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What about volcanoes? ¿Habla español?
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all know that volcanoes are one of the scariest things on Earth. Hot molten
rock erupts from the Earth's core from 500Cº to 1300º C and races
down the side of the volcano, destroying everything in its path. But did
you know that good things can also come out of these terrifying bits of
geography? Let's take a look at some of the benefits of
volcanoes: Benefits: - New land is formed (like islands. without volcanoes, Japan wouldn't exist!) - Important gases (hydrogen mixes with oxygen) are released creating water vapor. This begins the water cycle - In the rock layer, certain metals and gems are found. Some of these metals are copper, silver, and gold found, some of world's biggest diamonds - Chemicals released during the eruption soak into the soil making the soil richer (and makes plants happy!). - Geothermal energy, energy that doesn't pollute the environment, is created: hot rocks in the earth's surface heat water underground, which creates steam used to make electricity. ------ - Volcanic Earthquakes: Earthquakes can create ground cracks, ground deformation, and damage to manmade structures (like buildings and roads).
-Directed Blast: A eruption column made of pyroclastic matter is put into the atmosphere -Tephra: Bits of volcanic rock and lava put into the air by an eruption. Since there are hot gases in eruption columns, or lava fountains, tephras could rise. -Volcanic Gases: During huge eruptions, volcanic gases can rise into Earth's atmosphere. Some of these gases are water vapor (H20), carbon dioxide (C02), sulfur dioxide (S02). hydrogen sulfide (H2S), hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen chloride (HCL), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and helium (He). -Lava Flows are streams of molten rock that come out of a volcano's erupting vent -Debris avalanches, landslides, and tsunamis -Pyroclastic Surge: Thick clouds of hot gas and rock created when water and hot magma mix. They travel much faster than pyroclastic flows and can be more dangerous. -Pyroclastic flows are mixtures of hot dry rock bits and hot gases that move away from the vent that erupts at high speed. -Lahars: A mix of hot or cold water and rock bits that flow down a volcano or river valleys. |