Rocks and Earth Materials

The hot molten or semi-molten rock material that erupts from a volcano is called lava. Once it cools and solidifies, it becomes igneous rock. 'Foal' is a young horse, 'Viva' is an exclamation, and 'larva' refers to the immature form of insects - none of which relate to volcanic material.

Coal and petroleum are fossil fuels found in sedimentary rocks. These rocks are formed by the accumulation and compression of organic matter over millions of years. The sedimentary process creates the conditions necessary for fossil fuel formation, unlike igneous or metamorphic rocks.

Hare Island, part of the Lakshadweep archipelago in the Arabian Sea, is formed from coral reefs. These coral atolls were created by polyp deposits over thousands of years in the warm tropical waters. Unlike sedimentary or metamorphic rock formations, coral islands develop through biological processes and are characteristic of the Lakshadweep group, which consists of 36 islands including 10 inhabited ones.

Coral reefs are constructed by tiny colonial marine animals called coral polyps, which extract calcium carbonate from seawater to build hard limestone skeletons. These organisms live in symbiosis with algae and create massive reef structures over time.

Oxygen makes up about 46-47% of Earth's crust by mass, making it the most abundant element. Silicon comes second at ~28%, while carbon and sulphur are much less abundant.

Gravity does not generate endogenic energy. This energy is mostly generated by radioactivity, rotational and tidal friction and primordial heat from the origin of the earth.

In rocks like granites, smooth surfaced and rounded small to big boulders called tors form due to exfoliation. These exfoliation tors result due to thermal expansion.

 Succession, starting at bare rock is termed as lithosere. In the case of a lithosere the pioneer species will be cyanobacteria and algae, which create their own food and water—i.e., they are autotrophic and so do not require any external nutrition (except sunlight).

The Earth's core is primarily composed of iron (about 85%) and nickel (about 10%), with smaller amounts of lighter elements. This metallic core generates Earth's magnetic field.

Basalt is formed from lava which cools slowly. Basalt originates from "hot spot" volcanoes, massive basalt flows and mid oceanic ridges.

Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock. It is the bedrock of the ocean floor and also occurs on land in extensive lava flow.

Metamorphic rocks form when existing rocks are exposed to heat and pressure deep within the Earth's surface.

Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals.

As a mineral, it can form very pretty and sometimes extremely large crystals.