Download Physical & Chemical Properties of Molten Rock

Physical & Chemical
Properties of Molten
Rock
Physical & Chemical Properties of
Molten Rock
The most abundant chemicals in magma are silicon and oxygen.
•Silica- Chemical Formula: Si + O2=SiO2
1 Silicon Atom + 2 Oxygen Atoms= 1 Silica Molecule
Physical & Chemical Properties of
Molten Rock
Silica molecules stick together and form long chains.
They get tangled together and the molecules don’t slide
past each other easily.
Physical & Chemical Properties of
Molten Rock
Viscosity: the ability of a substance to resist flow
(Water vs. Molasses)
Viscosity Determines if a volcano will have:
pyroclastic flow or lava flow.
Physical & Chemical Properties of
Molten Rock
Magma and lavas viscosity is controlled by:
temperature, composition and gas content.
The higher the silica content of magma, the more viscous.
Lava that is low in silica is less viscous.
When the minerals in rocks melt they tend to form gases:
Mostly H2O (water vapor) & some CO2 (carbon dioxide)
Minor amounts of Sulfur, Chlorine, and Fluorine gases
Physical & Chemical Properties of
Molten Rock
These gases do have an effect on viscosity…
their more important role is that they provide the driving
force for volcanic eruptions.
The more viscous it is the more likely it is for
gas pressure to build.
The combination of lots of dissolved gases and
high viscosity created conditions for the most explosive
and deadly volcanoes.
Physical & Chemical Properties of
Molten Rock
Low silica lava flows such as Kilauea, Hawaii happen weekly
or daily and the eruptions are far less explosive.
These types of lavas are called basaltic lavas.
Intermediate to high silica
magmas produce violent eruptions
such as Mt St. Helens, Krakatoa,
and Pinatubo. These eruptions
happen every several hundred to
thousands of years.
Theses types of lavas are called
andesitic and granitic lavas.
Eruptions and Forms of Volcanoes
Form of
Volcano
Type of
Magma
Shape of Volcano
Materials in
Volcano
Shield
Basaltic
Low SiO2
gentle slope
lava
Cinder
Cone
Andesistic
Medium SiO2
steep sided
Tephra- ash,
cinders, rocks,
& bombs
Composite
Andesistic
High SiO2
Intermediate slope
-large mountain
tephra & lava