My aims are to investigate the factors affecting Lava Flows.

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Geology Coursework

Introduction/Background information

        There are two types of lava flows, free flowing mobile lava and slow moving viscous lava.

        Free flowing mobile (basaltic) lava creates a vent and spreads to produce large broad cones called shield volcanoes.

        The slow moving viscous (rhyolite) lava creates a narrow steep-sided cone due to a different chemical composition to basalt and this makes the lava flows more slowly down the cone side.

 

My Aims

        My aims are to investigate the factors affecting Lava Flows. There are lots of factors affecting a lava flow, they are:

  1. Slope angle
  2. Viscosity of the lava
  3. Temperature of the lava
  4. Slope height
  5. Volume of lava
  6. Roughness/smoothness of slope.

I have decided to investigate the viscosity of the lava flow. I have chosen this because I can produce a good range of results and this seems like it will produce the most safe, fair and accurate results. This is very important to me.

What will the viscosity affect on the lava flow?

  • Speed of the Lava
  • Distance traveled from the base of the volcano (slope).

I have decided to use the speed as it will be the easiest to perform and it will not take as long to perform. This will allow my self to make more accurate results.

        So my aim is to investigate how the viscosity of lava changes the speed of the lava flow when purred down a shallow angle.

Prediction

        I predict that the lower the viscosity the faster the lava will flow down the slope and the lava with a higher viscosity will travel slower.

I have predicted this because the free flowing lava acts all most like a liquid, the particles in the lava have weaker bonds which are more flexible and easily broken. In the more viscous (thicker) lava the particles will have more bonds which are much stronger, making the lava act more like a solid. I am now going to draw a diagram showing you the particle situation in free-flowing lava and the viscous lava.

The bonds are more flexible and longer.

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The bonds are smaller therefore making them stronger.

The Trial Run

I have decided to do a trail run because I cannot decide which slope angle to use in the investigation.

I will investigate the angles of 30 degrees, 40 degrees and 50 degrees.

PLAN

     Apparatus

  • Drain pipe (volcano side)
  • Retort stand and clamp
  • Wallpaper powder
  • Water
  • Bowl
  • 100 cm ruler
  • Mixing rod
  • Stop watch
  • Two Beakers
  • Digital Scales
  • Protractor
  • Measuring Cylinder

Method

First I need to collect all ...

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