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In rocks lava with a high silica content the silica starts to form a covalent network, where the silicate groups continously bond together.

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Q: Why does more silica make lava flow slow?
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What is the relationship with silica viscosity and lava flow?

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.


Lava that is low in silica tends to?

Lava that is low in silica tends to have lighter rocks come out of it.


Which chemical affects lava what makes it flow or explode?

There are a few different components. The ability of lava to flow is largely affected by silica content. More silica means the lava flows less easily. The explosive potential comes from gass trapped in the molten rock, which is released violently upon exposure to lower pressure. The primary gas is water vapor. Magma that is high in silica usually has a high gas content.


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.


How are volcanic eruptions affected by the type of lava?

The more silaceous the lava, (higher silica content), the more explosive the eruption.

Related questions

What is the relationship with silica viscosity and lava flow?

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.


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.


Lava that is low in silica tends to?

Lava that is low in silica tends to have lighter rocks come out of it.


What is silicia and how does it affect how well magma will flow?

The more silica, the slower the lava flows and the more viscous it is.


Which chemical affects lava what makes it flow or explode?

There are a few different components. The ability of lava to flow is largely affected by silica content. More silica means the lava flows less easily. The explosive potential comes from gass trapped in the molten rock, which is released violently upon exposure to lower pressure. The primary gas is water vapor. Magma that is high in silica usually has a high gas content.


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.


How does the quartz in the lava effect it and how it erupts?

If lava contains quartz that means the silica content is high. A high silica content makes lava more viscous, and gives it the tendency to erupt explosively.


How are volcanic eruptions affected by the type of lava?

The more silaceous the lava, (higher silica content), the more explosive the eruption.


Which lava is more viscous slow-moving lava or runny lava?

The difference in the flow of lava is determined by how viscous the magma of the volcano is. For Stratovolcanoes like those seen in the Cascades Range of the North Western United States, there magma is normally very sticky as it has a high concentration of Silica. The higher the concentration of silica within magma makes it stickier and will make it resist flow. This is why Stratovolcanoes often will erupt explosively, as there is no way for the gasses to simply passively leave during a lava flow. This viscosity traps the gasses and makes explosive eruptions much more likely as once the gasses finally are able to escape the level of gasses have built up to catastrophic levels within the volcano. On the other hand Hawaiian style volcanoes have a very low silica content within their magma chamber, and therefore have very flowable lava. This allows for the fire fountains and lava channels that are often times shown in magazines. These eruptions are often times passive in nature, as the gasses dissolved in the magma are easily able to escape during an eruption.


What is a mineral that effects the thickness of magama?

The more silica in lava, the more viscous the lava is. Silica (SiO2) content varies from 50 percent to 70 percent. Basaltic lava, which is 50 percent silica, is runny and contains relatively little gas. Granitic lava, typically around 70 percent silica, is 70 percent silica. It is much thicker and contains much more gas. As a result when granitic lava flows, it tends to release gasses (water and carbon dioxide) explosively. The lava on the Hawaiian Islands in basaltic, and flows easily. The lava in Mount St Helens is very thick, so when it finally reaches the surface it causes a much more violent and dangerous eruption.


What type of magma has a high silica content?

rhyolitic magma has a lot of silica and water vapors... thanks for asking answers.com ;)


What is more deadly lava or pyroclastic flow?

Pyroclastic flow.