Volcanic rock (or
lava) that characteristically is light in color, contains 69 or more percent of
silica, and is rich in potassium and sodium. Low-silica
rhyolite contains 69 to 74 percent silica. High-silica rhyolite contains 75 to 80 percent silica.
Rhyolitic lavas are viscous and tend to form thick blocky lava flows or steep-sided piles of lava called lava
domes.
Rhyolite magmas tend to erupt
explosively, commonly also producing abundant
ash and
pumice.