Final answer:
Based on the characteristics of being coarse-grained and composed of light-colored minerals like quartz and feldspar, the rock in the diagram is most likely granite. Granite is an intrusive igneous rock that forms slowly beneath the Earth's surface, resulting in large, visible crystals. Option 4 is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is inquiring about the identification of a coarse-grained igneous rock, which would indicate that the magma from which the rock was formed cooled slowly, allowing for large crystal growth. This type of igneous rock is also known as plutonic or intrusive. Given the characteristics of coarse-grained texture and assuming a composition rich in light-colored minerals such as quartz and feldspar, the rock in question is most likely to be granite.
Granite is an intrusive igneous rock characterized by its coarse-grained texture and composition primarily of quartz, feldspar, and mica, which form visible crystals. The color range of granite can be quite wide, including white, pink, or gray tones. Because it cooled slowly under the Earth's surface, it had the time to form its large, interlocking mineral grains, giving it a sugary appearance with flat crystal faces that reflect light.
Therefore, when analyzing the characteristics of an unknown igneous rock, one must consider both the mineral content and the texture to make a correct identification. In this case, the mentioned criteria point towards granite as the most likely option among the choices provided, which were basalt, granite, rhyolite, and scoria.
The correct option for the identified rock in the diagram, which is a coarse-grained igneous rock, is granite (option 4).