PLSS 0201 Assignment
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Tuskegee University
Founded by Booker T. Washington
Introduction to Geology
PLSS 201 Assignment
9/21/23
Provide your responses to the questions below, note you may need additional resource than your class notes and textbook to answer the questions. 1.
Briefly compare the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens to a typical eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea
Volcano.
Mount St. Helens has more water in its magma than Hawaii’s Kilauea magma. Mount St. Helens
was sudden and more explosive generating a blast of ash and projectiles whereas the Kilauea are
generally non-explosive generating relatively quiet gentle outpourings of lava. 2.
List the magmas in order, from the highest to lowest silica content: mafic (basaltic) magma, felsic
(granitic/rhyolitic) magma, intermediate (andesitic) magma
Felsic (granitic/rhyolitic) magma, intermediate (andesitic) magma, Mafic(basaltic) magma
3.
List the factors that determine the manner in which magma erupts and explain why/how they impact
eruptions.
The viscosity and gas content of magma determines how it erupts. Low viscosity and low gas
content generally lead to quiescent eruptions. Magma with lots of silica is thick and gooey, while
magma low in silica is thin and runny. And magma with lots of gas causes bubbles to form as it
rises.
4.
Explain viscosity
Viscosity is the ability of a liquid to resist flowing. This means liquids with a higher viscosity are
thicker and do not flow as easily. The viscosity of magma will determine the shape a volcano takes
over continued eruptions. 5.
Are volcanoes fed by highly viscous magma more or less likely to be a greater threat to life and
property than volcanoes supplied with very fluid magma? Explain your answer.
A volcano fed by highly viscous magma is likely to be a greater threat to life and property than a
volcano supplied with very fluid magma because with high viscous magma gas is trapped more in
the magma so the gas will build up and then eventually explode, whereas with fluid magma the
gas can escape allowing the magma just to flow out of the volcano.
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