Flexi Says: Magma forms deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Rock melts below the surface under tremendous pressure and high temperatures. Molten rock flows like taffy or hot wax. Most magmas are formed at temperatures between 600°C and 1300°C. Magma chambers are located where the heat and pressure are great enough to melt rock. These locations are at divergent or convergent plate boundaries or at hotpots. The chemistry of a magma determines the type of igneous rock it forms. The chemistry also determines how the magma moves. The higher the amount of silica in the magma, the higher the viscosity. Viscosity is a liquid's resistance to flow. Viscous magmas tend to stay below the surface or erupt explosively. These are felsic magmas, which are high in silica. When magma is fluid and runny, it is not viscous. This magma often reaches the surface by flowing out in rivers of lava. These are low-silica mafic magmas.
