KEY WORDS

Volcano
Plate boundary
Vent/pipe
Crater
Ash
Lava
Magma chamber
Cause
Effect
Response
Tourism
Geothermal energy
Farming
The Main Features of a Volcano

Task 1

Copy the picture above

into the box to the
left.

Then add the following

labels:

Magma Chamber
Main Vent
Lava Flow
Crater
Ash Cloud
Task 2

Match up the main features of a volcano to their definitions.

The dent in the top of a

LAVA volcano caused by the
blast of the eruption.

Boiling hot (molten)

rock that has erupted
out of a volcano (and is
Main Vent therefore above
ground), that will
harden to become rock
again in time.
MAGMA
Place below ground
were the molten rock
sits and boils, waiting to
erupt

Boiling (molten) rock

from the earth’s core
CRATER sitting below ground and
waiting to erupt.

The pipe or tube which

most of the magma
Magma
comes up during the
Chamber
eruption. (Some times
magma makes other
holes as well)
 A special type of volcano

This is a special type of volcano, called a Composite Volcano. It’s name is to

do with the way that it is made.

A composite volcano gets bigger and bigger the more it erupts.

The ash and the lava from each eruptions forms layers.

These layers make new rock which makes the volcano bigger and bigger.

Task 3

Turn back to your drawing of the main features of a volcano and add these
labels:

Layer of Ash

Layer of Lava

Composite Volcano
 Plate Tectonics

The surface of the earth is covered by a rock crust. This crust is

made up of lots of pieces we call Tectonic Plates. The picture
above shows where all the plates are.

Task 4

Can you find the France?

Which plate is it on?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Is it near the edge of this plate?

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Volcanic Eruptions happen on the edge

of plates, at what we call Plate
Boundaries
Iceland

Iceland is an island that sits right on a plate boundary.

The pink line is the boundary

between the two plates.
All those red triangles are
volcanoes.

The Ring of Fire

This picture shows the ring of fire.

The ring of fire is a whole set of volcanoes that are around the
edge of the Pacific Plate.
All of those red triangles are volcanoes that are on the edge of
that plate.
What causes Volcanoes?

Volcanoes are caused when boiling hot (molten) rock is pushed up

from the centre of the earth and escapes through a plate
boundary.

Over a long time, all the ash and lava from the eruption piles up,
making rock and a mountain.
Task 5

Colour the true statements one colour and the false statements a
different colour

Volcanoes can happen Volcanoes are caused

anywhere. by boiling rock from
the centre of the
Earth

Iceland has lots of

Volcanoes because it’s
cold Volcanoes can only
happen on plate
boundaries

The Ring of Fire

is so called
because it has
loads of The Earth’s crust is all
Volcanoes one piece

Iceland has lots of

Volcanoes because it’s on
the boundary of two The earths crust
plates is made of
pieces called
Tectonic Plates

Tectonic
plates are
what we
serve lunch
on
 This is the crater
of Mount St
Helens. The last
eruption in 1980
blasted the side of
the mountain
away because the
main vent was
blocked.

Lava erupting from a volcano

Lava cools and becomes rock

The ash cloud of the volcano

that erupted in Iceland in 2010.
This is the start of the ash cloud
that caused days of travel chaos
because planes couldn’t fly.
You can see a farm at the foot of
the volcano

.
 What are the effects of Volcanoes erupting?

This is a picture from the aftermath of an eruption in 1997 on a Caribbean Island

called Montserrat. It has been buried by ash.

Watch this eclip to see more pictures of the effects from this eruption.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/eclips/pages/eng_11to16_geo_volcanoes_destruction.shtml

Task 6
Try to imagine what happens when a volcano erupts.
Make a list of things you think might happen and what might be damaged by
them

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Task 7

Use the internet to find 3 pictures of different things destroyed by

volcanoes, including one of a lava flow.
 Why would anyone live near a volcano?

This is the Blue Lagoon Thermal Spa in Iceland – it has water temperatures of
40°C all year around. The water is heated by the molten rock that bubbles
just below the earth’s crust. This is an extremely popular tourist attraction
and lots of visitors go to Iceland every year just to visit these spas.

Other advantages of living in volcanic areas:

Geothermal energy can be useful for more than just tourist attractions.
It’s green and renewable.

Farming below a volcano can be really good, because the volcanic soil can
produce very good crops.

Good or Bad ?
 Task 8
Colour the advantages stated here in green and the disadvantages in red

Ash can destroy town, farm

Volcanoes are
crops and cause health
tourist
problems near and far from the
attractions, this
volcano
is good for the
economy
Lava flows are
very dangerous, Dormant
people, buildings volcanoes
Tas may not
and vehicles can
be swept away erupt for
hundreds of
years
Soil under volcanoes is
really good for farming Volcanoes create
geothermal energy, which is
clean and renewable
Scientists can really
tell when a volcano
will erupt

Task 9

Use the information above to help you decide what you think about the good
and bad things of life near a volcano. Then answer this question: Would you
live under a volcano? You must give reasons.

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