Volcanoes
A volcano is a mountain made of molten rock that comes from the mantle, the second layer of the earth.
FAMOUS VOLCANOES
Mt. St. Helens- Washington
Mt Etna- Sicily
Helgafell- Iceland
Kirkfell- Iceland
Vesuvious- Pompeii, Italy
Santorini- Crete, A Mediterranean Island
Mt. Pelee- Caribbean island of Martinique
This particular volcano completely destroyed everyone and everything on the island.
The word volcano was thought up by Romans who lived around the Mediterranean Sea, 2,500 years ago.
Volcanoes were named after Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metal working.
Volcanoes are formed by convergent boundaries in the lithosphere, in the mantle. The plates in the lithosphere hit and rise up into the earths crust. Then the molten rock from the actual mantle part comes up. All this happens over a long period of time.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are 1500 active volcanoes around the world. There are 60 in Alaska and 48 in the lower states of America. The biggest volcano, Mayno Loa, located in Hawaii, is 1300 feet above sea level. The oldest volcano, Mt. Etna, located in Italy, is 350,000 years old.
Volcano Safety Tips
Never go to the volcano site; you could die if there was a sudden explosion. If ash is falling try to stay away from downwind of the volcano. Volcanoes can cause falling rocks and mudslides, so watch out for those because they move a whole lot faster than you. Always have an evacuation plan, so you can get away from the volcano before it causes too much damage. Another thing that you should always have is a survival kit. The survival kit should include: water, non-perishable foods, first-aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, clothes, goggles, and throw away breathing masks.