Obsidian and Basalt Definition

Definition of Obsidian and Basalt

The general Obsidian and Basalt definition can be stated as: 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. On the other hand, Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth. Along with definition of Obsidian and Basalt, get to know about Properties of Obsidian and Basalt. Get to know more information about Obsidian and Basalt origin and discoverer, etymology and class.

History of Obsidian and Basalt

The history of Obsidian and Basalt 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.

Obsidian and Basalt Origin and Discoverer

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

Etymology of Obsidian and Basalt

Along with Obsidian and Basalt definition, know more about the etymology of Obsidian and Basalt. Etymology of Obsidian and Basalt gives information about origin and formation of a particular rock. Know more about Formation of Obsidian and Formation of Basalt. The etymology of Obsidian is From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius while that of Basalt is From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius. The process of formation of rocks defines the class of rock. All the rocks in a class are formed by similar processes. Obsidian and Basalt belong to Igneous Rocks. The sub-class, group and other categories of Obsidian and Basalt are listed below.

For Obsidian,

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

For Basalt,

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