Volcanoes are classified by: Their shape The way they erupt The materials from which they are formed

There are three main types of volcanoes that we need to learn about. They are: Cinder Cone Volcanoes Shield Volcanoes Composite Volcanoes

Volcano number 1

Cinder Cone Volcanoes Cone shaped with very steep sides Relatively small- usually less than 300m (984ft) Built from lava fragments called cinders Very little lava Ex: Paricutin in Mexico and Stromboli in Italy

Volcano number 2

Shield Volcanoes Looks like a shield Large mountains with gentle slopes Formed from lava that flows slowly from a crack in the Earth’s curst Ex: Mauna Loa located in Hawaii is the largest volcano on Earth

Volcano number 3

Composite Volcanoes Looks like and upside- down V and has steep sides Formed from the most explosive volcanoes Eruptions usually occur without warning and can be very destructive Layers of rock and lava Ex: Mount Fuji which is located in Japan

Formation High temperature High Pressure Liquid State Found in pockets called magma chambers  Magma constantly moves and works its way through cracks toward the surface by melting the solid rock Volcanoes –Magma: Rock deep within the Earth

Formation  Lava – Magma that has reached the Earth’s Surface  The place where magma becomes lava is called a Volcano  The opening through which lava erupts is called a vent Volcanoes can have more than one vent Lava will poor from the sides of a volcano as well as the top Volcanoes

Scientists study the makeup of the lava that spews from the Volcanoes vents to gain knowledge about the interior magma Types of Lava  Dark-colored/ Water  Light-colored/ little Water  Chemical composition of both  Large amounts of gases Steam and carbon dioxide Eruptions

During eruptions many rock fragments are blown into the air  Smallest = volcanic dust  Medium = volcanic ash  Large= volcanic bombs Small volcanic bombs the size of golf balls are called Cinders