LET’S TALK ABOUT

magma
STEM11A GROUP 2
What DO YOU
think will
happen after
magma is
formed?
Learning Objectives:
Here are the things that we should learn by the end of this lesson.

Define and describe magma and its composition.

Describe and differentiate the types of magma.

Enumerate and describe the types of magma formation.

 Magma
is the term for molten or partially molten rock that
forms beneath the Earth’s surface. Magma can have
different chemical compositions, depending on the
minerals and gases that are present to it.
According to 3.2 Magma and Magma Formation

THE MAIN ELEMENTS IN MAGMA ARE:

▪ Oxygen ▪ Calcium
▪ Silicon ▪ Sodium
▪ Aluminum ▪ Magnesium
▪ Iron ▪ Potassium
• Oxygen is the most common element, making up nearly
half of the composition.

• Silicon follows oxygen, accounting for about one-quarter of

the composition.

• The rest of the elements make up the remaining portion.

When magmas come from the Earth’s crust, they
contain more of the following elements:

▪ Oxygen
▪ Sodium
▪ Silicon
▪ Potassium
▪ Aluminum
 The composition of magma Magma derived from the
depends on: mantle contains more:
• The type of rock it is
formed from • Iron

• The conditions under which • Magnesium

the rock melts • Calcium

Despite the increased presence of these
elements, oxygen and silicon remain dominant in mantle-
derived magma.

All magmas contain elements like:

• Hydrogen
• Carbon
• Sulfur
These elements turn into gases as the magma cools.
 Figure 3.2.1 Average elemental proportions in Earth’s crust,
which is close to the average composition of magmas within the
crust.
Figure 3.2.1 image description: Oxygen
(46.6%), Silicon (27.7%), Aluminum
(8.1%), Iron (5.0%), Calcium (3.6%),
Sodium (2.8%), Potassium (2.6%),
Magnesium (2.1%), Others (1.5%).
 MAGMA CLASSIFIES INTO
THREE MAIN TYPES
● BASALTIC
● ANDESITIC
● RHYOLITIC
These types differ in their temperature, viscosity, and silica content. Silica is a
compound of silicon and oxygen that affects how fluid or thick the magma is.
 Basaltic Magma
is the hottest and most fluid type of magma.

▪ Temperature Range: 1000°C to 1200°C

▪ Silica Content: About 45–55 percent by weight
▪ Iron, Magnesium, and Calcium Content: High
 Basaltic Magma
is the hottest and most fluid type of magma.

▪ Potassium and Sodium Content: Low

▪ Volcanic Eruptions: Usually found in nonexplosive
volcanic eruptions, such as those that form shield
volcanoes and oceanic islands
▪ Volcanic Rocks Produced: Produces dark-colored
volcanic rocks, such as basalt and gabbro.
Andesitic Magma
is the intermediate type of magma.

▪ Temperature Range: 800°C to 1000°C

▪ Silica Content: About 60 percent by weight
▪ Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, and Sodium
Content: Moderate
Andesitic Magma
is the intermediate type of magma.

▪ Volcanic Eruptions: Usually found in explosive or

effusive volcanic eruptions, such as those that form
stratovolcanoes and volcanic arcs.
▪ Volcanic Rocks Produced: Produces gray-colored
volcanic rocks, such as andesite and diorite.
Rhyolitic Magma
is the coolest and most viscous type of magma.

▪ Temperature Range: 650°C to 800°C

▪ Silica Content: About 65–75 percent by weight
▪ Iron, Magnesium, and Calcium Content: Low
Rhyolitic Magma
is the coolest and most viscous type of magma.

