What does the term "felsic" refer to in geology?
Q: What does the term "felsic" refer to in geology?
A: The term "felsic" refers to silicate minerals, magma, and igneous rocks which are enriched in the lighter elements such as silicon, oxygen, aluminium, sodium, and potassium.
Q: What are the characteristics of felsic rocks?
A: Felsic rocks are usually light in colour and have specific gravities less than 3.
Q: What is the most common felsic rock?
A: The most common felsic rock is granite.
Q: Apart from granite, what are some other types of felsic rocks?
A: Other types of felsic rocks include quartz, muscovite, orthoclase, and the sodium-rich plagioclase feldspars.
Q: How do felsic rocks compare to mafic rocks when it comes to chemistry?
A: In terms of chemistry, felsic rocks are on the other side of the rock spectrum from the mafic rocks.
Q: What kind of minerals and elements are typically found in felsic rocks?
A: Felsic rocks are enriched in the lighter elements such as silicon, oxygen, aluminium, sodium, and potassium, and contain silicate minerals.
Q: How does the specific gravity of felsic rocks compare to other types of rocks?
A: Felsic rocks have specific gravities less than 3, which is lower than some other types of rocks.