Porphyry and Obsidian Definition

Definition of Porphyry and Obsidian

The general Porphyry and Obsidian definition can be stated as: Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix. 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 Porphyry and Obsidian, get to know about Properties of Porphyry and Obsidian. Get to know more information about Porphyry and Obsidian origin and discoverer, etymology and class.

History of Porphyry and Obsidian

The history of Porphyry 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.

Porphyry and Obsidian Origin and Discoverer

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

Etymology of Porphyry and Obsidian

Along with Porphyry and Obsidian definition, know more about the etymology of Porphyry and Obsidian. Etymology of Porphyry and Obsidian gives information about origin and formation of a particular rock. Know more about Formation of Porphyry and Formation of Obsidian. The etymology of Porphyry is From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites while that of Obsidian is From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites. The process of formation of rocks defines the class of rock. All the rocks in a class are formed by similar processes. Porphyry and Obsidian belong to Igneous Rocks. The sub-class, group and other categories of Porphyry and Obsidian are listed below.

For Porphyry,

• Sub-class: Durable Rock and Hard Rock
• Group: Plutonic
• Other Categories: Fine grained rock and Opaque rock

For Obsidian,

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