Bowen’s series reaction is a model that describes the crystallization of minerals from a magma. It was developed by the American petrologist Norman L. Bowen in the early 1900s.
According to the Bowen’s series reaction, minerals crystallize from a cooling magma in a specific sequence, which is determined by their chemical composition and the temperature of the magma. The reaction starts with the formation of minerals that have the highest melting temperature and ends with those that have the lowest melting temperature.
The minerals that crystallize early in the sequence are typically rich in calcium, aluminum, and sodium, and include minerals such as olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase feldspar. As the temperature of the magma decreases, minerals with lower melting temperatures begin to crystallize, such as amphibole, biotite, and muscovite. Finally, minerals with the lowest melting temperatures, such as quartz, orthoclase feldspar, and muscovite, crystallize last.
The Bowen’s series reaction is important in understanding the formation of igneous rocks, which are formed from the solidification of magma or lava. The sequence of mineral crystallization determines the composition and texture of the resulting rock
Bowen’s series reaction, also known as Bowen’s reaction series, is a concept in geology that explains the order in which minerals crystallize from a cooling magma or lava. The concept was developed by Canadian geologist Norman Bowen in the early 20th century.
The Bowen’s series reaction describes the sequence in which minerals crystallize from a magma as it cools. The sequence is based on the melting points of the minerals. The minerals with the highest melting points will crystallize first, while those with the lowest melting points will crystallize last. The sequence of minerals crystallizing from a cooling magma is as follows:
- Olivine
- Pyroxene
- Amphibole
- Biotite mica
- Orthoclase feldspar
- Plagioclase feldspar
Each mineral in the series reacts with the remaining magma to create a new composition of magma that has a lower melting point than the previous one. This means that the composition of the magma changes as minerals crystallize out, resulting in a sequence of minerals with decreasing melting points.