a sample of magma flows very quickly. Would you expect it to contain high or low amounts of silica? Why?
please help
Low amounts of silica.
Silica makes the magma more viscious and thus less likely to flow quickly.
source: wikipedia (magma)
When a sample of magma flows very quickly, it is likely to contain low amounts of silica. This is because the viscosity of magma, or its resistance to flow, is influenced by the silica content. Magma with high silica content tends to have a higher viscosity, making it thicker and slower to flow. On the other hand, magma with low silica content has a lower viscosity, allowing it to flow more quickly.
To determine whether a sample of magma would contain high or low amounts of silica, we need to understand the composition of magma and its properties.
Magma is a molten mixture of various substances, such as minerals, gases, and liquids, that forms beneath the Earth's surface. It is primarily composed of silicate minerals, which contain silicon and oxygen, with other elements such as aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, and potassium.
Silica, or silicon dioxide (SiO2), is a major component of silicate minerals. It is responsible for the viscosity or thickness of magma. Higher amounts of silica result in more viscous magma, which flows less easily. On the other hand, lower amounts of silica lead to less viscous magma, which flows more easily.
Given that the sample of magma flows very quickly, we can infer that it is less viscous and contains low amounts of silica. This is because low silica content reduces the magma's resistance to flow and allows it to move more rapidly.
In summary, a sample of magma that flows very quickly is likely to contain low amounts of silica.