A volcano is a crack or opening in the Earth’s crust, which erupts, magma, lava and many hot gases present the Earth internal structure. A volcano is actually formed when the magma erupts from the Earth, and it forms a mountain on its surface, which becomes the crevice through which lava erupts every time. The Earth’s crust is about a few hundred kilometers thick below the Earth’s surface. It is made up of tectonic plates that are found to float upon magma, which is liquefied, rock and scalding hot, releasing hot gases. At places where the tectonic plates move or slide past each other, there becomes a point where the Earth’s crust is lighter than the surrounding areas. At such a point, the hot magma beneath it pushes upward through the cracks and crevices and emerges on the Earth’s surface as lava from a volcano. (Bagley, n.pag).
There are several types of volcanoes, each differing in shape and structure as well as its formation. One is Cinder cone volcanoes, which are the most common type of volcanoes. They are present in a conical shape on the Earth’s surface. They are formed by the lava and ash flowing around the sides of the volcano and maintaining its cone shape. The explosive material inside the Earth’s surface consisting of the melted rock and its particles and the gases flows upward in the volcano and rushes outward at a rapid speed, forming the conical shape. These volcanoes can take months or years to build after some eruptions. (Internet Geography, n.pag).
The other type of volcano is the Strato volcanoes, which are built from the repetitive layers of flowing lava, ash, and molten and unmelted stone that erupts from the Earth’s internal structure. These kinds of volcanoes are higher and larger in structure than the Cinder cone volcanoes, usually rising up to eight thousand feet in height. They are generally less steep because while the magma is dormant inside the Earth, the sides of the volcanoes that are steeper and concave in shape from a small crater at the top or mouth of the volcano. These volcanoes are known for their most violent and heavy eruptions. As the pressure builds up inside the volcano with the hot gases and magma, it forces the magma to flow out of the volcano through other parts and sides of the volcano apart from the highest crater at the mouth of it. (Nasa, 2015).
The next are Shield Volcanoes that that have a gentle slope, spreading over a large area, which the lava flows steadily from an eruption. The structure of these varies due to the steeper internal structure and a flatter top that is not much conical in shape. The eruptions of these volcanoes are not as explosive or violent and are gentler as if a liquid flows out from a container when opened. They are formed at boundaries or hotspots for volcanoes and are generally active. (Internet Geography, n.pag).
Then are lava domes. They are formed when the viscosity of the lava is thick enough to flow slowly and less rapidly as with the other forms of the volcanoes. At an eruption, a bubble or a solidified mass forms when the magma reaches up, usually consisting of unmelted rock that is not thin enough to flow freely. This lava usually comes out at the end of an eruption and is present inside Strato volcanoes.
Hence, volcanoes are natural landforms made by eruptions of hot rock and metals from inside the Earth’s crust, and they are present in mountains on the Earth’s surface. There are several types of volcanoes, each specific to its own type of volcanic eruption.
Work Cited
Bagley, Mary. Volcano facts and types of Volcanoes. Live Science. Web.2013. N.pag. 19 April,
2015.
Internet Geography. What are the different types of Volcanoes? Web 2015. N.pag. 19 April,
2015.
Nasa. Volcano Types. Exploring the Environment. Web. 2015. N.pag. 19 April, 2015.
