Volcanic Hazards

- (before, during, and after a

volcanic eruption)
Volcanic Hazards
before volcanic
eruption
• Various gases can be emitted by active volcanoes before,
during or after an eruptive event and can cause various health
hazards locally, but have the potential to affect the climate
globally. The five main gases that pose a threat to health are:
carbon dioxide. hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride and
hydrogen sulphide.
Volcanic Hazards
during volcanic
eruption
• Lava (molten rock) can erupt as fire fountains or lava flows (when it
is runny) or as steep-sided domes (when it is viscous). ... Pyroclastic
flows are hot avalanches of rock, ash, and gas that travel down
volcano slopes at high speeds. They may be very dangerous close to
a volcano
• Eruptions vary depending on the type of volcano and the different
types of tectonic boundary they sit on. At destructive boundaries -
where tectonic plates are moving towards each other - you’ll find
composite volcanoes. Composite volcanoes have very sticky and
thick lava, which can make them very explosive when they erupt:
gas bubbles that are trapped in the magma chamber find it hard to
escape through the viscous rock.They can also spurt lots of hot ash
and rocks into the air, making them extremely dangerous.
Volcanic Hazards
after volcanic
eruption
• The space for the magma to leave is very small and, as it travels,
pressure builds, meaning it escapes violently when released. This
escaping liquid rock becomes lava, which solidifies as it travels.
Layers of lava build up over time, creating volcanoes.
• Volcanic eruptions can be catastrophic in some cases. The immediate
area is usually evacuated quickly to keep people safe. Extremely hot
lava can also cause lots of damage, burning through towns and
farmland. The ash from a volcano can also cause breathing
problems, and create travel disruptions, as it lowers the visibility for
pilots.This is what happened when Eyjafjallajokull erupted in
Iceland in 2010. The ash cloud spread all over Europe, which meant
that over 100,000 flights had to be cancelled. Ten million people
missed flights and airlines lost over £1.3 billion.
• It might sound counter intuitive, but a volcanic eruption can
sometimes benefit its surroundings.
• For example, the ash and lava (if not too thick) can break down
to create extremely fertile farmland, which makes the
surrounding areas good places for people to grow crops.

• The scenery can also be very beautiful and can attract tourism to
the area; Hawaii is a case in point. The heat generated from
eruptions can be used to produce electricity, as heat creates
steam when in contact with water, and this in turn can be used to
drive turbines.
 Performance Task
In
Science
9- Artemis
To: Rowena R. Dejilla
From: James Laurence Talagon