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An increase in the silica content of a lava increases it's viscosity.
Viscosity can be thought of as a fluids resistance during deformation to shear or tensile stress, or in more simple terms, how easy or difficult it is to make a fluid flow.
As viscosity increases, a fluid will flow less easily, so a lava with a high silica content will be more viscous and will flow less easily / more slowly than a low silica lava.
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What is the behavior of lava with silica content being high and low?
Lava with high silica content will erupt explosively, if it has low silica content it will flow.
Lava that is low in silica tends to?
Lava that is low in silica tends to have lighter rocks come out of it.
What affects the speed of lava flows?
The temperature and the silica content will both affect the viscosity of lave which will in turn affect the flow rate (whereby the lower the temperature and the higher the silica content, the higher the viscosity and the lower the flow rate).
Does High viscosity lava flows faster than low viscosity lava?
No. Viscosity is a liquid's resistance to flow. So higher viscosity means a slower flow.
What is lava's resistance to flow?
Viscosity.
How does lava that contains a greater amount of silica flow?
Lava that contains a greater amount of silica will flow slower and more sluggishly. The silica affects the viscosity of the lava making it thicker and therefore moving at a slower pace.
What is the behavior of lava with silica content being high and low?
Lava with high silica content will erupt explosively, if it has low silica content it will flow.
How fast dose lava flow?
it all depends on the silica content which makes high or low viscosity
Lava that is low in silica tends to?
Lava that is low in silica tends to have lighter rocks come out of it.
How does the silica content of lava impact its viscosity?
Silica content is directly proportional to viscosity, so the higher the silica content of a lava, the higher its viscosity. high viscosity means a lava will be thick and slow moving, hence probably meaning an explosive eruption. lava's with a high viscosity include rhyolite and andesite whereas lava's with a low viscosity (runny ones) include basalt.
What affects the speed of lava flows?
The temperature and the silica content will both affect the viscosity of lave which will in turn affect the flow rate (whereby the lower the temperature and the higher the silica content, the higher the viscosity and the lower the flow rate).
Does High viscosity lava flows faster than low viscosity lava?
No. Viscosity is a liquid's resistance to flow. So higher viscosity means a slower flow.
What is the average silica content of a'a lava?
A'a lava has a generally low silica content. Having low silica content means that it also has a low viscosity level. Having a low viscosity level means that it flows easily.
What is lava's resistance to flow?
Viscosity.
What factors control the viscosity of magma and lava?
The three factors that control the viscosity of lava are temperature, composition and dissolved gases. When the temperature is hotter, there will be less viscous. When the composition has a higher silica content, there will be higher viscosity and a lower silica content means a lower viscosity. The gases will expand within the lava as it nears the surface of the Earth because of decreasing pressure.
Why is orange the fast flowing flow volcano?
The orand lavayou see is basaltic lava. One important aspect of a liquid is a property called viscosity, or the resistance to flow. For example, maple syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Compared to other types of lava, basaltic lava does not have a lot of silica in it. The low silica content makes the lava less viscous. Basalt also has a migher melting point than other types of rock, so the lava is hotter, so hot that it glows orange or red. The higher temperature also lowers viscosity, as it does for nearly all liquids.
What is the importance of a silica and oxygen in lava flow speed?
Silica will determine if the lava is hot and runny or thick and slow!
