Volcanoes

Question 1

What is a volcano?

Answer 1

A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a reservoir of molten rock below the surface of the Earth.

Question 2

What is magma?

Answer 2

Magma is molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface.

Question 3

What is lava?

Answer 3

Lava is magma that reaches the Earth’s surface through a volcano vent.

Question 4

True or False: Volcanoes are typically found at tectonic plate boundaries.

Answer 4

True

Question 5

What is the Ring of Fire?

Answer 5

The Ring of Fire is a region around the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

Question 6

What is an eruption column?

Answer 6

An eruption column is a vertical plume of ash and gas emitted during a volcanic eruption.

Question 7

What is pyroclastic flow?

Answer 7

Pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter that flows along the ground during a volcanic eruption.

Question 8

What is a caldera?

Answer 8

A caldera is a large volcanic crater, typically formed by a major eruption leading to the collapse of the mouth of the volcano.

Question 9

What is a stratovolcano?

Answer 9

A stratovolcano is a tall, conical volcano composed of layers of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash.

Question 10

What is a shield volcano?

Answer 10

A shield volcano is a broad, gently sloping volcano built up by successive eruptions of low-viscosity basaltic lava.

Question 11

What is a volcanic crater?

Answer 11

A volcanic crater is a roughly circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity.

Question 12

What is volcanic ash?

Answer 12

Volcanic ash consists of tiny rock particles and glass fragments ejected during a volcanic eruption.

Question 13

What is a volcanic bomb?

Answer 13

A volcanic bomb is a mass of molten rock ejected during a volcanic eruption that solidifies before hitting the ground.

Question 14

What is a lahar?

Answer 14

A lahar is a fast-moving mudflow of volcanic debris and water that occurs during a volcanic eruption.

Question 15

What is volcanic lightning?

Answer 15

Volcanic lightning is a phenomenon where lightning occurs during a volcanic eruption due to the buildup of static electricity.

Question 16

What is a volcanic vent?

Answer 16

A volcanic vent is an opening in the Earth’s crust through which volcanic materials are ejected during an eruption.

Question 17

What is a volcanic cone?

Answer 17

A volcanic cone is a hill-shaped landform built up by successive eruptions of lava, ash, and other volcanic materials.

Question 18

What is a volcanic tremor?

Answer 18

A volcanic tremor is a continuous seismic vibration associated with volcanic activity.

Question 19

What is a volcanic hotspot?

Answer 19

A volcanic hotspot is a location on the Earth’s surface where a plume of hot magma rises from deep within the mantle, creating volcanic activity.

Question 20

What is a volcanic explosivity index?

Answer 20

The volcanic explosivity index is a scale that measures the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions based on factors such as volume of erupted material and height of eruption column.

Question 21

What is a volcanic winter?

Answer 21

A volcanic winter is a period of reduced global temperatures caused by volcanic ash and gases blocking sunlight.

Question 22

What is a volcanic hazard?

Answer 22

A volcanic hazard is any potentially dangerous phenomenon associated with a volcanic eruption, such as lava flows, ashfall, pyroclastic flows, and lahars.

Question 23

What is volcanic degassing?

Answer 23

Volcanic degassing is the release of gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide from a volcano.

Question 24

What is volcanic monitoring?

Answer 24

Volcanic monitoring is the continuous observation and measurement of volcanic activity to predict and mitigate potential hazards.