Silica-rich magma is much more thick and viscous.
it is normally intermediate flow because of the silica content.
The three things that determine how thick or thin magma is temperature, silica content, and gas content.
The air affects magma. Once magma is released above ground, called lava, the air hardens it. While it is underground, the higher the temperature and pressure, the runnier the magma.
When it cools and crystallizes into rock, the rock will be described as felsic igneous rock. Examples of felsic igneous rocks are granite, rhyolite, and pumice.
The higher the silica content of the magma, the more explosive the eruption. Magma enriched in silica has a higher viscosity (resistance to flow). Pressures are more likely to build up behind the thicker, high silica content magma and result in potentially more explosive eruptions.
Silica is something in the magma, so it is a pretty important part of magma because it pretty much a part that makes magma!
The magma of all volcanoes contains silica. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo involved dacite magma, which has a high silica composition.
The percentage of silicon in magma greatly affects its viscosity.
The more silica, the slower the lava flows and the more viscous it is.
The silica can make the magma flow slower and also can make the magma's color lighter.
Felsic magma tends to be thick and viscous, while mafic magma tends to be fluid.
Silica content makes the magma thicker which can cause a more explosive eruption, and also make it so more gases aer open to be trapped
low silica content, thin and fluid, forms dark-colored rock.
low silica content (basaltic magma)
low silica content (basaltic magma)
it is normally intermediate flow because of the silica content.
Loud Erupt: The magma is really thick It is cooler lava More silicia Quiet Erupt: Thin Hotter lava low silica