Hosanna Technological School of Arts and Sciences – JHS Department

SCIENCE 9
WEEK 1
 Chapter 1 : Volcanoes and the
Interior of Earth Let’s learn!
Volcanism refers to any phenomenon of eruption of
Lesson 1 Volcanism molten lava onto the surface, whether from a tall volcano
or simply from magma that rises through a crack on a
planet's lithosphere. Volcanism happens when
underground molten rocks called magma find a path
through the lithosphere to the surface. There are two
reasons why magma rises. First, since molten rocks are
generally less dense than solid rocks, they have a natural
tendency to rise. Second, a magma chamber may be
squeezed by tectonic forces, then moves upward due to
pressure.

Parts of a Volcano
A volcano is a hill, mountain, or fissure from which molten
rocks, hot gases, and ash are ejected. The term "volcano"
also applies to a crater formed by the removal of
Have you ever seen a volcano erupt? Perhaps, you preexisting materials, or a hill or mountain formed from the
were awed by the spectacular display of colors of the very accumulation of ejected materials.
hot materials ejected from the volcano.
 out of long narrow cracks in the crust called fissures.
Magma in fissure eruptions is distributed over a wider area.
Some of the secondary vents, called fumaroles, emit only
gases.

A nearly circular depression that surrounds the vent is

called the crater. In some volcanoes, the depressions are
unusually large and are called calderas (figure 1.2). Some
may exceed 1 km in diameter. Calderas are believed to
form when the summit of a volcano collapses as the source
of magma is used up.

Figure 1.1. Magma comes out of the vent, the central opening of a
volcano. This is connected to a magma chamber. Figure 1.2. Calderas are
large depressions caused by
the collapse of the summit
Magma comes out of a vent, the central opening of a of a volcano.
volcano, as shown in figure 1.1. The vent is connected to a
magma chamber where the heated magma underneath rises.
Magma is molten rock found underneath Earth, while lava is
magma that reaches the surface. Materials are ejected from
the vent in all directions. These materials pile up around the
vent, eventually forming the cone. Some magma may come
Lesson 2 Sites Where Volcanoes Along the trench, a series of magmatic eruptions may
Are Formed form a chain of volcanoes. Most of the volcanic chains in
the Philippines are parallel to the oceanic trench. These
Where are volcanoes formed? volcanic chains are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a
narrow zone encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of
Volcanoes may be formed when there is a rich source
the active volcanoes are located.
of magma. They may be formed not only on land but also
under the ocean.

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Magma is abundant in subduction zones, where a
heavier plate moves under another. Recall that
compressive forces may cause dense plates to slide and
descend into the mantle, leaving a narrow depression
called a trench. As one plate descends, the increase in
pressure and temperature causes nearby rocks to melt and
form magma. Magma is then forced out of Earth's surface
(figure 2.1).

Figure 2.2. The Pacific Ring of Fire is a region in the Pacific Ocean where a
large number of volcanoes are found. Most volcanoes found in this area
Figure 2.1. Some volcanoes are formed near convergent plate boundaries. erupt explosively or violently.
Divergent Plate Boundaries Ridge systems are sites of seafloor spreading. One such
Some volcanoes are formed along the oceanic ridge system is located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean,
system (figure 2.3). A ridge is a long, narrow chain of folds in called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (figure 2.4). This is where
the oceanic crust produced by diverging forces of seafloor spreading is believed to be active. Magma formed
convection currents in the asthenosphere. The below the oceanic crust eventually moves upward, filling
asthenosphere is a zone consisting of weak materials that the newly-formed cracks. The ocean floor piles up and
lie below the lithosphere. The rocks within this zone are eventually creates a volcanic cone. Many volcanic cones
easily deformed. Ridges are separated by a valley called are formed around the ridge system.
rift.
rift ridge

Figure 2.4. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent plate boundary located

Figure 2.3. Some volcanoes form along the oceanic ridge system along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.
(divergent boundary).
Hot Spots Lesson 3 Volcanic Eruption
Not all volcanoes are formed near plate boundaries.
Other volcanoes are found within a rigid plate. Molten rock Volcanoes erupt differently. Some volcanoes erupt
materials from the mantle may also find their way out as hot violently, while others are relatively more quiet. The manner
plumes. These produce volcanic regions called hot spots by which volcanoes erupt affects the shape of the cones
(figure 9-7). A hot spot is believed to be beneath the island of they form.
Hawaii.
Glimpse of History

Mount Pinatubo Eruption

In June 1991, Mount Pinatubo erupted after more
than four centuries of being inactive. It emitted huge
quantities of volcanic ash, pyroclastic materials, and 25
to 30 million tons of sulfur dioxide. It also produced
eruption columns with a base width of 18 km, reaching
heights of up to 30 km above the volcano's vent.

