9

Science
Quarter 3 – Week 2
Weekly Learning Activity Sheet
Primary Factors Affecting Volcanoes’
Eruptive Style

Writer:

JULIE B. BONGCALES
Las Nieves National High School
Las Nieves District I
Agusan del Norte Division

Author: Julie B. Bongcales

School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
Science Grade 9
Weekly Learning Activity Sheet
Quarter 3-Week 2: Primary Factors Affecting Volcanoes’ Eruptive Style

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Julie B. Bongcales

Editors: Jane C. Basul

Eoceline C. Canonigo

Reviewers: Julie B. Bongcales

Eoceline C. Canonigo
Tiche Lynn G. Caparoso

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Author: Julie B. Bongcales

School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
 WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET
Science 9 Quarter 3 Week 2

Primary Factors Affecting the Volcanoes’ Eruptive Style

Name: ___________________________________________ Section: ____________________

Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC)

Explain what happens when volcanoes erupt (Code: S9ES –IIIb-28).

Learning Objectives:

The learners shall be able to:

1. explain how destructive and constructive plate boundaries are involved in the
volcano making process.
2. describe the effect of high temperature on the formation of gas.
3. describe viscosity; and
4. determine the viscosity of some liquids.

Time Allotment: 4 hours

Key Concepts

Formation of Volcanoes

Volcanoes are a clear evidence of plate tectonics processes. These are common along
convergent and divergent plate boundaries. They are usually found within lithospheric plates away
from plate boundaries. Wherever mantle is able to melt, volcanoes may arise.

The tectonic plates continuously contact each other and are moving relative to one another.
The movement of faults at plate boundaries can provide a convenient pathway for magma to reach
the surface. It helps to explain this by looking at the three main types of plate boundary:
 constructive boundaries (divergent)- plates are moving away from each other. New crust
is created between the two plates.
 destructive boundaries (convergent) - plates are moving towards each other. Old crust
is either dragged down into the mantle at a subduction zone or pushed upwards to form
mountain ranges.
 transform boundaries (conservative) -plates are moving past each other. Crust is
neither created nor destroyed.

Divergent Plate Boundaries

Along constructive plate boundaries, also known as divergent boundaries, tectonic plates
move away from one another to produce volcanoes. Hot magma rises from the mantle at mid-ocean
ridges pushing apart. The rock is under lower pressure; this lowers the melting temperature of the
rock and so it melts. Lava erupts through long cracks in the ground, or fissures.

1
Author: Julie B. Bongcales
School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
 Why does melting occur at divergent plate boundaries? Hot mantle rock rises where the
plates are moving apart. This releases pressure on the mantle, which lowers its melting
temperature. Lava erupts through long cracks in the ground, or fissures.

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Destructive or converging plates can be oceanic, continental, or one of each. If both are
continental they will smash together and form a mountain range. If at least one is oceanic, it will
subduct. A subducting plate creates volcanoes. Locations with converging in which at least one
plate is oceanic at the boundary have volcanoes.

Why does melting occur at convergent plate boundaries? Melting at convergent plate
boundaries has many causes. The subducting plate heats up as it sinks into the mantle. Also,
water is mixed in with the sediments lying on top of the subducting plate. As the sediments
subduct, the water rises into the overlying mantle material and lowers its melting point, this
increases melting along subduction zones. Melting in the mantle above the subducting plate leads
to volcanoes within an island or continental arc.

Volcanoes do not typically occur at transform boundaries. One of the reasons for this is
that there is little or no magma available at the plate boundary.

Magma inside the volcano has high temperature. As the magma is continuously heated, it
goes up. As it rises gas bubbles are developed. The gas bubbles are trapped and expanded causing
the molten material to swell also, resulting in a gradual increase in pressure within the volcano.
When the pressure exceeds the strength of the overlying rock, fracturing occurs. The resulting
breaks leads to a further drop in confining pressure, which in turn causes even more bubbles to
form.

There are primary factors affecting the volcanoes’ eruptive style, these includes: the
magma’s temperature, its chemical composition, and the amount of dissolved gases it
contains. These factors can affect the magma’s viscosity in different ways. Viscosity is the property
of the material’s resistance to flow. It is also described as the liquid’s thickness and stickiness.
The more viscous and thicker the material is, the greater is its resistance to flow. For instance,
syrup is more viscous than water.

Let us discuss how each factor affects the viscosity of magma. First, let’s look into how
temperature of magma affects its viscosity. The viscosity of magma decreases with temperature.
The higher the temperature of magma is, the lower is its viscosity. As lava flows, it cools and begins
to harden, its ability to flow decreases and eventually it stops.

Next, let’s look at how the composition of magma affects its viscosity. Magmas with high
silica content are more viscous than those with low silica content as shown in Figure 1.The magma
that contains less silica is relatively fluid and travels far before solidifying.

