Three Types of

Volcanoes
 1. List and describe the three types of
volcanoes.
EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS
VISCOUS LAVA (High Viscosity)
 Cool temperature
 Composition:
silica-rich (granitic)
 Thick & gooey → Erupt violently; scattering
ash and fragments
widely
 Does not flow very far;
builds steep-sides;
often destroys volcanoes

Ex. rhyolithic & andesitic

lava→ stratovolcanoes
NON-EXPLOSIVE HAZARD
FLUID LAVA (Low viscosity)
 Higher temperatures
 Composition: Low silica
(basaltic)
 Thin → Erupt “quietly”
 Great flows of lava that
build mountains
Ex. Basaltic lava→ shield volcanoes
MAGMA/LAVA →ERUPTIONS
Non-Explosive Eruptions:
Fluid lava flows easily
allows gases to bubble away

Explosive Eruptions:
Viscous lava traps the gases until
large pressures build up & the
system explodes
Pyroclastic flow (ash, rock fragments)
flow out of vent
EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS
PYROCLASTIC FLOW
Travels over 200 mph

Tephra = all ash & rock

fragments
– ash: pieces smaller than 2 mm;
travel farthest
– lapelli: small pieces between 2-66
mm
– volcanic bomb: pieces larger than
64 mm

Burns EVERYTHING in its path

ERUPTION HAZARDS
LAHAR
Water, mud &
ash that flow
like a river
 Shield Volcanoes
• The magma inside a shield volcano is rich in iron
and magnesium and is very fluid.

• Since the magma is very fluid, the lava coming

out of the volcano tends to flow great distances.

• When shield volcanoes erupt, the flowing lava

gives the volcano the shape of a gently sloping
mountain.
 Shield Volcanoes
 Eruptions of shield volcanoes are mild and
can occur several times.
 Mauna Loa in Hawaii is an example of a
shield volcano.
 Shield Volcanoes
 Low silica level
 Low viscosity Lava
 High or low levels of gas
 Low to medium explosivity
 Flattened mound
 Resembles a warrior’s shield
Mauna Loa, Hawaii
Piton de la Fournaise
Surtsey, Finland
 Composite Volcanoes
• The magma inside a composite volcano is rich
in silica and much thicker than magma from a
shield volcano.

• Gases get trapped inside this thicker magma.

• Eruptions from composite volcanoes can be

flowing lava or explosions. The explosive
eruptions come from the trapped gases and
produce cinders and ash.
 Composite Volcanoes
• These different types of eruptions are what give
composite volcanoes their alternating layers of
lava and cinders.

• Composite volcanoes have much steeper slopes

than shield volcanoes.

• Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount St. Helens in the

USA are examples of composite volcanoes.
 Composite Volcanoes
 High in silica
 High viscosity magma
 High levels of gas
 Highly explosive
 Cone shaped
 Formed by layers of lava flow and ash
buildup
Mt. Rainier, Washington
Mt. Fuji, Japan
Mt. St. Helens, Washington
 Cinder Cone Volcanoes
• The magma inside a cinder cone volcano has
large amounts of gas trapped in it.

• Eruptions from cinder cone volcanoes are violent

and explosive because of all the gas trapped in
the magma.

• The large amounts of hot ash and lava thrown

out of the vent fall to the ground forming the
cone shape that these volcanoes have.
 Cinder Cone Volcanoes
• Cinder cone volcanoes are usually only
active for a short time and then become
dormant (inactive).

• Paricutin in Mexico is an example of a

cinder cone volcano.
 Cinder cones
 Low silica lava
 High levels of gas
 “Fire-fountain” eruptions
 Commonly found on the flanks of shield
volcanoes
 Made from a pile of rock pieces
 Structurally weak
 Pu'u ka Pele, Hawaii
(on the flanks of Mauna Loa)
Floreana Island, Galapagos
Puu OO, Hawaii
 2. Explain how volcanoes relate to plate
tectonics.
 WHAT KIND OF LAVA FLOW?
Fluid lava
• thin ; flows far;
• allows gas to escape;
• quiet(non-violent) eruptions
• builds mountain

Fluid lava
Flows great
distances Viscous lava
• thick (granitic – high silica content)
• traps gas
• violent eruptions
• destroys mountains
 FORMATION →ERUPTIONS

Volcanoes are formed by

1. SUBDUCTION
explosive eruptions
2. Sea Floor Spreading
quiet eruptions
3. Hot Spots
usually quiet eruptions
VOLCANO FORMATION:
HOT SPOTS

 A fixed source of magma

rising beneath a plate
forming volcanic islands

 Magma can be basaltic or

granitic –so eruptions
can be explosive or “quiet”