What's the difference between marble and granite ..?

Question

.. is marble just a smoother grained granite.

Answer 1

Tall Paul has put it succinctly.

Answer 2

marble is a form of limestone. granite is made up of various rocks/minerals, quartz,feldspar etc.

Answer 3

Granite is Igneous and Marble is Metamorphic

Answer 4

Granite is an igneous, plutonic rock (Rock formed from cooled molten magma, deep within the earth) and consists of :At least 10% visible quartz (Clear, glassy mineral) Feldspar (White or pink mineral) and small amounts of Mica (Can be black, or platey and silver)

Marble is a metamorphic, carbonate rock. (A rock altered from another by intense pressure and temperature, Consisting of mostly calcium carbonate. Marble is formed when limestones are subject to high temperature and pressure as a result of tectonic (Earth movements) action. Streakey and coloured marbles contain various impurities that give the colour.

So - Different rock classification, different chemistry.

One thing to be aware of.  I have used the geological definitions - Stonemasons lump just about anything igneous and a lot of metamorphics too as "Granite" and anything that will take a polish like a true marble as "Marble" so some limestones are called "marble" by stonemasons when they are not marble in a geolgical sense.

Answer 5

Marble is metamporphosed limestone, altered by immense pressures.

Granite is an igneous rock made from slowly cooled magma (hence the large crystals).

They are completely different.

Answer 6

marble is metamorphic and granite is igneous.they are two different types of rocks. metamorphic rock is much harder and denser then igneous rock which is liter and not as Dens

Answer 7

Chemical nature, and origin.

Granite is a mildly acidic igneous rock.  The white stuff in it is silica, SiO2.

Marble is calcium carbonate (the same stuff as chalk or limestone) that has been subjected to very high temperatures and pressures; what is called a metamorphic rock.

Answer 8

If you drive North up the Garfagnana valley in Northern Tuscany, the mountains on the right are made of granite and those on the left are made of marble (now there's posh).

Answer 9

Granite is a igneous rock marble is an metamorphic rock