DESCRIPTION OF A VOLCANO

VOLCANO is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-

mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava,
volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma
chamber below the surface. A mountain or hill,
typically conical, having a crater or vent through
which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are
being or have been erupted from the earth's crust.

VOLCANIC FIELD
such as Auckland and Northland, are where small
eruptions occur over a wide geographic area, and
are spaced over long periods of time (thousands of
years). Each eruption builds a new single new
volcano, which does not erupt again. Mount Eden
and Rangitoto Island are examples in Auckland.

CONE VOLCANOES
Cone volcanoes (also called composite cone or
stratovolcanoes) such as Ruapehu, Taranaki / Egmont
and Ngauruhoe, are characterised by a succession of
small-moderate eruptions from one location. The
products from the successive eruptions over
thousands of years build the cones.

CALDERA
VOLCANOES
Caldera
volcanoes, such
as Taupo and
Okataina (which
includes Mt
Tarawera), have
a history of
 infrequent but moderate-large eruptions. The caldera
forming eruptions create super craters 10-25 km in
diameter and deposit cubic kilometres of ash and
pumice.

TYPES OF VOLcanic ERUPTIONS

LAVA
Lava is
HYDROTHERMAL ERUPTION molten
An eruption rock
driven by the erupted
heat in a at the
hydrothermal ground
systems. surface. When
Hydrothermal
eruptions molten rock
pulverise is beneath the
surrounding ground, it is
rocks and can called
produce ash, but do not include magma. These are magma.
typically very small eruptions Lava flows
are the
effusive (non-
PHREATIC ERUPTION explosive)
An eruption outpourings of lava, and usually flow slower than
driven by the walking pace. Lava flow types include aa, blocky and
heat from pahoehoe.
magma Lava fountains are a fountain of runny lava
interacting with fragments from
water. The a vent or line
water can be of vents (a
from fissure). They
groundwater, can form
hydrothermal spatter piles,
systems, and if the
surface runoff, fragments
a lake or the sea. Phreatic eruptions pulverise
surrounding rocks and can produce ash, but do not
accumulate fast enough, they can form lava flows.
include new magma.
Lava domes are mounds that form when viscous lava
is erupted slowly and piles up over the vent, rather
PHREATOMAGMATIC ERUPTION than moving away as a lava flow. They are generally
An eruption resulting from the interaction of new caused by viscous, thick, sticky lava that has lost
magma or lava with water and can be very explosive. most of its gas. They can range in volume from a few
The water can be from groundwater, hydrothermal cubic metres to cubic kilometres.
systems, surface runoff, a lake or the sea.
STROMBOLIAN AND HAWAIIAN ERUPTIONS
These are the least violent types of explosive
eruptions. Hawaiian eruptions have fire fountains and
lava flows, whereas Strombolian eruptions have
explosions causing a shower of lava fragments.
VULCANIAN ERUPTIONS
Vulcanian eruptions are small to moderate explosive
eruptions, lasting seconds to minutes. Ash columns
can be up to 20 km in height, and lava blocks and
bombs may be ejected from the VENT.
SUBPLINIAN AND PLINIAN ERUPTIONS
Eruptions with a high rate of magma discharge,
sustained for minutes to hours. They form a tall,
convective eruption column of a mixture of gas and
rock particles, and can cause wide dispersion of ash.
Subplinian eruption columns are up to 20 km high,
and are relatively unsteady, whereas Plinian eruptions
have 20 to 35 km tall col umns which may collapse to
form pyroclastic density currents (PDCs). Very rare
Ultraplinian eruptions are even larger and have a
higher magma discharge rate than Plinian eruptions.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTIVE AND INACTIVE
VOLCANO

An ACTIVE VOLCANO is a volcano that has had at least one eruption during the past
10,000 years. An active volcano might be erupting or dormant. An erupting volcano is an
active volcano that is having an eruption... A dormant volcano is an active volcano that
is not erupting, but supposed to erupt again. While An INACTIVE VOLCANO is one that
could erupt but has not erupted for more than 10,000 years. Inactive volcanoes are also
called dormant or sleeping volcanoes.

An active volcano is a volcano that has had at least one eruption during the past
10,000 years. An active volcano might be erupting or dormant.

An erupting volcano is an active volcano that is having an eruption...

A dormant volcano is an active volcano that is not erupting, but supposed to erupt
again.

An extinct volcano has not had an eruption for at least 10,000 years and is not
expected to erupt again in a comparable time scale of the future.
 Harmful effect of volcanic eruption
Can cause earthquakes, fast floods, mud slides, and rock falls. Lava can travel very far
and burn, bury, or damage anything in its path, including people, houses, and trees. The
large amount of dust and ash can cause roofs to fall, makes it hard to breathe, and is
normally very smelly. The ground around the volcano is not secure and can cause big
earthquakes. A lot of scientists believe that really big volcanic eruptions can change
weather around the world. Ash clouds sometimes float very high in the air for years, so
sunlight cannot get to the earth, causing snow and frost in the summer in a lot of
countries.

EARTHQUAKES ROCK FALLS

Benificial effect of volcanic eruption

The main good effect that volcanoes have on the environment is

to give vitamins to the soil around them. Volcanic ash contains
minerals that help plants grow, and if the ash is very soft, it will
quickly get mixed into the soil.

Another good thing about volcanoes is that their sides are often
steep and hard to reach, making them a safe place for plants and
animals to live.
Also, volcanoes are a very important source of life. Their gases
are what created our water and atmosphere. This has been
happening for 4.5 billion years.
Other important good effects of volcanoes include the creation of
natural glass, sulfur, copper, and nickel.
 Unson elementary school
S.Y. 2017-2018

Project
in sCience
stephanie c. reyes
grade 6 Venus
mrs. Fe t. grevialde