2007-10-03 13:18:09 · 4 answers · asked by Suzan T 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Certainly. It was one of the most mind-bogging calculations I can ever remember. Our lecturer just stuck up the equation on the board, gave us a very reasonable starting size and temperature for a big molten granite intrusion, and told us to work out how long its centre would take just to SOLIDIFY, never mind cool down.
Well, a few minutes later we were all scratching our heads, and saying "I don't know where I've gone wrong, sir, it's coming out to 250,000 years!". And he said "Yes, that's about right." So it would not be surprising for it to take several million years more to get to anything like room temperature.
2007-10-03 23:29:44 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's possible, but unobservable.
Cooling is relative to the surrounding area - it's like Newton's law of cooling or something. If you take 800 degree molten quartz and keep it deep in the crust there it's 750 degrees, it will take a really long time to completely cool, crystalize, and finally solidify. Time increases further if the magma chamber is refreshed with new magma every once and awhile.
2007-10-03 22:23:12 · answer #2 · answered by naturalplastics 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In theory, yes.
The rate at which things cool is propotional to the difference in temperature. So boiling water, thrown in a bucket full of ice, but START to cool very quickly, but then will slow down.
It's a logarithmic curve, and in theory it never finishes. In practice, after a few hours the difference is so small you can't measure it any more.
2007-10-03 20:34:52 · answer #3 · answered by Alan 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Doubtful...depends on the rate of heat loss to surrounding areas but thousands of years may be more likely.
2007-10-03 22:21:42 · answer #4 · answered by paul h 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