Pumice ( /ˈpʌmɪs/), called pumicite in its powdered or dust form, is a volcanic rock that consists

of extremely vesicular rough-textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals. It is
typically light-colored. Scoria is another vesicular volcanic rock that differs from pumice in
[1][2]
having larger vesicles, thicker vesicle walls, and being dark colored and denser.

Pumice is created when super-heated, highly pressurized rock is rapidly ejected from a volcano.
The unusual foamy configuration of pumice happens because of simultaneous rapid cooling and
rapid depressurization. The depressurization creates bubbles by lowering the solubility of gases
(including water and CO2) that are dissolved in the lava, causing the gases to rapidly exsolve

(like the bubbles of CO2 that appear when a carbonated drink is opened). The simultaneous
cooling and depressurization freeze the bubbles in a matrix. Eruptions under water are rapidly
[3]
cooled and the large volume of pumice created can be a shipping hazard for cargo ships.

Pumice is composed of highly microvesicular glass pyroclastic with very thin, translucent bubble
[4]
walls of extrusive igneous rock. It is commonly but not exclusively of silicic or felsic to
intermediate in composition (e.g., rhyolitic, dacitic, andesite, pantellerite, phonolite, trachyte),
but basaltic and other compositions are known. Pumice is commonly pale in color, ranging from
white, cream, blue or grey, to green-brown or black. It forms when volcanic gases exsolving
from viscous magma form bubbles that remain within the viscous magma as it cools to glass.
Pumice is a common product of explosive eruptions (plinian and ignimbrite-forming) and
commonly forms zones in upper parts of silicic lavas. Pumice has a porosity of 64–85% by
volume and it floats on water, possibly for years, until it eventually becomes waterlogged and
[5][6]
sinks.

Scoria differs from pumice in being denser. With larger vesicles and thicker vesicle walls, scoria
sinks rapidly. The difference is the result of the lower viscosity of the magma that forms scoria.
When larger amounts of gas are present, the result is a finer-grained variety of pumice known
[7]
as pumicite. Pumicite consists of particles less than 4 mm (0.16 in) in size. Pumice is
considered a volcanic glass because it has no crystal structure. Pumice varies in density
according to the thickness of the solid material between the bubbles; many samples float in
water. After the explosion of Krakatoa, rafts of pumice drifted through the Indian Ocean for up to
[8]
20 years, with tree trunks floating among them. In fact, pumice rafts disperse and support
[9]
several marine species. In 1979, 1984 and 2006, underwater volcanic eruptions near Tonga
[10]
created large pumice rafts that floated hundreds of kilometres to Fiji.
There are two main forms of vesicles. Most pumice contains tubular microvesicles that can
impart a silky or fibrous fabric. The elongation of the microvesicles occurs due to ductile
elongation in the volcanic conduit or, in the case of pumiceous lavas, during flow. The other form
of vesicles are subspherical to spherical and result from high vapor pressure during an
[11]
eruption. Reticulite is a type of basaltic pumice formed in very high lava fountains. It has an
extremely low density and is composed of a network of volcanic glass formed when the vesicles
have almost completely coalesced.

Pumice is a very light and porous volcanic rock that forms during the explosive
eruptions of the volcano. During the volcanic eruption, the volcanic gases dissolve in the
liquid portion of viscous magma, and then it expands very rapidly to create a foam or a
froth. The liquid part of the rock is called the froth which quickly solidifies to glass
around the gas bubbles. The volume of the gas bubbles present in this rock is generally
so large that the rock is lighter than water and thus it floats in water.

Pumice is a textural term for a type of volcanic rock which is a solidified frothy lava that
is composed of highly microvesicular glass pyroclastic with very thin, this is translucent
bubble walls of extrusive igneous rock. This is commonly, but not exclusively of a silicic
or felsic to an intermediate in composition (e.g., rhyolitic, dacitic, andesite, Pantelleria,
phonolite, trachyte), but the occurrences of this basaltic and other compositions are also
known. The pumice is pale in color while ranging from white color or cream color or
greyish in shade, also they can be green-brown or black. The rocks form when the
gases exsolving from the viscous magma which nucleate the bubbles and cannot
readily decouple from the viscous magma after chilling into the glass. Pumice is also a
common product of explosive eruptions (Plinian and ignimbrite-forming) this commonly
forms zones in the upper parts of silicic lavas. The Pumice has an average porosity of
about 90%, and initially, the rock floats on water.