Lastly, the amount of gases contained in the magma affects its viscosity. Other factors being
equal, gas (mainly water vapor) dissolved in magma tends to increase its ability to flow. Therefore,
in near-surface environments, the loss of gases makes magma more viscous, forming a dome or a
columnar as shown in Figure 1.

Author: Julie B. Bongcales 2

School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
 Lava with less silica content has low viscosity
that it can travel a great distance, forming a
thin sheet.

Lava with high silica content is too viscous to

travel far, and tends to break up as it flows.

Lava with low amount of gas and high silica

content is very viscous and does not flow out
at all as it rises, forming a columnar plug in the
vent.

Lava with low amount of gas as it rises has high

viscosity that it piles up at a vent resulting in a
dome, forming a columnar plug in the vent.
(Adapted from Grade 9 Science Learner’s Material).
Figure 1. Viscosity of magma in different conditions

Activity 1. Volcanoes Knows No Boundaries!

Objective: Explain how destructive and constructive plate boundaries are involved in the
volcano making process.

What you need: Learning Activity Sheets, Pen and Answer Sheet

What to do: Match the types of plate boundaries in Column A to its description in Column B.
Copy the paragraph in column B that corresponds to your answer in column A on a separate
sheet of paper.

Column A Column B

1. Constructive boundaries Plates are moving away from each other. New crust
(divergent plate boundaries) is created between the two plates.

Plates are moving towards each other. Old crust is

2. Destructive boundaries
either dragged down into the mantle at a subduction
(convergent plate boundaries)
zone or pushed upwards to form mountain ranges.

3. Transform boundaries (conservative) Plates are moving past each other. Crust is neither
created nor destroyed.

mountain ranges.
Guide Question:

1. How volcanoes are formed in a destructive and constructive plate boundaries?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________.

Author: Julie B. Bongcales 3

School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
 Rubric for Scoring the Guide Question
Points Description
3 Explanations are conceptually correct.
2 Explanations are conceptually correct but with misconceptions.
1 Explanations are conceptually incorrect.
0 No explanations

Activity 2. Under Pressure

Objective: Describe the effect of high temperature on the formation of gas.

What you need: Learning Activity Sheets, Pen and Answer Sheet

What to do: Study the simple experiment conducted by a group of grade 9 students below, then
answer the questions that follow. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper.

A group of grade 9 students performed a simple experiment describing the effect of high
temperature to the formation of gas. The materials, procedure and results of their experiment are
as follows:

Materials
two 300 mL bottled soft drinks (must be sealed before using)
two 300 mL bottled cooking oil
two identical small basins
hot water
Procedure
1. Half-fill basin A with hot water and basin B with cold water.
2. Put one bottled soda in basin A and another one in basin B. Wait for three
minutes.
3. Slowly unscrew the caps from the bottle in each basin and observe.

Observations
A fizzing sound was heard followed by the rushing out of bubbles from the bottle
dipped in hot water. There was also a sound heard in the bottle placed in cold water but
not as much as in bottle A.

Guide Questions:

Q1. How will you explain their observations?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Q2.What is the role of hot water in their set-up?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

4
Author: Julie B. Bongcales
School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
 What if we use another liquid such as oil instead of soft drinks? Will we have the
same observation? Let’s find out in the next procedure.
4. Replace the hot water in basin A.
5. Put one of the bottled cooking oil in hot water and the other one in cold
water. Wait for three minutes.
6. Slowly unscrew the caps and observe.

Observation
The observation in the bottle of cooking oil is not the same as in the soda drinks.

Q3. Explain the observation of the students.

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Rubric for Scoring the Guide Question
Points Description
3 Explanations are conceptually correct.
2 Explanations are conceptually correct but with misconceptions.
1 Explanations are conceptually incorrect.
0 No explanations

Activity 3. Viscosity Race

Objective: Describe viscosity and determine the viscosity of some liquids.

What you need: Learning Activity Sheets, Pen and Answer Sheet

What to do: Study the simple experiment conducted by a group of grade 9 students below, then
answer the questions that follow. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper.

Julie, Tiche and Celine performed an experiment on determining the viscosity of some liquids .
They prepared all the materials needed, followed the procedure carefully and recorded
their observations as shown below.

Materials
four pieces of cone out of a cardboard clear drinking glass
beaker drinking straw
tray timer
water syrup
honey cooking oil

Procedure
1. Before doing the activity, predict which liquid (water, syrup, honey, and cooking
oil) takes the least amount of time to reach the tray. Which liquid will take the most
amount of time?
2. Place the cone marked A, B, C, and D on the tray.
3. Pour water on the top of cone A. Then, record the time it takes for the water to
reach the tray.
4. Do it three times for each material.
NOTE: Use the same amount of material each time.

