Predict which landforms are made from magma and which landforms are made from lava. Use evidence from the pictures to explain your prediction.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To predict which landforms are made from magma and which are made from lava, it’s important to understand the difference between these two materials and how they contribute to landform creation.
Magma is molten rock found beneath the Earth’s surface. When it erupts through a volcano, it becomes lava. The distinction between magma and lava lies in their location—magma is inside the Earth, and once it escapes the Earth’s crust, it’s called lava.
- Landforms made from magma:
- Intrusive Igneous Rock Formations: When magma cools and solidifies below the Earth’s surface, it forms landforms like batholiths, sills, and dikes. These landforms are typically large and solidified beneath the ground, creating mountain ranges or large masses of rock. Evidence of this would include landforms with sharp, jagged edges and a rough texture, which suggest solidified, cooled magma beneath the surface.
- Plutons: A pluton forms when magma intrudes into other rocks and cools slowly beneath the Earth’s surface. The evidence for plutons is usually seen in large, exposed rock formations, typically visible after erosion has removed overlying material.
- Landforms made from lava:
- Volcanoes: When lava erupts from the Earth’s surface and cools, it creates various volcanic landforms. The most recognizable volcanic landforms include shield volcanoes, cinder cones, and stratovolcanoes. These structures typically show a smoother, flowing shape, reflecting the flow of lava as it erupts and cools. The lava hardens on the surface, creating the outward appearance of the volcano.
- Lava Plateaus: These are formed when large volumes of lava erupt over time, covering the land in thick layers. The resulting surface is typically flat and wide, with evidence of layered rock formations that indicate lava flow.
In summary, magma forms landforms beneath the surface, such as batholiths and plutons, whereas lava forms landforms on the surface, such as volcanoes and lava plateaus. The evidence in the pictures would indicate whether the landforms are jagged and subterranean (magma) or smoother and surface-level (lava).