Search 120,491 Tips
Texture - Coarse vs. Fine
Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Rocks and other Natural Science topics.
How do I know if a rock is coarse-grained or fine-grained?
Texture - Coarse vs. Fine
Igneous rocks are classifed by their composition (basically, the elements that make up the minerals, which make up the rock) and their texture. Texture, in this case, isn't how it feels, but rather, it's a way to describe the shape, size, and arrangement of the mineral grains that make up the rock.
If you can see individual grains without a hand lens or microscope, the rock is coarse-grained, or phaneritic. If you cannot, the rock is fine-grained, or aphanitic, and will look like a rock that is pretty much all one color, for example, dark gray.
Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Natural Science Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!
| Guru Spotlight |
| Susan Sayour |
