1. Volcanoes
Animation of a volcano

2. Cinder Cone Cinder Volcanoes are the simplest type of volcano
Cinder Cone Cinder Volcanoes are the simplest type of volcano. They are built from particles and blobs of congealed lava ejected from a single vent. Lava is blown into the air, which breaks into small fragments that solidify and fall as cinders around the vent to form a circular or oval cone. Most cinder cones have a bowl-shaped crater at the summit, and rarely rise more than a thousand feet or so above their surroundings.

3. Composite/Stratovolcano Typically, composite volcanoes are steep-sided, symmetrical cones of large dimension built of alternating layers of lava flow, volcanic ash and cinders. Composite volcanoes will rise as much as 8,000 feet above their base. Most composite volcanoes have a crater at the summit, which contains a central vent or a clustered group of vents. One essential feature about composite volcanoes is the conduit system. This is when the magma (molten rock material) from a reservoir deep in the Earth's crust rises to the surface. This type of volcano is built by the accumulation of materials erupted through the conduit, which increases in size as lava, cinders, and ash are added to its slopes.

4. Shield Volcano Shield volcanoes are built almost entirely of fluid lava flow. Flow after flow pours out in all directions from a central summit vent, which builds a broad, gently sloping cone - much like a warrior's shield or a plateau. Shield volcanoes can be easily identified because they are tall and broad, with flat, rounded shapes.

5. Olympus Mons Location: Mars Type: Shield volcano Facts:
Olympus Mons a Latin term meaning "Mount Olympus" is the tallest known volcano and mountain in our solar system
Roughly the size of the American state of Arizona and three times taller than Mt. Everest; about 20x wider than it is tall.
The extraordinary size of Olympus Mons is likely due to the fact that Mars does not have tectonic plates. Thus, the crust remained fixed over a hot spot and the volcano continued to discharge lava, bringing it to such a height. Formed the same way as the Hawaiian Islands.
Last Eruption: as recently as 40 mya; may still be an active volcano??

6. Mt. Pinatubo Location: Philippines
Type: Composite volcano/stratovolcano
Facts:
Has had between 6 and 12 eruption cycles
Largest eruption was 35,000 years ago
Most of the volcano was blasted away in the 1991 eruption
Surrounded by smaller volcanoes that are actually vents to the larger volcano
Last Eruption: , although it is still an active volcano

7. Mount Hood Location: Oregon, USA Type: Composite volcano/stratovolcano
Facts:
Tallest mountain in Oregon; the base is over 92 miles wide
Has had 4 active eruption periods in the last 15,000 years
Formed 500,000 years ago
Very popular with skiers, hikers and climbers; many communities would be threatened by a modern day eruption of this volcano
Last Eruption: 1790's, not long before Lewis and Clark's expedition to the Pacific Northwest

8. Kilauea Location: Hawaii, USA Type: Shield volcano Facts:
Youngest volcano in Hawaii
One of the most active volcanoes on Earth; over 90% of the surface is covered in lava
Formed by a hotspot under the Pacific plate
Most of the volcano is below sea level
Has a large caldera
Last Eruption: November 2009

9. Paricutin Location: Mexico Type: Cinder Cone volcano Facts:
Grew in a cornfield in an eruption that began in 1943; largest period of growth was the first year, continued to grow for 8 years
Lava flow covered 10 square miles
It’s unique growth cycle allowed scientists to study volcanoes more closely
Last Eruption:1952

10. Mount Cotopaxi Location: Ecuador Type: Composite volcano/stratovolcano
Facts:
Located in the Ring of Fire
Means “throne of moon”
Has erupted 50 times since 1783
Tallest volcano in Ecuador
It’s eruptions produced mudflows that traveled over 60 miles
Last Eruption: 1904-has been dormant for the last 35 years

11. Mount Saint Helens Location: Washington, USA
Type: Composite/stratovolcano
Facts:
Massive eruption in May, 1980 sent thousands of tons of ash into atmosphere and covered 150 square miles; the top of the volcano was destroyed in minutes; vegetation has yet to recover
Last Eruption: 2008

12. Mount Rainer Location: Washington, USA Type: Composite/stratovolcano
Facts:
Formed 730,000 years ago
Steepest volcano in Cascade range
Over the last 100,000 years the erosion has been greater than the growth; due to glaciers
Has a high number of avalanches; covered in large amounts of ice and snow
Last Eruption: 1894

13. Mauna Loa Location: Hawaii, USA Type: Shield volcano Facts:
Largest volcano on Earth; one of the most active
Began to form nearly 1 million years ago
Makes up ½ the area of the island of Hawaii
There is a caldera located at the summit
Has erupted 15 x since 1900
Last Eruption: 1984

14. Mount Fuji Location: Japan Type: Composite/stratovolcano Facts:
One of the most well-known volcanoes
Japan’s largest volcano/highest mountain; actually made up of 3 volcanoes
Currently dormant
Eruptions have resulted in 0 fatalities
Has a large crater from the 1707 eruption
Has erupted 16 times since 781 AD
Last Eruption: 1707

15. Mount Shasta Location: California, USA Type: Composite/Stratovolcano
Facts:
Second highest mountain in the Cascades
Erupts approximately every 800 years
Comprised of 4 overlapping eruption centers
Last Eruption: 1786

16. Mt. Etna Location: Italy Type: Composite volcano/stratovolcano Facts:
One of the world’s most studied volcanoes
Second largest active volcano in Europe
One of the world’s largest continental volcanoes
Surface is covered by historic lava flows
Last Eruption: 2008