What type of rock is formed by the cooling and solidification of molten rock?

• A. Igneous Rocks
• B. Metamorphic Rocks
• C. Sedimentary Rocks
• D. Granite

Answer: (A)

Igneous rocks are formed through the cooling and solidification of molten rock, either from magma that cools beneath the Earth's surface or lava that cools on the Earth's surface. This process can occur slowly, allowing large crystals to form, or rapidly, resulting in a finer-grained texture. Igneous rocks are characterized by their composition and the environment in which they formed, with categories including intrusive (plutonic) rocks, like granite, and extrusive (volcanic) rocks, like basalt. This fundamental process of cooling and solidification is what distinctly categorizes igneous rocks in the geology of the Earth.

In contrast, metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rocks under heat and pressure, while sedimentary rocks form from the accumulation and compaction of sediments. Granite, while a type of igneous rock, does not encompass the broad category itself but serves as a specific example of an igneous rock that has cooled slowly underground.