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What is the difference between mafic and felsic?

mafic | felsic | Antonyms |

Felsic is a antonym of mafic.



As adjectives the difference between mafic and felsic

is that mafic is describing rocks, such as silicate minerals, magmas, and volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks, which contain relatively high concentrations of magnesium and iron while felsic is enriched in the lighter elements such as silicon, oxygen, aluminium, sodium, and potassium.

As nouns the difference between mafic and felsic

is that mafic is a rock with such properties while felsic is a rock with such properties.

mafic

English

(wikipedia mafic)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (geology) Describing rocks, such as silicate minerals, magmas, and volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks, which contain relatively high concentrations of magnesium and iron.
  • *2004 , (Richard Fortey), The Earth , Folio Society 2011, p. 60:
  • *:As a whole, rocks of this type are referred to as mafic , because of the importance of magnesium and iron in their composition.

    • Derived terms

    * ultramafic

    Synonyms

    * basic

    Antonyms

    * felsic * acidic

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A rock with such properties.

    • felsic

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (mineralogy) Enriched in the lighter elements such as silicon, oxygen, aluminium, sodium, and potassium.

    • Synonyms

    * acidic

    Antonyms

    * mafic

    Related terms

    * felsite

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A rock with such properties.