High-silica magmas are extremely viscous, and so tend to trap a large amount of gas under pressure. When such magma erupts, it does so explosively.
Because low silica magmas tend to be hotter and more fluid/runny than high silica magmas.
The explosive potential of magma depends more on viscosity gas content than on temperature. Most magmas are at temperature of at least 700 degrees Celcius. Interestingly, the most explosive magmas are the high-silica magmas, which have lower melting temperatures.
Lava with high silica content will erupt explosively, if it has low silica content it will flow.
High silica magmas can explode violently as its high viscosity causes a greater build up of pressure inside the volcano. Magmas low in silica tend to produce volcanic eruptions that are runny because of low viscosity.
What makes a volcano erupt violently or quietly actually depends on the type of magma inside of it. The magma in volcanoes have different compositons from each other. magmas are sometimes classified by their silica content, which determines how viscus they are (how fluid they are). The more silica the lava has in it, the more thick it is. In very fluid or basaltic lavas, the silica content is around 50%. On the other end of the scale are granitic magmas that have a very high silica content (90%). when a volcano containing fluid magma erupts, the gas within the lava is easily relased, resulting in lava fountains like hawai'i's Kilewea. In a volcano that contains thick, granitic magma, the gases within the lava are trapt inside of it until the eruption lets the gases out, resulting in a violent, distructive explosion such as Mt St Helens.
It is quite viscous with a high silica content.
Because low silica magmas tend to be hotter and more fluid/runny than high silica magmas.
The explosive potential of magma depends more on viscosity gas content than on temperature. Most magmas are at temperature of at least 700 degrees Celcius. Interestingly, the most explosive magmas are the high-silica magmas, which have lower melting temperatures.
Lava with high silica content will erupt explosively, if it has low silica content it will flow.
High silica magmas can explode violently as its high viscosity causes a greater build up of pressure inside the volcano. Magmas low in silica tend to produce volcanic eruptions that are runny because of low viscosity.
The main cause of differences in volcanic eruption characteristics is due to the viscosity of the magma. High viscosity magmas are high in sticky silica which traps gas and produces explosive eruptions. Low viscosity magmas are low in silica and produce eruptions with far less energetic characteristics.
yes
What makes a volcano erupt violently or quietly actually depends on the type of magma inside of it. The magma in volcanoes have different compositons from each other. magmas are sometimes classified by their silica content, which determines how viscus they are (how fluid they are). The more silica the lava has in it, the more thick it is. In very fluid or basaltic lavas, the silica content is around 50%. On the other end of the scale are granitic magmas that have a very high silica content (90%). when a volcano containing fluid magma erupts, the gas within the lava is easily relased, resulting in lava fountains like hawai'i's Kilewea. In a volcano that contains thick, granitic magma, the gases within the lava are trapt inside of it until the eruption lets the gases out, resulting in a violent, distructive explosion such as Mt St Helens.
Kilauea erupts low-silica lava.
The two most abundant elements in earth's crust and mantle are oxygen and silicon. These two elements combine to form the molecule called silica the basaltic magma. Basaltic magmas that form the oceanic crust of the Earth are generated in the asthenosphere at a depth of about 70 kilometres. Silica forms 50% of the basaltic magma.
No. Pillow lava is basaltic, so it has a low silica content.
Because Mount Rainier is a Strato Volcano it has both quiet and explosive eruptions. Explosive(pyroclastic) flows have a high silica level. Quiet have low silica levels. The more silica the thicker the magma.