Here are some fascinating facts about volcanoes:
Volcanoes are mainly found where two of the earth's tectonic plates join. Lots of them are found in an area called the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire goes around the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
More than half of the world’s active volcanoes are part of the Ring of Fire. Lots of volcanoes are deep under the ocean. These are called submarine volcanoes.
Volcanoes form when magma travels from the Earth’s upper mantle to its surface. Pressure builds up inside the volcano and pushes magma through cracks in it. When the magma reaches the surface it erupts. Lava, steam, gaseous sulfur compounds, ash and broken rocks can come out of a volcano when it erupts.
As the lava cools it forms a mountain shape. Repeated eruptions make the volcano get bigger. The explosion that happens when a volcano erupts causes the dome shape seen in some volcanoes.
When a volcano erupts harmful substances are released. Volcanic ash can make it hard for people and animals to breathe. Lava flows can cover large areas of land, destroying homes and habitats. Lava flows can cause fires. Ash and mud can mix with rain and melting snow, which travels fast, destroying large areas of land.
There are three main types of volcano. A Composite volcano, a Shield volcano and a Dome volcano.
Composite volcanoes are very tall. They are made of lots of layers of hardened lava. This lava cools and hardens quickly, which means it doesn’t travel very far. Composite volcanoes are also called Stratovolcanoes.
Shield volcanoes are made from slow flowing lava. They are much shorter than Composite volcanoes and are shaped like a shield.
Dome volcanoes are smaller than Composite volcanoes. They form when ash and rocks settle around the vent of the volcano.
An active volcano is a volcano that has erupted in the past 10,000 years.
A dormant volcano is a volcano is an active volcano that hasn’t erupted for recently but is expected to erupt again.
An extinct volcano is a volcano that hasn’t erupted in the past 10,000 years and isn’t expected to erupt again.
People choose to live near volcanoes because the soil is very fertile, there is geothermal energy and minerals and they are good for tourism.
Mount Vesuvius is in Italy. It is a dormant Composite volcano.
Mount Fuji is in Japan. It is a dormant Composite volcano.
Cotopaxi is in Ecuador. It is an active Composite volcano.
Krakatau is in Indonesia. It is an active Composite volcano.
Kilauea is in Hawaii. It is an active Shield volcano.
Colima is in Mexico. It is an active Dome volcano.
Mount Ngauruhoe is in New Zealand. It is an active Composite volcano.
Teachers: If you're looking for more in-depth learning and facts about Volcanoes, check out our Volcanoes Geography lessons for Year 3/4 or our Extreme Earth Topic for Year 5/6.
