Basalt and Obsidian Definition

Definition of Basalt and Obsidian

The general Basalt and Obsidian 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, Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock. It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth. Along with definition of Basalt and Obsidian, get to know about Properties of Basalt and Obsidian. Get to know more information about Basalt and Obsidian origin and discoverer, etymology and class.

History of Basalt and Obsidian

The history of Basalt and Obsidian 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 Obsidian Origin and Discoverer

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

Etymology of Basalt and Obsidian

Along with Basalt and Obsidian definition, know more about the etymology of Basalt and Obsidian. Etymology of Basalt and Obsidian gives information about origin and formation of a particular rock. Know more about Formation of Basalt and Formation of Obsidian. 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 Obsidian 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 and Obsidian belong to Igneous Rocks. The sub-class, group and other categories of Basalt and Obsidian are listed below.

For Basalt,

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

For Obsidian,

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