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  • Porphyritic Rocks: Understanding Crystal Size Variations
    An igneous rock with both large and small crystals is called a porphyritic rock.

    Here's why:

    * Porphyritic texture: This texture is characterized by the presence of large crystals (called phenocrysts) embedded in a matrix of smaller crystals (called groundmass).

    * Formation: Porphyritic rocks form when magma cools slowly, allowing large crystals to grow. Then, the magma cools more rapidly, resulting in the formation of smaller crystals in the groundmass.

    Example: Granite is a common example of a porphyritic igneous rock. It often features large quartz and feldspar crystals embedded in a finer-grained matrix of other minerals.

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