Igneous rocks are formed from molten rock; what is the process called?

• A. Sedimentation
• B. Metamorphism
• C. Weathering
• D. Cooling magma

Answer: (D)

Igneous rocks form when molten rock cools and solidifies. Whether magma cools underground or lava erupts and then hardens at the surface, the molten material crystallizes into solid minerals, creating igneous rock. The rate of cooling affects texture: rapid cooling leads to small crystals or a glassy surface, while slow cooling allows larger crystals to form. This is different from sedimentation (deposited sediments turning into sedimentary rocks), metamorphism (rocks altered by heat and pressure), or weathering (rock breaking down at the surface). So the process described is cooling magma, the transformation of molten rock into solid rock.