I suppose I either read or was told, somewhere in early childhood, that volcanoes go *boom* and explode, which for some reason just stuck and I never bothered to re-check. (thinking back on it, I was probably being told about Pompeii, where it did kinda go *boom*)
With footage of Mauna Loa all over the place..that does not look like what kid-me thought a volcanic eruption did.
Do different types of volcanoes erupt differently? Do none erupt like kid-me was told they do?
In: 3
So, a volcano is a basically a vent or opening in the Earth’s surface. When pressure builds up beneath the surface, magma (molten rock) is forced upward and eventually reaches the surface, where it erupts through the opening i.e a volcano. This pressure can be caused by a variety of factors, including tectonic activity (the movement of the Earth’s plates), the release of gases from the magma, and the weight of overlying rock. As magma rises, it creates pressure that can eventually lead to an eruption.
This process can happen in a couple of different ways, depending on the type of volcano and the composition of the magma. Some volcanoes erupt explosively, sending ash and lava high into the air, while others erupt more gently, producing lava flows that move slowly down the sides of the volcano. In either case, eruptions are generally caused by the build-up of pressure beneath the Earth’s surface, which eventually leads to the release of magma through the volcano.
Yes, different volcanoes erupt differently. Or even the same volcano can erupt differently at different times. For example, Mount St. Helens in Washington, USA blew up so hard in 1980 that basically half of the mountain is now just gone.
Volcanic eruptions happen when molten rock (called magma) builds up pressure beneath the Earth’s surface and is forced out. Magma rises from deep within the Earth and is usually very hot. When it reaches the surface, it is called lava, which can be extremely dangerous. Lava can flow out of the volcano and cause destruction in its path. Volcanic ash, smoke, and gases are also released during an eruption.
I’m no expert on volcanoes, but I’ll do my best to explain how volcanic eruptions work.
First off, not all volcanoes “go boom” like you might have been told when you were a kid. In fact, most volcanic eruptions are not explosive at all. Instead, they tend to be more like a slow and steady flow of lava. This is because different types of volcanoes erupt in different ways, depending on the type of magma (the molten rock that comes out of the volcano) that’s inside.
For example, if the magma is thick and sticky, it will tend to form a big, slow-moving lava flow. This is what you might see happening at Mauna Loa, which is a type of volcano called a shield volcano.
On the other hand, if the magma is thin and runny, it will tend to explode out of the volcano in a big, fiery blast. This is what you might see happening at a volcano like Mount St. Helens, which is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano.
So, to answer your question, different types of volcanoes erupt differently. Some explode, and some don’t. It all depends on the type of magma inside. And, as for kid-you’s idea of what a volcanic eruption looks like, well, I guess that’s just a case of misinformation! Sorry to burst your bubble.
Latest Answers