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Rhyolitic lava is extremely viscous. This means it can hold more gas under pressure. The magma travels upward slowly until the gas, which has been held in place, comes out of solution pretty much all at one, resulting in an explosion. The high viscosity also means that the magma can build over time only to be released suddenly. Basaltic lava, which does not resist flow as much, can be extruded more gradually.

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Which type of lava-basaltic lava or rhyolitic lava flows faster and why?

Basaltic flows much faster than rhyolite. Rhyolite is higher viscosity. Find a video of a basaltic lava flow like Hawaii, it flows like water when it's hot. Rhyolite eruptions usually act more like toothpaste if they're slow, or an explosion if fast.


What type of lava flows the slowest?

Viscous lava, such as andesitic or rhyolitic lava, flows the slowest due to its high silica content. This type of lava tends to be thicker and more resistant to flow compared to basaltic lava, which is more fluid and flows more quickly.


Does rhyolite lava have high viscosity?

Yes. Rhyolitic lava is extremely viscous, thousands to hundreds of thousands times more viscous that basaltic lava.


Does balsaltic lava have a high gas content?

Basaltic lava typically has a low gas content compared to other types of lava such as andesitic or rhyolitic. This is because basaltic lava is less viscous, allowing gases to escape more easily, resulting in less gas being trapped within the lava as it erupts.


What kind of lava do caldera volcanoes produce?

Caldera-forming eruptions do not involce lava flows but massive plumes of ash and pumice. The material produced is usually rhyolite. After a caldera-forming eruption, however, the composition can shift, especially since eruptions can be triggered by the mixing of different types of magma.


What is the type of lava in the composite volcanoes?

Composite volcanoes typically erupt with a mixture of lava types, including both viscous lava (andesitic or rhyolitic) that can lead to explosive eruptions, as well as more fluid lava (basaltic) that can flow long distances. This combination of lava types is what gives composite volcanoes their steep-sided profile.


What are the four types of lava that form at hot spots and their characteristics?

Aa is lava that forms a thick ,brittle crust . Pahoehoe is a lava that forms a thin crust. Pillow lava forms when lava erupts underwater. Blocky lava is kool, stiff lava that does not travel far from thr eruption site.


Is basaltic lava less fluid than andesitic lava?

No, basaltic lava is typically more fluid than andesitic lava due to its lower silica content. This results in basaltic lava flowing more easily and spreading over larger areas compared to andesitic lava.


Are there three types of lava or four?

It depends on what criteria you use. If you go with the kind of flow there are four.Pahoehoe (ropey lava flows)A'a (jagged, more viscous flows)Pillow lava (rounded lumps that form underwater)Block lava (very viscous, very slow moving)The first three are all associated with mafic lava, also called basaltic lava, which refers to a specific composition. Pillow lava is sometimes ignored as are black lava flows, which don't much resemble traditional images of lava.In terms of composition there are also 4 basic types on a spectrum of increasing silica content and viscosityMafic (basaltic)Intermediate (andesitic)Intermediate-felsic (dacitic)Felsic (rhyolitic)These can be further subdivided. Another, rare kind of lava exists called carbonatite. This strange lava is composed of carbobnates rather than silicates as the others are, and is only found in one volcano: Ol Doinyo Lengai in Tanzania.


Does krakatau have low or high viscosity?

Krakatau has low viscosity due to its basaltic composition. This means that the lava flows more easily and quickly compared to more viscous lavas like andesitic or rhyolitic lavas.


What type of lava does shield a shield volcano have?

Mafic, more commonly called Basaltic.


What type of lava does mauna loa have felsic-rhyolitic intermediate-andesitic mafic-basaltic?

Mauna Loa exhibits non-explosive eruptions (like many in the Hawaiian islands) in the form of low viscosity (more fluid) lava due to poor silica content.