How Volcanoes Form

     The forces that cause volcanoes are very powerful!  These forces are not fully understood  by scientists.  Though scientists don’t fully understand these forces they have developed theories on how the forces create volcanoes.  Deep inside the earth there is mantle, a solid body of rock.  When rock from the mantle melts the rock moves to the surface through the crust, it releases pent-up gases then the volcano erupts.

The thing that causes rock to melt and become liquid rock or magma is extremely high temperature and pressure.  When magma has formed in a large body, it rises through layers of denser rock toward Earth’s surface.  Once magma has reached the Earth’s surface it is called lava.