SSAT Reading Question 162: Answer and Explanation
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Question: 162
2. A volcanic eruption is likely to be most explosive if magma
- A. is thin and runny
- B. is thick and sticky
- C. rises and collects in magma chambers
- D. pushes out through fissures in the Earth's surface
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
B is correct. As stated in the third paragraph, "How explosive an eruption is depends on how runny or sticky the magma is… . If magma is thick and sticky, gases cannot escape easily. Pressure builds up until the gases escape violently and explode." Choice A is wrong because if magma is thin and runny, "gases can escape easily from it," and when this type of magma erupts, "it flows out of the volcano." Choices C and D are both true of magma, but neither indicates how explosive an eruption will be. Choice E is wrong because magma that has erupted is called lava, regardless of the explosiveness of the eruption.