What is a Volcano?

- A volcano is a vent in the Earth’s crust in which molten rocks and gases can escape from
its magma chamber. Volcanoes may differ in many aspects such as height, shape, and
slope.
- Some volcanoes are just crack in the grounds and other have a tall cone.
- The shape of the volcano is somewhat relative to the composition of its magma.
- Three basic types of volcanoes: composite or strato, shield and cinder cone.
Composite volcano
-Composite volcanoes—also called stratovolcanoes—are named for their composition.
Typically, steep-sided, symmetrical cones built of alternating layers of lava flows,
volcanic ash, and other eruptive products like from layers, of pyroclastic material,
pumice, volcanic ash, and tephra. The layers stack on each other with each eruption.
- One of the most common types of volcanoes that are steep sided cones from the layers of
ash and lava flows.
- These volcanoes have a pyroclastic flow rather than lava flow during eruption.
- This type of volcano can rise to 8000 feet and its pyroclastic materials can travel down
the side of the volcano at its very high speed with more than 400degree Celsius
temperature.
- The pyroclastic flow that flows out from the volcano is a combination of hot stream, ash
rock and dust.
- It also produces explosive eruption.
 Mayon Volcano
Mayon, also known as Mayon Volcano or Mount Mayon, is an active stratovolcano in the
province of Albay in Bicol Region, on the large island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Last eruption: 18 September 2014
Elevation: 2,463 m
Did you know: Like other volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean, Mayon is a part of the Pacific
Ring of Fire.

Another Exmaple of Composite volcanoes

 Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales
 Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon.
 Mount Kanlaon and Mount Talinis in Negros.
 Mount Arayat in Pampanga.
 Mount Iriga and Mount Isarog in Camarines Sur.
 Mount Fuji in Japan, and Mount Rainier, Washington, U.S.A.
Shield Volcanoes
 Are usually formed from layers of lava, they have gently slopes and are very developed
horizontally.
  Non-explosive, that produces a fast-flowing fluid called lava which can flows for miles.
 It tends to erupt frequently but gentle that can harm humans and destroy properties.
 Shield volcanoes can be usually found at the constructive boundaries or at the volcanic
hotspot.
 They are named like this because when viewed from above, you can see just how
massive and imposing they are- like a warrior’s shield.

Cinder Cone Volcanoes

 Most common type of volcanoes and has a conical hill of tephra (volcanic debris) that
accumulates around and downwind from the vent.
 Doesn’t have any horizontal layers.
 Cinder cones grow rapidly from a single eruption and have a steep side, but its height
rarely reach 300 meters.
 It only erupt once, however, even the ones that do erupt typically have a lower impact
than stratovolcanoes.
 Made up of pumice or small fragments of rocks that is being piled up to one another.
 The structure of this type of volcano depends on the composition of lava that is
being ejected during eruption.
 They usually have a crater at the summit and can be usually found near the larger
volcano.

Yes, Taal is considered a cinder cone volcano, even though it is effectively now just a large
caldera filled with water. Cinder cone volcanoes tend to be much smaller because they have a
smaller, single vent, and don't tend to erupt as explosively, which builds a lot of material on the
slopes.