What is viscosity and how does it relate to volcanoes?
Viscosity is how runny or thick the magma is when talking about volcanoes. A key element is determining viscosity is the silica content in magma or lava. As the amount of silica increases, the viscosity increases as well. Low viscosity magma is more runny that high viscosity magma. High viscosity magmatic volcanoes have more explosive eruptions that low viscosity magmatic volcanoes due to the amount of gases trapped in the magma. Rhyolite is an example of high viscosity magma and basalt is an example of low viscosity magma.
Viscosity is how runny or thick the magma is when talking about volcanoes. A key element is determining viscosity is the silica content in magma or lava. As the amount of silica increases, the viscosity increases as well. Low viscosity magma is more runny that high viscosity magma. High viscosity magmatic volcanoes have more explosive eruptions that low viscosity magmatic volcanoes due to the amount of gases trapped in the magma. Rhyolite is an example of high viscosity magma and basalt is an example of low viscosity magma.