Volcanoes

The Physical Earth and Human Interaction

 Aims
• Define the term volcano and volcanic cone
• Draw a neat well annotated diagram showing the structure of a volcanic
cone – cone, pipe, vent, crater, parasitic cone, layers, earth’s crust
• Name and locate in the Caribbean and other areas of the world active
volcanoes ( 3 in the Caribbean and region and 2 outside the Caribbean
or region)
• State and describe the materials ejected from volcanoes- lava (basic
and acidic), ash, gases (examples), pyroclastic materials
 Essential Reading
Caribbean Environment
Green Book: Chapter 1.4, page 11 & Chapter 1.6, pages 18-21
Red Book:
Blue Book: Chapter 1.4, page 11 & Chapter 1.5, pages 14-15
 Definitions
• Vulcanicity can be described as the process
whereby magma flows into the earth’s crust or onto
the surface.

• Difference between magma and Lava:

• Magma is below the Earth’s surface while lava is
above the Earth’s surface.

Lava on the surface

 Definitions
• A volcano is a crack or vent in the Earth’s crust
that links the surface to the Mantle, through which
magma and other volcanic material are ejected
naturally at intervals.
• It can occur on land or under the sea (on the
seabed)

Kick ‘em Jenny

 Definitions
• A Volcanic cone is a triangle-shaped hill formed as
material from volcanic eruptions piles up around
the volcanic vent, or opening in Earth's crust.
Cross section of the structure of a composite volcano /
Stratovolcano
 Examples of Volcanoes

• International
• Mount St. Helens, U.S.A
• Fuji, East of Asia
• Cotopaxi, South America
Examples of Volcanoes

• International
• Mount St. Helens, U.S.A
• Fuji, East of Asia
• Cotopaxi, South America

• Caribbean
• Soufriere Hills, Montserrat
• Soufriere, Guadeloupe
• Mt. St. Catherine, Grenada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbDEgcVsf_4

• Soufriere, St. Luica

TYPES OF MATERIALS EJECTED
FROM A VOLCANO
Materials ejected from volcanic eruptions
 Materials ejected from a Volcano
• Lava is molten rock that comes from a volcanic vent /crack to the
surface of the Earth’s Crust, where it will eventually solidify.
• There are two types of Lava: lava
1. Basic
2. Acidic

• Volcanic Ash is unconsolidated pyroclastic material

consisting of fine volcanic fragments of rock and lava
which have been ejected explosively from a volcano.
ash
• It is the remains of burnt rock material
measuring less than 4 mm in diameter.
 Materials ejected from a Volcano
Volcanic gases : These include gases trapped or given off by an active
volcano.
Examples: tephra, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen and
methane.

A volcanic bomb is a mass of molten rock (tephra) larger than 65 mm (2.5 inches)
in diameter, formed when a volcano ejects viscous fragments of lava during an
eruption. They cool into solid fragments before they reach the ground.

volcanic bomb
 Materials ejected from a Volcano
Pyroclastic flow/ Nuée Ardente – is a superheated, glowing cauliflower-shaped
vertical cloud of hot ash and rock fragments ejected from a volcano during an
eruption. .
This fiery clouds of dust, ash and gas are carried through the air during a violent
eruption and moves quickly.
Down the volcanic cone and can extend for miles devastating life and property.
Example Mt Pelee, Martinique eruption in 1902
 Materials ejected from a Volcano
• Lahars is a is volcanic materials consisting of water, rocks and mud
that move downhill, under the influence of gravity, that rush down the
volcanic slope. It is also known as debris flows or volcanic mudflows.

Lahar at Mount St. Helens,

USA

• Talphra / pyroclasts include all types of solid material, including lava

and fragmented or shattered volcanic materials.

• Nuée Ardente – is a glowing cauliflower-shaped vertical cloud of hot ash

and rock fragments ejected from a volcano during an eruption. It forma s
pyroclastic flow.