In the classification of igneous rocks, which of the following terms describes rocks that crystallize beneath the Earth's surface at considerable depths, resulting in large mineral crystals due to slow cooling?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Plutonic or intrusive igneous rocks form when magma cools and solidifies slowly beneath the Earth's crust, allowing mineral crystals ample time to grow large and visible. Extrusive rocks cool rapidly on the surface, resulting in a fine-grained or glassy texture. Granite is the most common example of a coarse-grained plutonic rock frequently tested in physical geography.