Scientific-Humanistic Course in Sciences and Technologies

School year 2017/2018

Class Question – Biology and Geology
________________________________________________ Turma: 11ºC
___________________ Prof.: __________ Date: 04/18/2018

The Sintra volcanic massif

The Sintra eruptive massif (SEM) is a body of magmatic rocks that formed about 80 million years ago.
during the Late Cretaceous.
The geodynamic conditions that controlled the establishment of the MES are associated with the progression of ocean opening.
Atlantic to the north and the consequent opening of the Bay of Biscay. The opening of the Bay of Biscay leads to the rotation of the Peninsula.
Iberian, which, combined with the expansion of the oceanic basin between North America and the western margin of Iberia, induced a
complex stress field responsible for deep fractures in the crust used as conduits for the ascent of fluids
magma generated in the upper mantle. The mantle magma fraction ascended and settled about 80 million years ago, at a level
relatively shallow crust, about 5 km deep, in sedimentary formations from the Late Jurassic - Cretaceous
Superior, which underwent thermal and chemical metamorphosis. However, in the magmatic chamber, the phenomena that led to
to the crystallization of magma.
The MES is a circumscribed, intrusive mass, with a ring structure that is concordant with the sedimentary layers.
The magmatic rocks that make it up are distributed in a core of syenitic nature, surrounded by a wide granite ring, and
a discontinuous ring of gabbro-dioritic rocks that separates, to the south, the sienite from the granite and, to the north, the granite from the host rock
sedimentary. This set is associated with complex eruptive breccias, filling fractures of the massif and a dense network of
veins of orientation and of varied nature.
The rock group of the MES features grains of macroscopically analyzable dimensions, with the rocks being grain
very fine, in this case not macroscopically analyzable, confined to the vein network and some places on the periphery of the massif.
The sienites occupy the core of the massif and, like granites, are interrupted to the west by the sea. They are rocks in
that, macroscopically, we identify quartz in an amount less than 20% of the total volume of the rock and alkaline feldspar in
percentage equal to or higher than sodic-calcic plagioclase. This set is associated with biotite and other minerals.
diagnosable under the petrographic microscope.

Figure 1 - Geological map of the Sintra volcanic massif.

(Based onUnable to access external URLs.
consulted in January 2012
In the response to each of the items, from 1 to 8, select the only option that allows for a correct statement.

The main rocks of the Sintra eruptive massif exhibit texture

phaneritic, which suggests its formation at the surface.
(B) phaneritic, which suggests its formation at depth.
C) Afanitic, which suggests its formation at the surface.
D) aphanitic, which suggests its formation at depth.

2. Taking into account their color, the sienites of the MES can be classified as
(A) melanocrates, due to the predominance of ferromagnesian minerals.
(B) mesocrates, since there is a balance between felsic and mafic minerals.
(C) leucocrat, due to the predominance of felsic minerals.
(D) melanocrates, due to the predominance of feldspars and silica-rich minerals.

3. Walking from A to B, in the MES (figure 1) we find rocks originating from magmas with content of
increasing silica and decreasing viscosity.
decreasing silica and viscosity.
(C) decreasing silica and increasing viscosity.
(D) increasing silica and viscosity.

In the mineralogical composition of the gabbro, the presence of melting point minerals should predominate.
(A) higher, such as olivines, amphiboles, and calcic plagioclases.
higher, such as muscovite, quartz, and sodium plagioclases.
(C) low, such as amphiboles, pyroxenes, and sodium plagioclases.
(D) low, such as quartz, biotite, and calcic plagioclases.

5. Its mantelic origin suggests that the original magma that started the formation of the MES was of the type
(A) volcanic rock that, by differentiation, originated the syenites and the gabbros.
(B) andesitic, formed due to the presence of water.
(C) basaltic, which underwent subsequent differentiation.
(D) andesitic, related to the presence of a hot spot.

6. The filonaceous magmatic structures, such as veins and dikes, are made up of rocks.
(A) extrusive, which resulted from the flow of lava into fractures.
(B) extrusive, which resulted from the reaction of hydrothermal fluids.
(C) intrusive, which consolidated into fractures.
(D) intrusive that resulted from the contraction phenomena of the surrounding rock.

7. Basaltic magmas are also referred to as magmas _____ because they have a silica content _____ and a
temperature ________ to the melting point of its materials.
(A) basics (...) reduced (...) much higher (C) acid (...) high (...) low
(B) basics (…) high (…) much higher (D) reduced acid (...) lower

8. As for the color, basalt is classified as _______ because it has a ______ percentage of mafic minerals.
(A) leucocrata (...) elevated. (C) mesocrate (...) low.
(B) leucocrata (...) low. (D) melanocrata (...) elevated.

9. Arrange the letters A to E in a way that reconstructs a possible chronological sequence of related events.
with the process of differentiation of a basaltic magma by fractional crystallization.
A. The sodium plagioclase (albite) crystals and biotite form simultaneously.
B. In cooling magma, olivine crystals form.
C. Minerals with high silica content form a more superficial layer.
D. Ferromagnesian minerals deposit at the bottom of the magmatic reservoir.
The magma has andesitic composition.
Sequence: BDEAC
10. Match each of the descriptions of igneous rocks in column A with the term in column B that identifies it.
respective designation.
Column A Column B
a) Leucocratic rock, with granular texture and mineralogical composition where Basalt
quartz and feldspars predominately, with micas as accessory minerals. 2. Granite
b) Extrusive rock, with more than 70% SiO2, and composition equivalent toDiorito that of granites.
c) Rock with granular texture, with 50% to 85% of mafic minerals and Sienito without quartz.
d) Rock from the gabro family, extrusive, melanocratic. 5. Andesito
e) Volcanic rock of intermediate composition and gray color, consisting essentially
Riolito
for feldspars and mafic minerals, in which quartz and orthoclase exist in 7. Peridotite
smaller quantities. 8. Gabro

Correspondência:a)2; b)6; c)8; d)1; e)5

11. Explain under what circumstances a rock like granite can be formed from a primary magma.
basaltic nature.
The first minerals to crystallize from basaltic magma are the ferromagnesians (with a lower melting point)
elevated). These minerals separate from the original magma through gravitational differentiation/fractional crystallization, occurring
a relative enrichment of magma in silica (becoming more acidic). This residual magma can originate, by
crystallization, a rock like granite.

12. At convergent plate boundaries, the formation of magmas by melting of materials from a subducted oceanic plate.
it can occur at relatively low temperatures, compared to normal. Considering the characteristics of
materials of the oceanic plate in subduction, explain this lowering of the melting temperature.
The subducting oceanic plate drags water in the sediments, with the presence of these materials
hydrated moves its melting point to lower temperatures.

END

Question 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TOTAL
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 9 9 14 12 100
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