Final answer:
The cooling and solidification of magma form minerals, which crystallize to become igneous rocks. Slowly cooled magma becomes coarse-grained intrusive igneous rocks, while quickly cooled magma forms fine-grained extrusive igneous rocks. Crystallization from magma is the process most related to this phenomenon.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question deals with the process that occurs as magma cools and elements combine to form minerals. The primary focus here is the formation of crystallization from magma, which is the correct answer to this student's question. As magma cools, originally hot and fluid, it begins to solidify; the minerals that form depend on the composition of the magma and the rate at which it cools. Slow cooling, generally within the Earth's crust, allows for the formation of large mineral grains, leading to intrusive igneous rocks that are coarse-grained, like granite. Conversely, magma that cools rapidly on the Earth's surface will lead to the formation of extrusive igneous rocks, which are fine-grained, like basalt.
The distinguishing factor for these rocks includes crystal texture and size, directly related to the cooling rate—long, slow cooling processes result in large, well-formed crystals. Identifying the minerals present plays a significant role in the classification of the igneous rocks, whether they are intrusive or extrusive. Thus, crystallization directly influences the eventual structure and categorization of these igneous rocks.