When most people think about igneous rocks they envision a volcano erupting pumice and lava. The term igneous comes to us from the Latin word "Ignis" which means fire. Igneous rocks are produced this way but most igneous rocks are produced deep underground by the cooling and hardening of magma. Magma is molten (melted) rock under the surface of the Earth. It is produced in the upper reaches of the mantle or in the lowest areas of the crust usually at a depth of 50 to 200 kilometers. The diagram above shows you where magma is produced at a subduction zone. Magma is less dense than the surrounding rock which causes it to rise. When magma reaches the surface it is then called lava and the eruptions of lava and ash produce volcanoes. The lava that reaches the Earth's surface will harden and become igneous rock. When the magma does not reach the surface it produces a variety of geologic structures. When lava reaches the surface of the Earth through volcanoes or through great fissures the rocks that are formed from the lava cooling and hardening are called extrusive igneous rocks. Some of the more common types of extrusive igneous rocks are lava rocks, cinders, pumice, obsidian, and volcanic ash and dust. Click on the "Next" button to see a real volcano erupting!!!

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