What are the characteristics of basaltic lava?

Basalt is erupted at temperatures between 1100 to 1250 ° C. Volcanic rock (or lava) that characteristically is dark in color (gray to black), contains 45 to 53 percent silica, and is rich in iron and magnesium. Basaltic lavas are more fluid than andesites or dacites, which contain more silica.

What is a basaltic magma?

Basaltic magma is formed by the partial melting of mantle rocks. Basaltic lava is high in iron, magnesium, and calcium but low in potassium and sodium. Fluid basalt flows can extend tens of kilometers from an erupting vent. Basaltic lavas are relatively thin and are very fluid when erupted.

Does basaltic magma have high viscosity?

Thus, basaltic magmas tend to be fairly fluid (low viscosity), but their viscosity is still 10,000 to 100,0000 times more viscous than water.

What factors affect the characteristics of basaltic magma?

Several interrelated physical properties determine the characteristics of magma, including chemical composition, viscosity, dissolved gases, and temperature.

What is the characteristics of basalt?

Basalt is a dark-colored, fine-grained, igneous rock composed mainly of plagioclase and pyroxene minerals. It most commonly forms as an extrusive rock, such as a lava flow, but can also form in small intrusive bodies, such as an igneous dike or a thin sill. It has a composition similar to gabbro.

What is the composition of basaltic magma?

Basaltic magma is high in iron, magnesium, and calcium but low in potassium and sodium. It ranges in temperature from about 1000oC to 1200oC (1832oF to 2192oF). Andesitic magma has moderate amounts of these minerals, with a temperature range from about 800oC to 1000oC (1472oF to 1832oF).

What type of magma is basalt?

Basaltic lava is another term for mafic lava. Mafic lava is molten rock that is enriched in iron and magnesium and low in silica. When mafic lava cools on the earth’s surface, it forms basalt, which is why mafic lava is commonly called ‘basaltic lava.

Is basaltic magma high silica?

Basaltic magmas contain about 50% silica. C. Andesitic and felsic magmas are formed by partial melting of pre-existing rock.

What type of volcano has basaltic magma?

Shield volcanoes
Shield volcanoes

Where a volcano produces low viscosity, runny lava, it spreads far from the source and forms a volcano with gentle slopes: a shield volcano. Most shield volcanoes are formed from fluid, basaltic lava flows.

What is the meaning of basaltic?

: a dark gray to black dense to fine-grained igneous rock that consists of basic plagioclase, augite, and usually magnetite.

What type of magma is basalt?

Basaltic lava is another term for mafic lava. Mafic lava is molten rock that is enriched in iron and magnesium and low in silica. When mafic lava cools on the earth’s surface, it forms basalt, which is why mafic lava is commonly called ‘basaltic lava.

What type of volcano has basaltic magma?

Shield volcanoes
Shield volcanoes

Where a volcano produces low viscosity, runny lava, it spreads far from the source and forms a volcano with gentle slopes: a shield volcano. Most shield volcanoes are formed from fluid, basaltic lava flows.

Is basaltic magma felsic or mafic?

Summary Table
Magma TypeSolidified Volcanic RockGas Content
Mafic or BasalticBasaltLow
Intermediate or AndesiticAndesiteIntermediate
Felsic or RhyoliticRhyoliteHigh
3 sept 2015

Is basaltic magma high silica?

Basaltic magmas contain about 50% silica. C. Andesitic and felsic magmas are formed by partial melting of pre-existing rock.

Is basaltic lava thick or thin?

relatively thin
Basaltic lavas are relatively thin and are very fluid when erupted. Shield volcanoes have basaltic lava. They are the largest of all the volcanoes on the earth.

What texture is basalt?

Basalts show, almost always, aphanitic or fine-grained mineral texture resulting from rapid cooling of volcanic magma on or close to the surface of Earth.

Why does basaltic magma have the lowest viscosity?

A basaltic lava flow has a low viscosity due to its low SiO2 content. Eruptions associated with basaltic lava usually are not explosive due to the low silica and gas content. Gases escape more easily when silica content is low. Because of the low viscosity, basaltic lava flows spread out, forming extensive layers.

What is basaltic magma fluid or viscous?

Basaltic Magma. Magma (fluid rock underground) having relatively low amounts of silicon (45-55%), potassium and sodium, but high amounts of iron, magnesium and calcium. This magma is highly fluid (not viscous), and flows easily.

Why is basaltic lava hotter?

The last type of lava is mafic lava or basaltic lava. This is one of the hottest types of lava coming out at temperatures exceed 950 degrees Celsius. This type of lava is rich in iron bearing minerals. This is what accounts for as high temperature.

What is the origin of basaltic magma?

Basaltic magmas within Earth are thought to originate from the upper mantle. The chemistry of basalts thus provides clues to processes deep in Earth’s interior.

How hot is basaltic lava?

Common minerals in basalt include olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase. Basalt is erupted at temperatures between 1100 to 1250 ° C.

What happens once basaltic magma is formed?

Basaltic magma is usually very dense and gets stopped in the continental crust rather than reaching the surface, causing it to crystallize. This crystallization releases the basaltic magma’s heat, causing the temperature of the continental crust to rise and melt.

What is the difference between basalt and lava?

The Lava Stone that we are using in our wall veneer products has a very similar make up to basalt from a mineral composition standpoint, the main difference is that the Lava Stone has varying degrees of vesicles, or what we simply refer to as “holes”.