Volcanoes
Catastrophic Events Vocabulary - Volcanoes
Terms
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- Extinct Volcano
- A volcano that has not erupted for thousands of years and probably will not erupt again.
- Molten
- Melted, made liquid heat.
- Crust
- The layer of hard rock that surrounds the earth. It is between 21 and 125 miles thick.
- Caldera
- A large circular hole, usually over a mile in diameter, produced when a volcano collapses upon itself.
- Mantle
- The layer of hard rock immediately between the earth's crust and core. Beneath this layer, some of the rocks are liquid and move.
- Ash
- Small pieces of magma thrown out of a volcano. The ash pieces that fall near the volcano opening form the crater.
- Cone Volcano
- A steep, sloping volcano made of layers of ash and lava that builds up from past eruptions.
- Volcanologist
- One who studies science concerned with volcanic phenomena.
- Lahar
- A volcanic mudflow which is a mix of water, volcanic ash, and some gases which moves very fast down a valley.
- Dormant
- In active or temporarily so; alive but not growing.
- Lava
- Magma that has reached the surface of the earth. It cools as it is exposed to the atmosphere.
- Mantle
- Inner layer of the earth under the crust.
- Active
- Violent, by action.
- Core
- Inner central region of the earth.
- Dormant Volcano
- A volcano that has not erupted for a long time, but may erupt again one day.
- Lava
- The hot liquid magma that flows from a volcano during an eruption. It is magma that has lost all its gases but is still liquid. There are two main types: thick, sticky and liquid, runny. It is usually orange, red, or yellow and is over 1,470 degrees Fehrenheit.
- Volcanic dust
- Very fine fragments of debris, up to .25 millimeters in diameter, which is shot into the atmosphere during an eruption.
- Volcanic ash
- Somewhat larger volcanic debris, up to 5 millimeters in diameter, which is shot into the atmosphere during an eruption.
- Cinder Cones
- Small mountains with steep sides that blow cinders and rock particles into the air when they erupt. Paricutin in Mexico is an example of a cinder cone.
- Crater
- The large opening at the top of a volcano produced by the explosion of an eruption. It is smaller than a caldera.
- Cinders
- Smaller pieces of debris too small to be called a "bomb."
- Eruption
- The sudden explosion of hot rocks, gases, and other material through a hole in the earth's surface.
- Magma
- Molten rock under the earth's crust, which forms igneous rock.
- Erupt
- Break out suddenly dramatically.
- Crust
- Outer layer of the earth.
- Volcanic Ash
- Lava from a volcano that is in the form of chunks smaller than an apple, about the size of a marble.
- Plate
- A section of the earth's crust made by weak spots in the crust and boiling magma. It floats on the mantle layer. Often volcanoes and earthquakes occur at the edges of the these.
- Mudflow
- A flow of water and debris that usually looks like brown liquid cement. Heavy rain, melting snow, and ash mix together during an eruption and produce this.
- Volcanic Bomb
- A large lump of lava thrown out of a volcano during an eruption. A bomb usually starts as a flying blob of lava but solidifies as it falls to the ground.
- Earthquake
- Convulsion of the earth's surface.
- Extinct
- That no longer erupts.
- Active Volcano
- A volcano that show signs of eruption or has erupted recently.
- Volcano
- Mountain from which lava steam, etc., escape through openings in the earth's crust.
- Magma
- The melted rock produced inside the earth. When a volcano erupts, this comes to the surface and is called lava.
- Lava Flow
- Liquid magma that flows over the earth's surface.
- Volcanic Dust
- Lava in the form of small particles thrown from a volcano during an eruption.
- Volcanic Material
- Lava, ash, and gases that are brought to the surface when a volcano erupts.
- Volcanic bombs
- Debris from an eruption that is larger than 5 millimeters.
- Ash
- Powdery residue left after burning.
- Geothermal Energy
- Energy made using underground steam; the steam is used to produce electricity.
- Convection
- A circular movement in a liquid that carries heat from one place to another. In the earth it occurs in the mantle.
- Volcano
- A mountain composed of cooled lava built up by repeated eruptions.
- Crater
- A steep-sided hole at the top of the volcano that sometimes contains a pool of lava.
- Shield volcano
- A shield volcano covers a large area, is dome-shaped, and has gently sloping sides. The lava is dark, thin, and runny so it flows quietly from the vent. Mauna Loa in Hawaii is an example of a shield volcano. Mauna Loa also is the largest volcano on earth. It makes up about 1/2 of the area of the island of Hawaii.
- Vent
- The opening in the earth that allows the magma to flow out on the earth's surface.
- Magma
- The hot, liquid rock that is found in the center of the earth.
- Steam
- Vapor from heated water.