GEOLOGY 101, FAQS
Magma, Volcanoes and Igneous Rocks
Joseph Hull
 copyright  Joseph Hull

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1.      What is magma made of (what are the components)? 

2.      Where is magma produced in the Earth, what are the plate tectonic settings for magma creation?

3.      Magma can be produced by decompression or by heating; which process takes place in which tectonic setting that you gave for #2?

4.      What is the difference between primary magma and secondary magma?

5.      What does the underground magma plumbing look like, AFTER the magma has frozen in the plumbing and AFTER the plumbing has been exposed on the ground for viewing pleasure?  In other words, what kinds of plutonic features do we see?

6.      What is the difference between a shield volcano and a stratovolcano?  Where are these two types of volcanoes found (what kinds of plate tectonic settings)?  And why is one kind of eruption "quiet" and the other kind "explosive?"

7.      What are the differences between plutonic igneous rocks and volcanic igneous rocks? 

8.      What are the differences between felsic igneous rocks and mafic igneous rocks?

9.  What two basic features or characteristics are used to classify common igneous rocks?

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