What is magma? Molten rock from deep within the Earth can reach very high temperatures
When lava flows out of a volcano, it is very impressive. Its streams look beautiful, but are deadly. I will explain what magma is and what properties it has.
Before I explain what magma is, it’s worth remembering how our planet is built. Beneath the relatively solid ground on which we live (i.e., the Earth’s crust), the Earth is much hotter and more turbulent. The high temperature in its interior causes substances that to us are rocks to occur in liquid form, called magma. It forms the so-called Earth’s mantle, which is about 2,900 kilometers thick.
Temperature of magma
The upper mantle has temperatures of several hundred degrees. This, combined with high pressure, is enough to make the rocks liquid. Magma contains silicates and aluminosilicates, oxides and sulfides, as well as water and gases.
The temperature of magma ranges from 650 to 1,250 degrees C. When it escapes to the Earth’s surface, it becomes very dangerous. It easily destroys the creations of our civilization.
It is worth considering at this point how a volcano is formed. Sometimes magma from the mantle moves upward. Most often, it solidifies in rock fissures, resulting in rock formations called intrusions. These form a…
