extrusive
/eks'tru:siv/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Relating to igneous rock formed from magma that has erupted onto the Earth's surface: Describes rock material that has been forced out, while molten, through cracks or volcanic vents onto the Earth's surface, where it cools and solidifies rapidly.
Usage
- The term "extrusive" is primarily used in geology to classify igneous rocks based on where they solidify. It contrasts with "intrusive" rock, which cools and solidifies below the surface.
- It is typically used attributively (before a noun) to describe rocks or geological features.
Examples
- Adjective:
- Basalt is a common extrusive rock found in volcanic regions.
- The geologist studied the extrusive lava flows from the ancient volcano.
- The rapid cooling of extrusive magma results in fine-grained textures.
Advanced Usage
- "Extrusive activity": Volcanic activity involving the eruption of lava onto the surface.
- The island was formed by millions of years of extrusive activity.
- "Extrusive equivalent": Refers to the extrusive rock type that corresponds to a specific intrusive rock (e.g., rhyolite is the extrusive equivalent of granite).
- Rhyolite is considered the extrusive equivalent of the intrusive granite.
Variants and Related Words
- Extrude (verb): To force or push something out.
- The volcano extrudes lava onto the surface.
- Extrusion (noun): The process of forcing something out or the rock mass formed by this process.
- The extrusion of magma created a new lava dome.
Synonyms
- Volcanic: Pertaining to volcanoes or igneous rocks formed on the surface. (Note: While closely related, "volcanic" is a broader term that can also refer to the phenomena and structures of volcanoes, not just the rock formation process.)
- Effusive: In geology, specifically refers to lava flows that are fluid and spread out, which is a type of extrusive activity.
Antonyms
- Intrusive: (Adjective) Describing igneous rock that solidifies from magma below the Earth's surface.
Adjective
- of rock material; forced out while molten through cracks in the earth's surface