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Sep 27, 2023 · Learn about the 13 parts of a volcano, from magma to crack, and how they affect the Earth's surface and atmosphere. Discover the types, features, and hazards of volcanic eruptions and landscapes with examples and images.
- Inside Earth
Asthenosphere. The asthenosphere (averaging 80-200 km) lies...
- Pangea Ultima
13 Parts of a Volcano: The Anatomy of Volcanoes. Earth...
- Continental Drift
Continental drift is the idea that continents passively move...
- Magma
Magma and lava are both molten rock. But they exist in...
- African Plate and The East African Rift Zone
The west side of the African Plate straddles the South...
- The Mesozoic Era
Vegetation was very different in the Mesozoic Era. Plants...
- Pacific Plate
The Pacific Plate is the largest of the 7 major tectonic...
- Mantle Convection
Mantle Convection on Earth. Under the rigid layer of rock we...
- Inside Earth
- Magma Chamber
- Lava
- Main Vent
- Throat
- Crater
- Pyroclastic Flow
- Ash Cloud
- Volcanic Bombs
- Secondary Vent
- Secondary Cone
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
A magma chamber is a large underground pool of molten rock sitting underneath the Earth’s crust. The molten rock in such a chamber is under extreme pressure, which in time can lead to the surrounding rock fracturing, creating outlets for the magma. This, combined with the fact that the magma is less dense than the surrounding mantle, allows it to s...
Lava is the silicate rock that is hot enough to be in liquid form, and which is expelled from a volcano during an eruption. The source of the heat that melts the rock is known as geothermal energy – i.e. heat generated within the Earth that is leftover from its formation and the decay of radioactive elements. When lava first erupted from a volcanic...
A volcano’s main vent is the weak point in the Earth’s crust where hot magma has been able to rise from the magma chamber and reach the surface. The familiar cone-shape of many volcanoes are an indication of this, the point at which ash, rock and lava ejected during an eruption fall back to Earth around the vent to form a protrusion.
The uppermost section of the main vent is known as the volcano’s throat. As the entrance to the volcano, it is from here that lava and volcanic ash are ejected.
In addition to cone structures, volcanic activity can also lead to circular depressions (aka. craters) forming in the Earth. A volcanic crater is typically a basin, circular in form, which can be large in radius and sometimes great in depth. In these cases, the lava vent is located at the bottom of the crater. They are formed during certain types o...
Otherwise known as a pyroclastic density current, a pyroclastic flow refers to a fast-moving current of hot gas and rock that is moving away from a volcano. Such flows can reach speeds of up to 700 km/h (450 mph), with the gas reaching temperatures of about 1,000 °C (1,830 °F). Pyroclastic flows normally hug the ground and travel downhill from thei...
Volcanic ash consists of small pieces of pulverized rock, minerals and volcanic glass created during a volcanic eruption. These fragments are generally very small, measuring less than 2 mm (0.079 inches) in diameter. This sort of ash forms as a result of volcanic explosions, where dissolved gases in magma expand to the point where the magma shatter...
In addition to ash, volcanic eruptions have also been known to send larger projectiles flying through the air. Known as volcanic bombs, these ejecta are defined as those that measure more than 64mm (2.5 inches) in diameter, and which are formed when a volcano ejects viscous fragments of lava during an eruption. These cool before they hit the ground...
On large volcanoes, magma can reach the surface through several different vents. Where they reach the surface of the volcano, they form what is referred to as a secondary vent. Where they are interrupted by accumulated ash and solidified lava, they become what is known as a Dike. And where these intrude between cracks, pool and then crystallize, th...
Also known as a Parasitic Cone, secondary cones build up around secondary vents that reach the surface on larger volcanoes. As they deposit lava and ash on the exterior, they form a smaller cone, one that resembles a horn on the main cone. Yes indeed, volcanoes are as powerful as they are dangerous. And yet, without these geological phenomena occas...
Learn about the different parts of a volcano, such as magma chamber, lava, vent, throat, crater, pyroclastic flow, ash cloud, and bombs. See how they form and what effects they have on the environment and human activities.
Dec 23, 2021 · Learn about the formation, characteristics, and main parts of volcanoes, such as magma chamber, conduit, vent, crater, and lava flow. Explore the different types of volcanoes and eruptions based on the movement of tectonic plates.
- Magma Reservoir. It is a large pool of molten rock found underneath the Earth’s crust. The molten rock remains under extreme pressure, which causes the surrounding rock to crack and fracture, creating an outflow of the magma.
- Lava. It is the molten rock or magma that erupts from the volcano. The extreme heat of the Earth’s crust causes the silicate rocks to melt, causing the lava to release with a temperature between 700 to 1,200 °C (1,292 to 2,192 °F).
- Primary Vent. It is the primary opening in the Earth’s surface through which magma and volcanic gases escape into the atmosphere. Primary vents can be of different shapes consisting of a single, circular-shaped structure, a large elongated fissure, or a tiny crack in the ground.
- Throat. It is the uppermost portion of the primary vent. The throat is the entrance to the volcano from where lava and volcanic ash are ejected.
A volcano needs a reservoir of molten magma (e.g. a magma chamber), a conduit to allow magma to rise through the crust, and a vent to allow the magma to escape above the surface as lava. The erupted volcanic material (lava and tephra) that is deposited around the vent is known as a volcanic edifice, typically a volcanic cone or mountain.
Jun 16, 2024 · Learn about volcanoes, their formation, types, and effects from Britannica, the authoritative source of scientific information. Find out how volcanoes are related to plate tectonics, magma, lava, and eruptions.
Nov 12, 2023 · Learn about the definition, importance, and classification of volcanoes, and the components of their structure and eruptions. Explore the different types of volcanic products, landforms, and hazards, and how they affect the Earth and its environment.
