Volcanoes Facts for Kids
Explosive facts about volcanoes and geology
Io, one of Jupiter's moons, is the most volcanically active body in the solar system, with hundreds of active volcanoes on its surface. Its volcanoes are powered by the gravitational pull of Jupiter, which stretches and squeezes Io, generating enormous internal heat.
Cinder cones are the smallest and most common type of volcano, formed when gas-rich lava is blasted into the air and falls back as cinders that build up a steep-sided hill. They usually have a single vent and rarely grow taller than 300 metres.
The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines was one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century. It ejected so much sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere that global temperatures dropped by about 0.5Β°C for nearly two years.
Many ancient civilisations settled near volcanoes because the fertile soils produced excellent harvests. The area around Mount Vesuvius in Italy was densely settled for thousands of years despite its eruption history, because the volcanic soil was so productive.
Scientists believe that ancient volcanic eruptions played a key role in forming Earth's oceans and atmosphere. Volcanoes released enormous amounts of water vapour and carbon dioxide, which eventually condensed to create the oceans and helped establish the conditions for life.
A lahar is a dangerous volcanic mudflow that forms when water β from rainfall, melting snow, or a crater lake β mixes with volcanic ash and debris. Lahars can travel dozens of kilometres and bury entire towns.
The island of Surtsey off Iceland's coast was created entirely by volcanic eruptions between 1963 and 1967 and rose from the ocean floor to become a new island. Scientists have been studying how life colonises the brand-new island ever since it formed.
Basalt is the most common type of rock produced by volcanoes and makes up most of the ocean floors. It is a dark, dense rock that forms when lava low in silica cools and solidifies relatively quickly.
PopocatΓ©petl, one of Mexico's most active volcanoes, sits less than 70 kilometres from Mexico City and regularly puffs out ash and gas. Its name comes from Nahuatl and means 'Smoking Mountain'.
The most violent type of volcanic eruption is called a Plinian eruption, named after Pliny the Younger, who described the catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE. These eruptions produce enormous columns of gas and ash that can reach 45 kilometres into the sky.