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Extrusive (geology)
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Extrusive refers to a mode of igneous rock formation, in which hot magma from inside the Earth flows out (extrudes) onto the surface.
The main effect of extrusion is that the magma can cool much more quickly in the open air, and there is little time for the growth of crystals. Often, a residual portion of the matrix fails to crystallize at all, instead becoming an interstitial glass.
If the magma contains free gas, which is common, then it may cool with large and small vesicles (bubble-shaped cavities) or the rock may be porous.
Last updated: 10-13-2005 21:51:41
10-26-2009 08:16:03
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The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details