For months, the ejected volcanic materials remained

suspended in the atmosphere. These volcanic materials
were dispersed by the wind, and reached as far north as
Russia and North America. As a result, sunlight was
blocked, and the average global surface temperature
Figure 2.5. Volcanoes form at hot spots, such as in Hawaii.
dropped by about O. 160C compared to the average of
the previous year.
 The eruption of Mount Pinatubo is considered the most increasing the pressure inside the vent. When this pressure
violent and destructive volcanic event of the twentieth builds up, the gases will be released, causing semi-molten
century. It gave scientists an opportunity to test the rocks from the volcano to be ejected. This eruption is violent.
connection between volcanism and climatic change. Most volcanoes in the Philippines erupt violently, a common
Scientists hypothesized that the sulfur-based aerosol cloud occurrence in volcanoes in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
contained particles that facilitated the occurrence of
ozone-depleting reaction. Data from the eruption suggest
that the low values of ozone in the tropics are probably
due to the effects of eruption on physical atmospheric
circulation rather than chemical reactions that produce
loss of ozone. Scientists believed that the eruption caused
air at lower elevations (where ozone concentration is low)
to heat up and rise to higher elevations (where higher
values of ozone are normally present).

Explosive or Quiet?
If you were able to observe how Mayon Volcano erupted
in 2013, you would know that it erupted explosively, ejecting
huge quantities of ash and debris.

Why do volcanoes erupt explosively? In an explosive

eruption, highly viscous magma inside the vent easily Figure 3.1. The 1984 Eruption of Mayon Volcano is an example of explosive
solidifies, forming a blockage in the crater of a volcano and eruption.
preventing the release of gases from the magma below,
 Very fluid magma, on the other hand, allows the Types of Volcanic Eruption
expanding gases to move upward and escape easily from The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
the vent. Magma that is ejected with the escaping gases (PHIVOLCS) lists six types of volcanic eruptions.
can reach hundreds of meters into the air. This eruption is • Hawaiian – the eruptions are the calmest of the eruption
specular; it is neither loud nor explosive (figure 3.2). types. They are characterized by the effusive emission of
Volcanoes found in the ridge system erupt quietly. highly fluid basalt lavas with low gas contents. The
relative volume of ejected pyroclastic material is less
than that of all other eruption types. The hallmark of
Hawaiian eruptions is steady lava fountaining and the
production of thin lava flows that eventually build up into
large, broad shield volcanoes.

• Vulcanian – an eruption resulting from the release of

large quantities of accumulated magmatic gas, which
lifts fine ash with great force high into the air, forming
Figure 3.2. Volcanoes in Hawaii, including Kilauea Volcano, erupt quietly. voluminous cauliflower clouds. A small vulcanian
eruption happened in Batu Tara Volcano in Indonesia in
1998.
 • Pelean – an eruption that occurs when gas-rich (high
water content), pasty (high silica content) lava
accumulates to form a dome on the volcano edifice or
beneath its surface; consequently, the dome bursts with
explosive violence. During this dome-bursting episode, the
liberated gas propels ash and other pyroclastic materials
at great velocity and may cause the formation of a tail
eruption column. Following the collapse of the dome or of
the tall eruption column, a glowing avalanche or nuée
ardente can be seen rapidly moving toward the lower
slopes and base of the volcano.

• Strombolian – a weak to violent eruption characterized by

lava fountains and outburst of molten lava. Typical
materials ejected are egg-shaped. Ash is relatively scarce
and the eruption cloud is generally yellowish to white. The
eruption of Mount Etna in Italy in 2002 was strombolian.

• Icelandic – an eruption characterized by effusions of

molten basaltic lava that flow from long, parallel fissures.
Such outpourings often build lava plateaus.
 Types of Volcanoes
Volcanologists have recognized that volcanoes exhibit
somewhat similar eruptive styles. They are grouped
according to eruptive patterns and characteristic forms,
such as the shape of cones. These are composite volcanoes,
cinder cones, and shield volcanoes.
• Composite Cone Volcanoes
Composite cones (stratovolcanoes) are produced
• Plinian – a violent explosion
viscous lava of andesitic composition flows out over a
characterized by
long time Then, their eruptive style changes; the volcano
voluminous ejections of
ejects materials that fall near the summit. This builds a
pumice and by ash flows.
steep-sided mound of cinders. The mound is built of
The release of gas-rich
alternating layers lava and pyroclastic materials. Mayon
siliceous magma is
Volcano, one of
Volcano,
commonly accompanied
by the collapse of the top the most
of the volcanic cone, or by picturesque
the collapse of a broader volcanoes in the
region. Plinian eruptions world because of
may result in the formation its perfect is an
of caldera or volcano- example of a
tectonic depressions. The composite
eruption of Mount Vesuvius volcano. Mount
in Italy in 1779 is an Fuji in Japan is
example of a Plinian another
eruption. composite
volcano.
• Cinder Cone Volcanoes • Shield Volcanoes
Have you ever seen Taal Volcano? From Tagaytay City Shield volcanoes are formed by less viscous basaltic
in Cavite, you can see several small volcanoes inside the lava flows. Since basaltic lava is free to flow, the
crater lake, which was formed by prehistoric eruptions of volcanoes formed have very wide base and are slightly
Taal Volcano These volcanoes are cinder cones. domed. Examples are the shield volcanoes of Kilauea and
Mauna Loa in Hawaii.
Cinder cones are built from ejected lava fragments.
They are small, usually less than 300 m high, and are
formed near or inside large volcanoes. They frequently
occur in groups.
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