Types of Magma

Types of Magma

Types of Magma
Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	high interest, readability grades 7 to 8
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	8.13

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		silica, viscosity, oceanic, subduction, igneous, greatly, thickness, resistant, violent, granite, resistance, magma, basalt, molten, dormant, explosive
	content words:		Hawaiian Islands, Yellowstone National Park, Saint Helens, Washington State

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Types of Magma
By Patti Hutchison

¹     Magma is soupy mixture of molten rock, minerals, and gases. But not all magma is the same. Different magmas have different characteristics. The way a type of magma behaves depends on what it is made of.

²     There are three basic types of magma. Each is formed in a different way. Each is found in a different area. The viscosity and temperature of each varies greatly. Their mineral compositions are also very different.

³     One type of magma is basaltic magma. Basaltic magma has the same composition as the igneous rock, basalt. This type of magma has a low percentage of silica. It is high in iron and magnesium. It has very few gases dissolved in it. It is formed when rocks in the upper mantle melt.

⁴     Basaltic magma is hottest of the three types. Its temperature ranges from 1000 to 2000 degrees Celsius. This high temperature affects basaltic magma's viscosity.

⁵     Viscosity is the resistance to flow. You could think of it as the "thickness" of the liquid. Think about pouring water out of a bottle. Now think about pouring honey onto your toast. The honey flows much more slowly.

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