Hazards
of Volcanoes
Causes
of Eruptions
Signs
of Eruption
Matt
S.' Volcano Page
What is
a Volcano? A volcano is formed from molten lava that cools on top
of the Earth's surface, it's crust. When a volcano keeps erupting,
the lava cools and adds on to the volcano making it bigger. Not all
of the lava cools. Some of it can run off into the ocean and starting
creating more and more land, i.e. Hawaii.
All of the lava from the volcano actually begins under ground in the volcano's
magma chamber. When the pressure gets to be too great, the volcano
erupt. Once the magma comes to surface, it is called lava.
When lava cools, not only can it form more land but, it can form rocks.
Much like earthquakes, volcanoes are usually found on the plate boundaries.
Plates that come together and hit are called convergent plate.
When convergent plates come together, they push against each other and
pushes up new land. Plate boundaries are not the only place to find
volcanoes though. Volcanoes are also found over hot spots. As a plate
moves over a hot spot, a volcano can erupt. As the plate moves away
from it, the volcano can die down.
FOR
INFORMATION ON CERTAIN VOLCANOES, CLICK ONE OF THEM BELOW.
Mt. Saint
Helens
Mt. Vesuvius