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Felsic rocks have a lower melting point than mafic rocks and felsic magma has a lower temperature. In other words, felsic magma is not hot enough to melt mafic rock while mafic magma is hot enough to melt felsic rock.

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Q: Why are felsic rocks melted by mafic magmas but mafic rocks are not melted by felsic magmas?
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Related questions

What is the difference between felsic intermediate and mafic igneous rocks?

Silica content increases from mafic to felsic, and Mg and Fe content decreases. These differences affect things such as viscosity, density and colour. Felsic magmas are the most viscous and least dense, and felsic rocks are the lightest in colour.


What are the magmas the three families of igneous rock form from?

There are many different types of ignoues rock, but as a general description, mafic, felsic and intermediate rocks are formd from basaltic, granitic, and andesitic magmas respectively.


What minerals are present in felsic rocks and mafic rocks?

Felsic refers to igneous rocks that are relatively high in silica and aluminum. Mafic refers to igneous rocks that are higher in magnesium and iron than felsic rocks.


What is the mafic mineral and felsic mineral?

First of all there is no such thing as a mafic or a felsic "mineral". There can be mafic and felsic rocks.Mafic rocks have a high magnesium and iron content.Felsic rocks enriched with lighter elements such as oxygen and silicon.


How does Felsic magmas different from mafic magmas in color temperate minerals composition and the kind of rock each form?

Mafic lava is less viscous(runnier) than felsic lava due to a lower silica content. This causes non-violent eruptions such as in the Hawaiian Islands. Mafic lava tends to be associated more with interplate volcanism and mid-ocean ridges and produces the rock type known as basalt. (The ocean floor is made of basalt.) Felsic lava is mainly found at convergent zones (areas of colliding plates) and has a high silica and water content which causes the lava to be highly viscous and causes very violent eruptions. This lava produces rhyolite and andesitic rocks. The color of the rocks formed by magmas is a consequence of its composition, mafic magmas are dark colored (Mg-Fe) and felsic magmas are light colored (Feldspars-Si).


Is olivine mafic or felsic?

Olivine is a mafic mineral. It is most abundant in ultramafic rocks.


What are some examples of felsic and mafic rocks?

Granite and grandiorite are two felsic rocks but I'm seeing that some people cosider granite mafic.


What are intermediate rocks?

are a mixture of both mafic and felsic rocks


What is the difference in density in mafic rocks in relation to felsic rocks?

Mafic rocks, such as those found in the oceanic crust, are more dense than the felsic rocks found in the continental crust.


Why are mafic rocks denser than felsic rocks?

Mafic rocks are denser than felsic rocks because they contain heavier compounds, minerals and other materials, they are ferromagnesian in composition.


Is sandstone felsic or mafic?

Neither. The terms mafic and felsic refer to the composition of igneous rocks, which are dominated by silicate minerals. Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of carbonate minerals. The terms mafic and felsic do no apply to it.


What is the difference between felid and mafic?

Felsic rocks have 0-15% mafic crystals, while mafic rocks have 46-85% mafic crystals.