What is a simple definition of a volcano?

A volcano is an opening in the earth’s crust through which lava, volcanic ash, and gases escape. Volcanic eruptions are partly driven by pressure from dissolved gas, much as escaping gases force the cork out of a bottle of champagne.

What are the two definition of volcano?

1 : a vent in the crust of the earth or another planet or a moon from which usually molten or hot rock and steam issue also : a hill or mountain composed wholly or in part of the ejected material. 2 : something of explosively violent potential.

What is a volcano definition for kids?

A volcano is a mountain or hill with an opening. When a volcano erupts, magma is pushed up through the opening with great force. When magma reaches the Earth’s surface, it is called lava. Lava can be as hot as 2,200°F (1,204°C). Some volcanic eruptions are explosive.

How is a volcano formed definition?

A volcano is formed when hot molten rock, ash and gases escape from an opening in the Earth’s surface. The molten rock and ash solidify as they cool, forming the distinctive volcano shape shown here. As a volcano erupts, it spills lava that flows downslope.

Which best describes a volcano?

A volcano is defined as an opening in the Earth’s crust through which lava, ash, and gases erupt. The term also includes the cone-shaped landform built by repeated eruptions over time.

What is another word for volcano?

What is another word for volcano?
mountainmount
ridgealp
peakeminence
humpprominence
precipiceelevation

What causes volcano to erupt?

When enough magma builds up in the magma chamber, it forces its way up to the surface and erupts, often causing volcanic eruptions. In the ocean, volcanoes erupt along cracks that are opened in the ocean floor by the spreading of two plates called a mid-ocean ridge .

What is volcano and its causes and effects?

Volcanoes spew hot, dangerous gases, ash, lava, and rock that are powerfully destructive. People have died from volcanic blasts. Volcanic eruptions can result in additional threats to health, such as floods, mudslides, power outages, drinking water contamination, and wildfires.

Why does a volcano erupt?

Volcanoes erupt when molten rock called magma rises to the surface. Magma is formed when the earth’s mantle melts. Melting may happen where tectonic plates are pulling apart or where one plate is pushed down under another. Magma is lighter than rock so rises towards the Earth’s surface.

What are 3 types of volcanoes?

The most well-known types of volcanoes are cinder cones, composite volcanoes (stratovolcanoes), and shield volcanoes.

What’s an example of volcano?

Classic examples include Mount Fuji in Japan, Mayon Volcano in the Philippines, and Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli in Italy.

What is volcano example?

Most shield volcanoes are formed from fluid, basaltic lava flows. Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa are shield volcanoes. They are the world’s largest active volcanoes, rising over 9 km above the sea floor around the island of Hawai’i.

How many types of volcanoes are there?

Geologists generally group volcanoes into four main kinds–cinder cones, composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and lava domes.

What is the number 1 volcano in the world?

Mauna Loa
Despite reports to the contrary, Mauna Loa is still the largest ACTIVE volcano on Earth. The volcano off the east coast of Japan, which made the news…

What are the 5 main volcanoes?

The five types of volcanoes we’ll explore are:
  • Cinder Cone Volcanoes.
  • Complex Volcanoes.
  • Composite/Strato-Volcanoes.
  • Shield Volcanoes.
  • Spatter Cone Volcanoes.