Properties of Magma

1
Properties of Magma

• 7.2
• p. 205-208

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Properties of Magma

• Magma and lava are made up of elements and
  compounds. Elements are substances that cant be
  broken down into a simpler substance. A compound
  is a substance thats made up of 2 or more
  elements that are chemically combined.
• The compounds and elements that are in lava and
  magma and the amounts of each tell us how the
  material behaves.

3
Physical Properties

• In magma and lava a physical property that is
  important is viscosity. A physical property is a
  characteristic of that substance that can be
  observed without changing the substance.
  Viscosity measures the ability of a liquid to
  FLOW.
• High viscosity slow flow rates EX honey
• Low viscosity flows quickly EX water

4

• What affects the viscosity of the liquid is the
  friction between the particles the higher the
  friction the higher the viscosity and the slower
  the particles move.
• Magmas viscosity depends on the amount of silica
  and the temperature of the magma or lava.

5
Silica Content

• Silica is particles of oxygen and silicon
  combined. The more silica in the magma the higher
  the viscosity and the slower the flow. (very
  sticky and light colored, forms the rock
  rhyolite)
• The less silica the magma has the lower the
  viscosity and the faster it will flow.( dark
  colored and forms into basalt)

6
Temperature and magma

• The higher the temperature the more the lava will
  flow. ( low viscosity)
• The lower the temperature the slower the magma
  will flow. (High viscosity)
• Most magma ranges in temp from 750 C to 1175 C.
• Pahoehoe- is a type of lava that is fast moving
  and hot looks like wrinkles and rope-like coils.
• Aa- is a slow moving, cool type of lava that
  forms rough jagged-looking rocks when it cools.

7
Viscosity

• Viscosity Video
• Now you try it!