A volcano is a natural opening in Earth’s crust through which lava (hot molten, or melted, rock), gases, steam, and ash escape, often in a big, noisy eruption or explosion. These eruptions are thought to act like safety valves, relieving the enormous heat and pressure that exist deep in Earth’s interior. A volcano is usually a cone-shaped mountain (its sides built up from solidified lava and ash) that has a hole or crater in its center through which it vents. There are several different kinds or stages of eruptions, many causing no damage to the places or people located near the volcano. But a few eruptions are huge and destructive. During these, lava can pour out and run down the volcano into surrounding areas, and enormous suffocating clouds of steam, ash, hot gases, and shooting rock can travel downhill at great speeds, covering many miles.
- What is the difference between a planet and a moon?
- What is an estuary?
- Do rivers ever dry up?
- Why do planes disappear in the Bermuda Triangle?
- What are coral reefs?
- What is an iceberg?
- What is the difference between an ocean, a sea, a gulf, and a bay?
- Why is the ocean salty?
- How much of Earth is covered with land and water?
- Where is the deepest hole?
- How are caves formed?
- Is there life on planets in other solar systems?
- Which planet might float on water?
- Which planets have rings?
- Is a day the same on all planets?
- Who named our planets?
- What is Planet X?
- Which planets are called the gas giants?
- Why isn’t Pluto a planet anymore?
- Which planets are the rocky planets?
