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock, in a process called metamorphism. The original rock is subjected to temperatures greater than 150 to 200 °C and, often, elevated pressure of 100 megapascals or more, causing profound physical or chemical changes.
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