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Silica content is directly proportional to viscosity, so the higher the silica content of a lava, the higher its viscosity. high viscosity means a lava will be thick and slow moving, hence probably meaning an explosive eruption. lava's with a high viscosity include rhyolite and andesite whereas lava's with a low viscosity (runny ones) include basalt.

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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.


What is the average silica content of a'a lava?

A'a lava has a generally low silica content. Having low silica content means that it also has a low viscosity level. Having a low viscosity level means that it flows easily.


What is the behavior of lava with silica content being high and low?

Lava with high silica content tends to be more viscous and flow more slowly, leading to explosive eruptions. In contrast, lava with low silica content is less viscous and flows more easily, resulting in gentler, effusive eruptions.


What factors control the viscosity of magma and lava?

The three factors that control the viscosity of lava are temperature, composition and dissolved gases. When the temperature is hotter, there will be less viscous. When the composition has a higher silica content, there will be higher viscosity and a lower silica content means a lower viscosity. The gases will expand within the lava as it nears the surface of the Earth because of decreasing pressure.


What is the importance of a silica and oxygen in lava flow speed?

Silica and oxygen content in lava affects its viscosity, which in turn impacts flow speed. Lava with higher silica content tends to be more viscous and flows slower, while lava with lower silica content flows faster. The presence of oxygen also influences lava's ability to flow by affecting its gas content and pressure.


How fast dose lava flow?

it all depends on the silica content which makes high or low viscosity


A characteristic of lava that determines the force of a volcanic eruption is?

The silica content of the lava plays a key role in determining the force of a volcanic eruption. High silica content makes lava more viscous, leading to more explosive eruptions, while low silica content results in less viscous lava and less explosive eruptions.


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.


Is felsic lava thick?

Felsic lava is a slower moving lava, with high silica content. Most felsic lava deposits as granite, granite, muscovite, and orthoclase.


What is the difference in silica content and viscosity between light-colored and dark-colored magma?

The lower the viscosity is the hotter the magma is and faster it flows.Higher the viscosity is the cooler it is and slower it flows down.


Does AA lava have a lot of silica?

no. AA has a relatively low silica content level.


Does the composite volcano have high viscosity?

Composite volcanoes typically have higher viscosity lava compared to shield volcanoes, resulting in more explosive eruptions. The high silica content in the magma of composite volcanoes contributes to this higher viscosity. However, the exact viscosity of the lava can vary depending on specific factors such as temperature and gas content.