What is the difference between mafic and felsic?
What is the difference between mafic and felsic?
Either in describing rocks or lava, mafic means that the lava or rock has less silica while felsic implies that the lava or rock has the most silica. 6. Mafic rocks are darker in color than felsic rocks.
How do you tell if a rock is felsic or mafic?
Felsic minerals (quartz, K feldspar, etc) are light colored while mafic minerals (hornblende, pyroxenes) are normally dark colored. Felsic minerals have the lowest melting points (600 to 750 °C) and mafic minerals have higher melting points (1000 to 1200 °C).
What is an example of mafic?
Mafic is a term used to describe both minerals that are rich in iron and magnesium and rocks that are rich in those minerals. Common examples of mafic minerals include olivine, biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene. The opposite of mafic minerals are felsic minerals, which are poor in iron and magnesium.
How can you tell if a rock is felsic?
Light colors, including white, light gray, tan and pink, indicate a felsic composition. Felsic compositions are rich in silica (SiO2). Dark colors, such as black and dark brown, indicate a mafic or ultramafic composition.
What does mafic mean?
Definition of mafic : of, relating to, or being a group of usually dark-colored minerals rich in magnesium and iron.
What are some examples of felsic?
The most common felsic rock is granite. Common felsic minerals include quartz, muscovite, orthoclase, and the sodium-rich plagioclase feldspars (albite-rich).
What is the meaning of felsic?
Definition of felsic : consisting of or chiefly consisting of feldspar or feldspathoid quartz.
What is a felsic composition?
Felsic Minerals & Felsic Composition. The term felsic generally refers to rocks or magma that has a silica (SiO2 S i O 2 ) content greater than 63%. Additionally, felsic igneous rocks contain more than 75% felsic minerals which are high in silica content.
Is granite a mafic?
Granite and rhyolite are considered felsic, while basalt and gabbro are mafic (click here for more information on mafic and felsic). Felsic rocks, in general, form the bulk of the continental plates, while mafic basalt forms the seafloor.
What are four mafic igneous rocks?
A mafic mineral or rock is a silicate mineral or igneous rock rich in magnesium and iron. Most mafic minerals are dark in color, and common rock-forming mafic minerals include olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite. Common mafic rocks include basalt, diabase and gabbro.
What type of rock is mafic?
mafic rock, in geology, igneous rock that is dominated by the silicates pyroxene, amphibole, olivine, and mica. These minerals are high in magnesium and ferric oxides, and their presence gives mafic rock its characteristic dark colour.
What is mafic composition?
A mafic mineral or rock is a silicate mineral or igneous rock rich in magnesium and iron. Most mafic minerals are dark in color, and common rock-forming mafic minerals include olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite.
Is basalt mafic?
Basalt is a mafic extrusive rock, is the most widespread of all igneous rocks, and comprises more than 90% of all volcanic rocks. Because of its relatively low silica content, basalt lava has a comparatively low viscosity, and forms thin flows that can travel long distances.
What minerals are felsic rocks?
The felsic minerals include quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, feldspars (plagioclase and alkali feldspar), feldspathoids (nepheline and leucite), muscovite, and corundum. Because felsic minerals lack iron and magnesium, they are generally light in colour and consequently are referred to as such or as leucocratic.
What are some felsic igneous rocks?
Igneous Rocks: textures and compositions
| Felsic | Mafic | |
|---|---|---|
| Coarse- grained | granite | gabbro |
| Fine- grained | rhyolite | basalt |
| Minerals | quartz, K-feldspar, amphibole, muscovite, biotite | olivine, pyroxene, Ca-feldspar (plagioclase) |
Is basalt felsic?
Granite and rhyolite are considered felsic, while basalt and gabbro are mafic (click here for more information on mafic and felsic).
What type of rock is felsic?
In geology, felsic is a modifier describing igneous rocks that are relatively rich in elements that form feldspar and quartz. It is contrasted with mafic rocks, which are relatively richer in magnesium and iron.
What color is felsic rock?
light
Minerals are classed in two general color groups: felsic (light) and mafic (dark). Rocks may contain a mixture of mafic and felsic minerals, and are termed felsic if felsic minerals predominate, mafic otherwise.
Is granite a mafic rock?
Compilations of many rock analyses show that rhyolite and granite are felsic, with an average silica content of about 72 percent; syenite, diorite, and monzonite are intermediate, with an average silica content of 59 percent; gabbro and basalt are mafic, with an average silica content of 48 percent; and peridotite is …
What are mafic and felsic?
These are terms that are used by geologists to describe igneous rocks based upon their silica content. Most of the igneous rocks can be classified as Mafic or Felsic. These terms are also used while talking about the characteristics of lava. Many students confuse between the two adjectives Mafic and Felsic.
How are felsic and mafic rocks formed?
Felsic rocks can be produced by metamorphism of both igneous and sedimentary protoliths (e.g., granite and arkose, respectively) and are rich in silicon, sodium (Na), potassium, calcium, aluminum, and lesser amounts of iron and magnesium. Mafic rocks derive from basalt protoliths and some volcanogenic sediments…
What is the difference between felsic and mafic lava?
It is defined as the ability of a substance to resist flow.) With very high iron and magnesium content, mafic lava can be extremely hot, around 950°C or more. Because of these high temperatures, the viscosity is usually low as compared with felsic lava. Mafic lava leads to weaker volcanic eruptions.
What is the difference between mafic and feldspar?
Felsic is a term that is made up of the names of Feldspar and silica. Feldspar is a mineral that contains a high percentage of silica and aluminum. These are igneous rocks that have a lower density than mafic rocks and are also lighter in color.
