What are Volcanoes

Volcanoes are landforms where molten rocks erupt from the Earth's surface. They form when pressure builds in the Earth's crust, causing eruptions that can last for days, months, or years.

Here are some facts about volcanoes:

Active volcanoes These are volcanoes that have erupted recently or may erupt again in the future. Examples include Kīlauea in Hawaii and Mount Etna and Mount Stromboli in Italy.

Dormant volcanoes These are volcanoes that have not erupted for a long time, but may still erupt.

Composite volcanoes Also known as stratovolcanoes, these are common volcanoes made up of multiple layers of volcanic rocks, ash, and rock debris. They are steep-sided and conical in shape.

Lava domes

These are small volcanoes that form from slow eruptions of thick lava. They can produce explosive eruptions, but the lava doesn't flow far.

Shield Volcanoes

Shield volcanoes are the largest type of volcano. They are wider than they are tall, and are called shield volcanoes because they look like the shield of a medieval knight.

The Ring of Fire

• This 25,000-mile horseshoe-shaped zone contains 75% of the world's active volcanoes. It stretches from the southern tip of South America to New Zealand, where the Pacific and Nazca plates meet other tectonic plates.

Other facts about volcanoes:

1. Ash from volcanoes can cause lightning.

2. Lava from volcanoes creates new land.

3. Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the solar system.

4. Mauna Loa is taller than Mount Everest.

5. Volcanoes release water vapor for drinking.

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