▪ Potassium and Sodium Content: High

▪ Volcanic Eruptions: Usually found in the most
explosive volcanic eruptions, such as those that form
calderas and super volcanoes
▪ Volcanic Rocks Produced: Produces light-colored
volcanic rocks, such as rhyolite and granite.
 To differentiate them, we can use a table to compare their
main features. Here is a table that summarizes the differences
between basaltic, andesitic, and rhyolitic magma:
Type Tempera Silica Viscosity Eruption Volcano Type Rock Color
ture Content Style Type

Basaltic 1000°C– 45–55% Low Non- Shield Basalt, Dark

1200°C explosive Gabbro

Andesitic 800°C– 60% Moderate Explosive Stratovolcano Andesite, Gray

1000°C or Effusive Diorite

Rhyolitic 650°C– 65–75% High Very Caldera Rhyolite, Light

800°C Explosive Granite
1. Decompression Melting
2. Flux Melting
3. Heat-Transfer Melting
 MAGMA FORMATION
Decompression Melting
can be explained as follows:

▪ It occurs when hot mantle rocks rise to shallower depths and experience
lower pressure.
▪ This process lowers their melting point and causes them to partially melt.
▪ Decompression melting is the main source of magma in divergent plate
boundaries, such as mid-ocean ridges.
▪ It is also prevalent in mantle plumes, such as hot spots.
 MAGMA FORMATION
Flux Melting
can be explained as follows:

▪ It occurs when water or other volatiles are added to mantle rocks.

▪ This process lowers their melting point and causes them to partially melt.
▪ Flux melting is the main source of magma in convergent plate boundaries,
such as subduction zones.
▪ In these zones, water from the subducting oceanic crust is released into the
overlying mantle wedge.
 MAGMA FORMATION
Heat-transfer Melting
can be explained as follows:

▪ It occurs when hot magma intrudes into cooler crustal rocks.

▪ This process raises their temperature and causes them to partially melt.
▪ Heat-transfer melting is the main source of magma in continental rifts,
where crustal extension and thinning allow magma to rise from the
mantle.
▪ It is also prevalent in some volcanic arcs, where magma from the mantle
wedge intrudes into the continental crust.
 Bowen’s reaction series describes the sequence of mineral
formation as magma cools. It consists of two parts:

❑ The first part involves a transition from olivine to pyroxene, then

to amphibole, and finally to biotite as the temperature decreases.

❑ The second part sees plagioclase feldspar shifting from a calcium-

rich composition to a sodium-rich one during cooling. The specific
minerals that crystallize from the magma are determined by
factors such as the rate of cooling, the degree of mixing of
different materials, and the loss of gases during the process.
 What will
happen after
magma is
formed?
 To summarize everything, after magma is
formed, it can either erupt from a volcano,
cool below the Earth's surface to create
different rocks, provide heat for geothermal
energy, change nearby rocks through heat
and pressure, or create valuable mineral
deposits when interacting with other rocks.
THANK
YOU!
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 REFERENCE(S):
● Magma - National Geographic Society. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/magma/.
● Magma | Components, Types, & Facts | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/magma-
rock.
● Getty Images. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/volcano-eruption-royalty-free-
image/94975038.
● Earth Science: An Introduction, 3rd Edition - 9780357116562 - Cengage.
https://www.cengage.com/c/earth-science-an-introduction-3e-hendrix/9780357116562.
● Earth Science, 3rd Edition - 9780357116562 - Cengage. https://www.cengage.com/c/earth-
science-an-introduction-3e-hendrix/9780357116562PF.
● Earth Science: An Introduction, 3rd Edition PDF by Marc S Hendrix.
https://www.textileebook.com/2023/05/earth-science-introduction-3rd-edition-pdf.html.
● eTextbook: Earth Science: An Introduction, 3rd Edition - Cengage.
https://au.cengage.com/c/isbn/9780357701089. Earth Science - Mark Hendrix, Graham R.
Thompson - Google Books.
https://books.google.com/books/about/Earth_Science.html?id=yGf6DwAAQBAJ.
● https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/chapter/3-2-magma-and-magma-formation/#fig3.2.1 -
Earth Science: An Introduction, 3rd Edition by Hendrix, Thompson, and Turk
● https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/chapter/3-2-magma-and-magma-formation/#fig3.2.1