Bowen’s reaction series was created by N. L. Bowen to describe how minerals are formed as magma heats and cools. Because minerals have different melting points, they can be found in rocks at different temperatures.

Fractional crystallization is the term used to describe how different minerals crystalize out of magma at different temperatures during the cooling process. For example, according to Bowen’s reaction series, mafic minerals will crystallize out of magma while the temperature is still relatively high, whereas felsic minerals will not crystallize out of magma until lower temperatures are reached.

Partial melting is the opposite of fractional crystallization. This term is used to describe how different minerals in magma melt at different temperatures as magma is heated. For example, according to Bowen’s reaction series, felsic minerals in magma melt first at around 700 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, mafic minerals remain solid until the temperature reaches around 1200 degrees Celsius.