VOLCANOES

What this module is about

I. Introduction

The Philippines is located along the Ring of Fire. As a result, it is a home to many
volcanoes. The most famous among our volcanoes is the Mayon Volcano that has erupted last
May 7, 2013 while a group of hikers were exploring its beauty.
Who could forget the terrible eruption of Pinatubo Volcano in 1992 after 600 years of inactivity?
Based on statistics, in the first five years following the eruption, lahars destroyed the homes of more than
100,000 people. Lahars also covered about 120,000 hectares with sediment to an average depth of about
one meter, and floods spread rock debris over the larger area. The eruption also affected other countries as
its emissions in the atmosphere lowered the air temperature.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS), our country
is an ideal site for volcanic activity.It is therefore for us to know how this natural phenomenon happens to
reduce the risks and effects it may cause.

Reading Resources and Instructional Activities

In Grade 8, you have learned about the relationship between the occurrence of earthquakes and the location
of the Philippines along the Ring of Fire. Due to its location, the Philippines is a home to many volcanoes.
This module will guide you through the study of volcanism in the Philippines.

What is a volcano?
Since you were in elementary, you have heard about volcanoes. But do you know what a volcano is? To
find out, let’s do the following activity.

Activity 1. Volcano concept map

Objective
characterize a volcano
Materials:
pictures of a volcano
paper and pen

Procedure:
Q1. Based on the picture, give five descriptions of a volcano. Present your answer in a concept map as
shown below.

VOLCANO

Concept map of volcano

In activity 1, you have described what a volcano is. The next thing to do is to classify
them. Do you have an idea how they are classified? Let’s find out in the next activity.

Classification of volcanoes

There are several ways by which volcanoes can be classified. PHIVOLCS have adapted a
systemwherethe Philippine volcanoes as active or inactive. Active volcanoes are those that
have a record of eruption within the last 600 years or those that erupted 10, 000 years ago
based on analyses of theirits materials.
Inactive volcanoes, on the other hand, are those that have not erupted for the last 10, 000 years
and their physical form is being changed by agents of weathering and erosion through formation
of deep and long gullies.
According to PHIVOLCS,our country has more than a hundredvolcanoes as of 2013. Twenty-
three are active while the rest are inactive. Some of these volcanoes will be mentioned in the
next activity.

Perform the next activity to classify the volcanoes according to their record of eruption.

2. Volcanoes in the Philippines

Objective
classify volcanoes as active or inactive

Materials:
Philippine map
colored pens
triangle ruler

Procedure:
1. Using the Philippine map (fig. 3), plot the location of thefollowing volcanoes. Assign colors for
the volcanoes. Indicate this in the legend.

Table 1. List of some volcanoes in the Philippines

Volcano Latitude Longitude Number of Latest

historical eruption or
eruptions activity
Cabaluyan 15° 42′ 120° 19′ 0 -
Cocoro 10° 53′ 121° 12′ 0 -
Iraya 20° 29′ 124° 01′ 1 1454
Kanlaon 10° 24′ 123° 7′ 26 2006 June
Mayon 13° 15′ 123° 41′ 49 2013 May
Pulung 7° 55′ 124° 38′ 0 -
Smith 19° 32′ 121° 55′ 6 1924
Taal 14° 120° 59′ 33 1977
Tamburok 11° 33′ 124° 26′ 0 -
Urot 5° 59′ 121° 15′ 0 -
Legend:
= volcano that has no record of eruption
= volcano that has erupted 1 to 5 times
= volcano that has erupted 6 to 10 times
= volcano that has erupted more than 10 times

Q1. Are all the volcanoes found in the same location?

Q2. Which of the volcanoes had the most number of eruptions? least number of eruptions? no
record of eruption?
Q3. How will you classify the volcanoes that have records of eruptions?
Q4. How will you classify volcanoes with no record of eruption?
Q5. In your own words, differentiate an active volcano from an inactive one.