Volcanoes
Volcanoes
Volcanoes
Author:
MA. RACHEL B. ESPINO
Teacher I, Science
Buhatan NHS, Sorsogon City
What is a volcano?
A volcano is a mountain where lava (hot, liquid
rock) comes from a magma chamber under the
ground. A volcano usually has a summit, a slope
and base.
Most volcanoes have a volcanic crater at the top.
When they are active, materials pour out of it.
This includes lava, steam, gaseous compounds
of sulphur, ash and broken rock pieces.
Volcanoes erupt when magma and pressure
come together, and the pressure blows off the
top of the solid rock, and the magma pours out.
Types of Volcanoes: SHIELD
VOLCANOES
Shield volcanoes are built out of layers of lava from
continual eruptions (without explosions). Because the
lava is so fluid, it spreads out, often over a wide area.
Shield volcanoes do not grow to a great height, and the
layers of lava spread out to give the volcano gently
sloping sides. Shield volcanoes can produce huge areas
of basalt, which is usually what lava is when cooled.
Even though their sides are not very steep, shield
volcanoes can be huge. Mauna Kea in Hawaii is the
biggest mountain on Earth. If it is measured from its
base on the floor of the sea, Mauna Kea is even taller
than Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on land.
MT. MAUNA KEA, HAWAII
Types of Volcanoes:
STRATOVOLCANOES
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite
volcano, is a tall, conical volcano. It is built up of
many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and
volcanic ash.
Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes have a steep
profile and periodic eruptions. The lava that flows
from stratovolcanoes cools and hardens before
spreading far. It is sticky, that is, it has high viscosity.
The magma forming this lava is often felsic, with
high-to-intermediate levels of silica, and less mafic
magma. Big felsic lava flows are uncommon, but have
travelled as far as 15km (9.3mi).
MT. FUJI, JAPAN
Types of Volcanoes: CALDERA