Earth Sciences 1023A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Liquidus, Peridotite, Volcanism

• School: Western University
• Department: Earth Sciences
• Course: Earth Sciences 1023A/B
• Professor: Richard Secco

Document Summary

Less dense liquid rises to erupt at the surface (lava). Source of heat for melting rock: most of the heat that generates magma comes from earth"s core where temperatures are. >5,0000c: heat is transported to the surface through convection and conduction. Melting: when a mineral is heated, its atomic vibrations become more vigorous, if enough energy is provided, the ordering of atomic bonds holding the substance together will break and destroy the ordered structure of the substance. Zone of partial melting for peridotite (the most abundant upper mantle rock) Solidus : the line of temperatures and pressures when partial melt begins. Liquidus: the line of temperatures and pressures when the material becomes completely molten. Depth zone of partial melt depends on where the geotherm intersects the solidus. The speed at which they cool is associated with whether they are fine grained or coarse grained.