Author: Julie B. Bongcales 5

School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
 Observations
Table 1. Travel time of some liquids
Liquid Travel time (seconds)
1st trial 2nd trial 3rd trial Average
water 1.12 .86 .78 0.92
cooking oil 2.14 2.02 1.90 2.02
syrup 3.08 2.78 2.94 2.93
honey 2.35 2.42 2.52 2.43

Guide Questions:
Q1. Which liquid is the most viscous? How do you know?
Q2. Which liquid is the least viscous?
Q3. Explain viscosity in your own words.
Q4. Compare how these liquids flow with how you think with lava flows. Why do
some types of lava travel faster than others?

Rubric for Scoring the Guide Questions

Points Description
3 Explanations are conceptually correct.
2 Explanations are conceptually correct but with misconceptions.
1 Explanations are conceptually incorrect.
0 No explanations

Activity 4. Lava Walk

Objective: Determine the viscosity of magma in different conditions.

What you need: Learning Activity Sheets, Pen and Answer Sheet

What to do: Match the lava flows in column A with its description of the viscosity of magma in
different conditions in column B. Write the correct description in column B that matches column
A on a separate sheet of paper.

Column A Column B.

__1. a. Lava with low amount of gas and high silica

content is very viscous and does not flow out
at all as it rises, forming a columnar plug in
the vent.

b. Lava with high silica content is too viscous

__2.
to travel far, and tends to break up as it flows.

c. Lava with less silica content has low viscosity

__3. that it can travel a great distance, forming a
thin sheet.
d. Lava with low amount of gas as it rises has
__4. high viscosity that it piles up at a vent resulting
in a dome, forming a columnar plug in the vent.

Author: Julie B. Bongcales 6

School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
Reflection

Answer briefly.

How the information on volcanic formation do changed your perception about our
environment? Cite advantages and disadvantages of living nearby a volcanic zone. Write a
concise answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Rubric for Scoring the Reflection

Points Description
Practical application is scientifically explained consistent
3
with the concepts and has no misconception.
Practical application is scientifically explained consistent
2
with the concepts, but with minimal misconception.
Practical application is scientifically explained consistent
1
with the concepts, but with misconceptions.
0 No discussion.

References

Alvarez, Liza.et.al. 2016. Science 9 Learner's Material. Pasig City, Philippines: Department of
Education

Unknown Author. How Volcanoes Form. Accessed on February 10, 2021, Retrieved from
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/earth-hazards/volcanoes/how-volcanoes-
form-2/

Kimberly Schulte and Lumen Learning. Introduction to The Formation of Volcanoes .Accessed on
February 10, 2021. Retrieved from: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-
geology/chapter/outcome-volcano-formation/

Author: Julie B. Bongcales 7

School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
Division:Agusan del Norte
email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
 email address:julie.bongcales001@deped.gov.ph
Division:Agusan del Norte
School/Station: Las Nieves National High School
8 Author: Julie B. Bongcales
Activity 1.Volcanoes Knows No Boundaries
1. constructive boundaries (divergent) - plates are moving away from each other. New crust is
created between the two plates.
2. destructive boundaries (convergent) - plates are moving towards each other. Old crust is either
dragged down into the mantle at a subduction zone or pushed upwards to form mountain
ranges.
3. transform boundaries (conservative) -plates are moving past each other. Crust is neither
created nor destroyed.
Guide Questions:
Possible Answer:
A volcano is formed by pressure building up below the Earth’s crust. Magma forces its way
through the weaknesses in the earth’s crust. When the magma emerges it is called lava. When it
cools, it solidifies into rock, or it may emerge through thin cracks, which are called fissure. Or it
may be forced through wider pipes that starts to build up, to a volcano.
Activity 2. Under Pressure!
Q1.Possible answer: There was accumulated gas inside the bottle.
Q2.Possible answer: The hot water increases the temperature of the soda drink inside the bottle.
As the temperature increases, more gas is accumulated inside the bottle. This causes the fizzing
sound.
Q3.Possible answer: There was not much gas released in the bottled cooking oil because of its
composition. Soda drink is carbonated. The high temperature released the gas from the soda
drinks.
Activity 3.Viscosity Race
Possible Answers:
Q1.The most viscous is syrup since it took the longest time to flow.
Q2.The least viscous is water.
Q3.Viscosity is the resistance of liquid to flow.
Q4. The more viscous the liquid is, the longer time it takes to flow. This is the same for lava.
Activity 4.Lava Walk
1. Lava with less silica content has low viscosity that it can travel a great distance, forming a
thin sheet.
2. Lava with high silica content is too viscous to travel far, and tends to break up as it flows
3. Lava with low amount of gas and high silica content is very viscous and does not flow out at
all as it rises, forming a columnar plug in the vent.
4. Lava with low amount of gas as it rises has high viscosity that it piles up at a vent resulting in
a dome, forming a columnar plug in the vent.
Answer Key