VOLCANOES

What is it a volcano?

A volcano is like a chimney in the

Earth’s crust
(surface) where magma flows out.
 Eruption
In 1883, in Indonesia, a volcano called
Krakatoa erupted at first.

Krakatoa
 The life of a volcano
The inside of the Earth is very hot, and
some of the solid rock melts to form hot,
liquid rock called magma.

The hole of the volcano is called vent.

When magma leaves the vent it becomes

lava.
 Inside a volcano

Vent

Hard lava

Magma

Magma
chamber
The Earth
The theory called plate tectonics
explains
how volcanoes form.

Some volcanoes form above a hot

spot, which is
a very hot place in the mantle.
 A volcanic eruption
Contents: gas, dust, water vapour, lava and ash
Gas, dust and
water vapour

Vent

Magma
Layers of lava and
ash
Lava

Magma chamber
 Types of volcano
Scientists put volcanoes into three
groups:
• An Active volcano is one that is
erupting or will soon erupt.
• A Dormant volcano is one that has
not erupted for a long time.
• An Extinct volcano is one that has
not erupted for more than 10.000
years.
 Volcanic landforms
Are in many places in the world, in
many
different shapes and sizes.

TYPES OF VOLCANOES:
Fissure volcano, Shield volcano, Dome
volcano, Ash-cinder volcano, Composite
volcano and Caldera volcano.
 Rocks and lava

Volcanoes produce lava and rocks we

find
on the Earth’s Surface. Magma forms
igneous
rocks. These fragments are called
tephra.
 Types of tephra

Bomb Lapilli

Ash Dust
Liquid lava flows fast and form smooth folds
that
look like rope this is called pahoehoe.
When slow, sticky lava gets hard, it forms
rocks
with sharp edges; it’s called aa.
Sometimes lava forms long, thing strings
like human
hair this
are called Pele’s hair.
 Underwater volcanoes
The floor of the ocean is similar to dry
land.
There are flat plains, mountain ridges,
canyons and trenches in the ocean
floor.
There are more volcanoes under the
ocean
than on the land.
 Living with volcanoes
The minerals and chemicals in the lava and
ash make
soil fertile so it’s good for farming.
Volcanoes also produce electricity.
This electricity is called geothermal energy
and the people use it.
 Volcanologists
Special scientists are called
volcanologists.
They study volcanoes in different
ways. This
helps to learn about the volcano’s
history and
to know what it is going to do.
Volcanologist’s
suit
Laura GARRIGA SAGALÉS
Laia GONZÀLEZ TORNER
2on C.C.S.E.P.
CURS: 2008-2009