Which outcome follows when cooled lava contracts in the Earth's crust?

💡 Explanation

As basalt lava cools, volume decreases, causing tensile stress until fracture via thermal contraction; therefore, columnar joints appear throughout the rock, rather than new rock forming, or pressure greatly increasing, because of shallow depth.

• Which outcome occurs when reduced atmospheric pressure differences weaken trade winds?
• Which process primarily causes fjords to become stratified with oxygen-depleted bottom waters?
• Large sinkhole formation accelerates when which geochemical mechanism intensifies?
• Which mechanism significantly etches and destabilizes karst topography?
• Which effect arises from the deflection of prevailing winds by the Coriolis force?
• Which consequence results when Antarctic Bottom Water formation significantly slows down in the Weddell Sea?