Rock cycle called intrusive or plutonic and cools very slowly, producing a coarse-grained texture such as the rock granite. As a result of volcanic activity, magma (which is called lava when it reaches Earth's surface) may cool very rapidly while being on the Earth's surface exposed to the atmosphere and are called extrusive or volcanic rocks. These rocks are fine-grained and sometimes cool so rapidly that no crystals can form and result in a natural glass, such as obsidian, however the most common fine grained rock would be known as basalt. Any of the three main types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and
Flow banding Flow banding Flow banding is a geological term to describe bands or layers that can sometimes be seen in rock that formed from the substance molten rock or magma. Flow banding is caused by friction of the viscous magma that is in contact with a solid rock interface, usually the wall rock to an intrusive chamber or, if the magma is erupted, the surface of the earth across which the lava is flowing. The friction and viscosity of the magma causes phenocrysts and xenoliths within the magma or lava to slow down near the interface and become trapped in a