background preloader

Volcanoes

Facebook Twitter

Volcano Web Cams. Volcano Watch. Anatomy of a Volcano. Volcano- EnchantedLearning.com. A volcano is a place on the Earth's surface (or any other planet's or moon's surface) where molten rock, gases and pyroclastic debris erupt through the earth's crust. Volcanoes vary quite a bit in their structure - some are cracks in the earth's crust where lava erupts, and some are domes, shields, or mountain-like structures with a crater at the summit. Magma is molten rock within the Earth's crust. When magma erupts through the earth's surface it is called lava. Lava can be thick and slow-moving or thin and fast-moving. Rock also comes from volcanoes in other forms, including ash (finely powdered rock that looks like dark smoke coming from the volcano), cinders (bits of fragmented lava), and pumice (light-weight rock that is full of air bubbles and is formed in explosive volcanic eruptions - this type of rock can float on water).

Volcanic eruptions can cause great damage and the loss of life and property. The Word Volcano: The word volcano comes from the Roman god of fire, Vulcan. Annenberg Learner Interactives -- Volcanoes - Introduction. Volcano Explorer | Discovery Kids. Scholastic - Research Tools - Volcanoes and Earthquakes.