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Worksheet 5 - Types of Magma

This worksheet discusses different types of magma. There are three main types: basaltic, andesitic, and rhyolitic magma. Basaltic magma has the lowest viscosity and silica content, erupting nonexplosively. Rhyolitic magma has the highest viscosity and silica content, often erupting violently. Magma viscosity depends mainly on its composition and temperature, with higher silica and lower temperatures resulting in higher viscosity. The viscosity determines whether the gas in the magma can escape rapidly in nonexplosive eruptions or becomes trapped, causing explosive eruptions.

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2K views2 pages

Worksheet 5 - Types of Magma

This worksheet discusses different types of magma. There are three main types: basaltic, andesitic, and rhyolitic magma. Basaltic magma has the lowest viscosity and silica content, erupting nonexplosively. Rhyolitic magma has the highest viscosity and silica content, often erupting violently. Magma viscosity depends mainly on its composition and temperature, with higher silica and lower temperatures resulting in higher viscosity. The viscosity determines whether the gas in the magma can escape rapidly in nonexplosive eruptions or becomes trapped, causing explosive eruptions.

Uploaded by

Vanessa Rose Rota
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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WORKSHEET 5

Types of Magma

Learning Target/s:
● differentiate types of magma
● explain the relationship between magma viscosity to volcanic eruption

Instructions: Complete the table. Write your answer in a bullet form. You may click the links below.
● https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/magma/#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20basic
%20types,low%20in%20pota ssium%20and%20sodium.
● https://teara.govt.nz/en/table/8686/types-of-magma

1. What are the different type of magma? How are they the same? How are they different?

Types of Percentage of Silica Other element Average Other Characteristics


Magma Content Composition Temperature (bullet form)
High in iron, - High Temperature
① magnesium, - Silica-poor
45 to 55 % calcium 1000 C to 1200 C - Low viscosity
o o

Basaltic (1832oF to 2192oF) - Low gas content


- Eruption type-flowing
Magma Low in
- Thin lava flows, forming
potassium,
shields Scoria cones and
sodium craters
Intermediate in - Moderate Temperature
② iron, - Moderate silica content
55 to 65 % magnesium, 800 C to 1000 C - Moderate viscosity
o o

Andesitic calcium, (1472oF to 1832oF) - Moderate gas content


- Eruption type-flowing
Magma potassium,
and moderately explosive
sodium
- Thick, rubbly lava flows
Scoria/pumice and ash fall
High in - Low Temperature
③ potassium, - silica-rich
65 to 75 % sodium 650 C to 800 C - very high viscosity
o o

Rhyolitic (1202oF to 1472oF) - High gas content


- Eruption type-very
Magma Low in iron,
explosive
magnesium,
- Pumice and ash fall
calcium Ignimbrite (pyroclastic
flow) Lava flows when
magma is low in gas

2. Define viscosity:
Viscosity is the resistance to flow (opposite of fluidity). Viscosity depends on primarily on the composition
of the magma, and temperature.
3. Arrange the three types of magma from higher to lower level of viscosity. What is your basis for your
arrangement?
Rhyolitic Magma has a very high viscosity followed by Andesitic Magma with moderate viscosity and
Basaltic Magma with the lowest viscosity. As I’ve said that viscosity depends primarily on the composition
of the magma, and temperature. This means that higher silica content magmas have a higher viscosity
than lower content magmas (viscosity increases with increasing silica content concentration in the
magma). However, lower temperature magmas have a higher viscosity than higher temperature magmas
(viscosity decreases with increasing temperature of the magma). Thus, Basaltic Magmas tend to be fairly
fluid (low viscosity). Rhyolitic Magmas, on the other hand, tend to have even higher viscosity.

4. Which type of magma will cause the most violent volcanic eruption? Explain.
It is the Rhyolitic Magma because of its high gas content and very high viscosity. Rhyolitic magmas lead to
explosive eruptions because the gasses are not easily released because they have high viscosity.

5. What is the connection (relationship) between magma viscosity and volcanic eruption?
The viscosity of the magma is an important factor in determining whether an eruption will be explosive or
nonexplosive. A low-viscosity magma, like Basaltic Magma, will allow the escaping gases to migrate
rapidly through the magma and escape to the surface. Therefore, nonexplosive eruptions are typical of
basaltic-to-andesitic magmas which have low viscosities and low gas contents, whereas explosive
eruptions are typical of andesitic-to-rhyolitic magmas which have high viscosities and high gas contents.

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