Josh+Stoll

The lithosphere and the atmosphere interact when volcanoes erupt releasing millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is the same scenario with underwater volcanoes. Also from a heating standpoint, approximately 50 percent of solar energy that strikes the top of the atmosphere reaches earths surface and is absorbed. Granite is formed by the slow cooling of magma that has entered the earths surface. The slower it cools, the denser it becomes and crystals form. The minerals found in granite are quartz, plagioclase, feldspars, potassium, hornblend, and micas. Quartz is the main mineral for the crystals you see.