Right now there may be up to 20 volcanoes erupting!

What are Volcanoes?

A volcano is really just an opening in the earth's surface that molten rock called magma can escape. Volcanoes are really cool. Volcanoes occur when red-hot rock from deep inside the earth comes to the surface. When a volcano erupts or explodes, burning rock, ash, and steam shoot high in the air like giant fireworks. Lava, which is hot, melted rock, flows down the side of a volcano like a river of red and orange fire.

Volcanoes can be very dangerous. In 1996, a volcano erupted on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean Sea. Everyone who lived nearby had to leave and could not return for 2 years because it was not safe.

Volcanoes can also have good effects too. They can make soil good for growing crops. They also bring gold, diamonds, and useful rocks to the earth's surface.

Types of Volcanoes

Violent-These types make thick, sticky lava that clogs up the top of the volcano. Pressure builds and it explodes and throws out crushed rock and ash. This rock and ash travels over 300 miles per hour!

Gentle-These volcanoes produce runny lava, so they erupt more gently.

Active-Volcanoes that have erupted not long ago

Dormant-Volcanoes that haven't erupted in a long time. They may erupt again one day. Are referred to as "sleeping".

Extinct-Volcanoes that stopped erupting thousands or even millions of years ago. They are "dead".

Can volcanic eruptions be predicted?

Make a Volcano

Think you are a volcano expert?

Take this quiz to find out

Volcano Quiz

http://www.fema.gov/kids/volcano.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/volcano/index.shtml

Grades 3-5

http://cp.c-ij.com/english/3D-papercraft/science/download/volcano_e_ltr.pdf

http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/kids/kids.html

Informative Pages

http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/

http://volcanoes.com/

Volcano Picture

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