* Faster Cooling: Lava is exposed to the atmosphere and the surrounding environment, which are much cooler than the Earth's interior. This rapid heat loss causes the lava to solidify quickly.
* Smaller Crystals: The rate of cooling significantly affects crystal size. Slow cooling allows time for mineral crystals to grow large. Rapid cooling, like that experienced by lava, leaves less time for crystals to form, resulting in smaller crystals or even a glassy texture.
Examples:
* Extrusive Rocks: Rocks formed from lava (like basalt) typically have a fine-grained or glassy texture due to the rapid cooling.
* Intrusive Rocks: Rocks formed from magma that cooled slowly underground (like granite) often have larger crystals due to the slower cooling process.
