A volcano is a cone shaped hill or mountain which is built-up around an opening in the earth’s surface

through which hot gases, rock fragments and lavas are ejected.

Due to the accumulation of the solid fragments around the conduit a conical mass is built which
increases in size to become a large volcanic mountain. The conical mass so built-up is called a volcano.
However the term volcano is taken to include not only the central vent in the earth but also the
mountain or hill built around it.

Volcanoes are in varying sizes, varying from small conical hills to loftiest mountains on the earth’s
surface. The volcanoes of the Hawaiian Islands are nearly 4300 metres above sea level since they are
built over the floor of the Pacific ocean which at the site is 4300 to 5500 metres deep, the total height of
the volcano may be about 9000 m or more.

The eruption of a volcano is generally preceded by earthquakes and by loud rumblings like thunder
which may continue on a very high scale during the eruption. The loud rumblings are due to explosive
movement of gases and molten rock which are held under very high pressure. Before eruption of a
volcano fissures are likely to be opened, nearby lakes likely to be drained and hot springs may appear at
places.

The eruptive activity of volcanoes is mostly named after the well-known volcanoes, which are known for
particular type of behaviour, like Strambolian, Vulcanian, Vesuvian, Hawaiian types of eruption.
Volcanoes may erupt in one distinct way or may erupt in many ways, but, the reality is, these eruptions
provide a magical view inside the earth’s molten interior.

The nature of a volcanic eruption is determined largely by the type of materials ejected from the vent of
the volcano. Volcanic eruptions may be effusive (fluid lavas) or dangerous and explosive with blasts of
rock, gas, ash and other pyroclasts