Basalt and Gneiss Definition

Definition of Basalt and Gneiss

The general Basalt and Gneiss definition can be stated as: Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth. On the other hand, Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks. Along with definition of Basalt and Gneiss, get to know about Properties of Basalt and Gneiss. Get to know more information about Basalt and Gneiss origin and discoverer, etymology and class.

History of Basalt and Gneiss

The history of Basalt and Gneiss gives information about where the rock was found and who was its discoverer. Almost each and every aspect of Earth's history is recorded in rocks be it the volcanoes which were erupted or the plants, animals and organisms which are now extinct, as rocks are present from millions of years.

Basalt and Gneiss Origin and Discoverer

Basalt and Gneiss definition gives us a brief idea about the two rocks. In some cases, the definition also gives summary about the Formation of Basalt and Gneiss. In this section, you will know about Basalt and Gneiss Origin and Discoverer. Origin of Basalt is Egypt whereas Origin of Gneiss is Unknown. It is interesting to know the name of Basalt and Gneiss discoverer. The Discoverer of Basalt is Georgius Agricola and the discoverer of Gneiss is Unknown.

Etymology of Basalt and Gneiss

Along with Basalt and Gneiss definition, know more about the etymology of Basalt and Gneiss. Etymology of Basalt and Gneiss gives information about origin and formation of a particular rock. Know more about Formation of Basalt and Formation of Gneiss. The etymology of Basalt is From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites while that of Gneiss is From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites. The process of formation of rocks defines the class of rock. All the rocks in a class are formed by similar processes. Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks while Gneiss belongs to Metamorphic Rocks. The sub-class, group and other categories of Basalt and Gneiss are listed below.

For Basalt,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Medium Hardness Rock
• Group: Volcanic
• Other Categories: Fine grained rock and Opaque rock

For Gneiss,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Hard Rock
• Group: Not applicable
• Other Categories: Coarse grained rock, Medium grained rock and Opaque rock