What relationship appears to exist between the ability of the magma to flow and the eruptive force of the valcano?
2007-03-01 13:27:01 · 4 answers · asked by ash 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The ability of magma to flow is viscosity. Something very viscous is thick and resistant to flowing (like silly putty or cold molasses). The thicker and more viscous the magma is the harder it is to move. So, it requires more force.
Some magma like that in Hawaii is quite runny (for melted rock) and has much less eruptive force and tends to flow more freely from the vent.
Other magma, is thick like Mt St Helen's and requires an explosive force to move it.
If you can imagine (or try) ketchup and mayonnaise both in a similar narrow neck bottle. Which one would you have to hit harder on the bottom?
While it requires some force to get ketchup out, the mayonnaise, being thicker, would require a greater force. Once loosened, the ketchup is likely to flow freely while the mayonnaise will require more repeated force.
2007-03-01 13:44:13 · answer #1 · answered by evokid 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say the pressure behind it. If the magma is pent up at a bottle neck and it gets plugged, when the pressure is strong enough to break through it would explode high into the air..if it is not plugged it would just flow like water. This of course is a swag. Scientific wild *** guess
2007-03-01 21:43:15 · answer #2 · answered by Jerry G 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The less it can flow, the more force the eruption has. The pressure builds up like shaking a bottle of pop.
2007-03-01 21:30:55 · answer #3 · answered by desperatehw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
how old are you?
2007-03-01 21:29:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