Which magma type would generally have the lowest viscosity?
A)basalt
B)andesite
C)dacite
D)rhyolite

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Basalt has the lowest viscosity of the four options because it has a lower silica content, which results in a more fluid lava flow. Higher silica content leads to more polymerization (bonding of molecules), which results in a higher viscosity. Dacite and rhyolite have the highest silica content and therefore the highest viscosity, while andesite falls somewhere in between.

Which Magma Type Would Generally Have the Lowest Viscosity