Super Simple Volcano Projects: Science Activities for Future Volcanologists
WHAT IS A VOLCANO 4 A volcano is a vent or opening in Earth's surface Melted rock rises through a conduit from Earth's interior to the surface This melted rock is called magma Magma is very hot It can be hotter than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit 1,100°C A volcano can erupt This is when magma comes out of the volcano After it comes out of a volcano magma is called lava Gas and rock can also come out of a volcano during an eruption Eruptions can cause MAGMA damage and hurt people
MOUNT ETNA ITALY 5 After an eruption the lava hardens into a layer of rock around the vent Each time a volcano erupts a new layer is added The top of a volcano has a crater This is a low bowl shaped area The vent is in the bottom of the crater Some volcanoes are tens of thousands of years old They have erupted many times The layers of hardened lava have made them into tall mountains KARYMSKY VOLCANO RUSSIA
TYPES OF VOLCANOES 6 There are three main types of volcanoes They are shield volcanoes composite volcanoes and cinder cones SHIELD VOLCANO Shield volcanoes are very wide with gradual slopes These volcanoes have thin runny lava Thin lava travels farther than thick lava This lava hardens and forms the volcano's wide shape Mauna Loa in Hawaii is a shield volcano
7 COMPOSITE VOLCANO Most composite volcanoes are very tall mountains These volcanoes are covered with layers of hardened lava ash and rocks Their eruptions are the most powerful Mount Fuji in Japan is a composite volcano CINDER CONE Cinder cones are small cone shaped volcanoes They are made of loose cinder Some cinder cones form on the sides of larger volcanoes Sunset Crater in Arizona is a cinder cone
