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Why do silica -poor magmas produce broad volcanoes with gentle slopes?
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∙ 6y ago
Silica poor magma is generally low in viscosity, and is therefore more fluid. The lava can travel a great distance before solidifying, thus creating broad gentle slopes.
Nikko Cormier
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Why do silica-poor magmas produce broad volcanoes with gentle slopes?
Silica poor magma is generally low in viscosity, and is therefore more fluid. The lava can travel a great distance before solidifying, thus creating broad gentle slopes.
Why do silica-poor magmasproduce broad volcanoes with general slopes?
Because low silica magmas tend to be hotter and more fluid/runny than high silica magmas.
Do shield volcanoes have high silica or low silica?
Shield volcanoes produce low-silica lava.
Why do silica-poor magma produce broad volcanoes with gentle slopes?
Silica poor magma is generally low in viscosity, and is therefore more fluid. The lava can travel a great distance before solidifying, thus creating broad gentle slopes.
Why are granitic magmas thicker than basaltic magmas?
granitic magmas contain more silica than basaltic magmas.
Why is the silica content of lava important?
The more silica crystal within the magma, the more viscous the magma is, because of crystals sticking together. So magma with low silica content is runny, and wiht just flow gently out of a volcano, like in hawai, but viscous (sticky, like honey) magma will not, and gas gets trapped within it, and then explodes out, cause large scale explosive erruptions.
What is the link between the chemical composition of magma and the type of volcanic activity?
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.
Does less silica equal greater viscosity?
No. Higher silica magmas tend to be more viscous.
Why do volcanic eruptions differ?
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.
What is a magmas viscosity related to?
The silica content. A higher silica content results in a more viscous magma.
Why are magmas with high silica content dangerous?
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.
A magmas viscosity is directly related to its?
silica content
