What is the Difference between Andesitic and Basaltic Lava?

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

The difference between andesitic and basaltic lava is that basaltic lava has a low viscosity and is more liquid, whereas andesitic lava has a high viscosity. The high silica content of andesitic lava contributes to its high viscosity, whereas the low silica content of basaltic lava accounts for its lower viscosity. Basaltic lava forms at constructive plate borders and hotspots from hot mantle material, whereas andesitic lava occurs at destructive plate boundaries from the melting crust.

Table of content

1. Difference between Andesitic and Basaltic Lava
2. What is the Difference between Andesitic and Basaltic Lava?

Difference between Andesitic and Basaltic Lava

Andesitic eruptions are often violent, whereas Basaltic eruptions are relatively stagnant, producing lava flows and small eruptions. The major differences between andesitic and basaltic lava are given below:

Andesitic lava:

It has little potassium and sodium and significant iron, magnesium, and calcium levels.
It has a temperature range of roughly 800 degrees Celsius to 1000 degrees Celsius.
Stratovolcanoes release thick lava flows made of andesite magma that are sometimes several kilometres long.

Basaltic lava:

It has a low potassium and sodium content but a high iron, magnesium, and calcium concentration.
Its temperature is between 1000 and 1200 degrees Celsius.
When they erupt, basaltic lavas are quite fluid and relatively thin.
Basaltic lava comes from shield volcanoes.
Of all the Volcanoes on Earth, they are the biggest.
The most well-known examples are the volcanoes in Hawaii.

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