Facts about Volcanoes for Kids

What is a Volcano? A volcano is a landform (usually a mountain) where molten rock erupts through the surface of the planet. In simple terms a volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten rock (magma) below the surface of the earth. It is a hole in the Earth from which molten rock and gas erupt. Did you know? The name "volcano" has its origin from the name of Vulcan, a god of fire in Roman mythology. As pressure in the molten rock builds up it needs to escape somewhere. So it forces its way up fissures which are narrow cracks in the earths crust. Once the magma erupts through the earths surface its called lava. What is the difference between lava and Magma? Magma is liquid rock inside a volcano. Lava is liquid rock (magma) that flows out of a volcano. Fresh lava ranges from 1,300 to 2,200 F (700 to 1,200 C) in temperature and glows red hot to white hot as it flows. How many volcanoes are there in the world? There are around 1510 'active' volcanoes in the world. We currently know of 80 or more which are under the oceans. What are the three layers the Earth is made of? 1. Crust The crust is the outer layer of Earth. It is about 18 miles thick. It is the part we live on. 2. Mantle The second layer is called the mantle. It is about 1,800 miles thick. 3. Core The inner layer is called the core. What causes volcanoes to erupt?

The Earth's crust is made up of huge slabs called plates, which fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. These plates sometimes move. Between the Earth's crust and the mantle is a substance called magma which is made of rock and gases. When two plates collide, one section slides on top of the other, the one beneath is pushed down. Magma is squeezed up between two plates. Did you know? Volcanoes are like giant safety valves that release the pressure that builds up inside the Earth.

When magma erupts, what is it called? When magma erupts through the earth's surface it is called lava What is the Ring of Fire? Over half of the worlds volcanoes arise in a belt around the Pacific Ocean called the Ring of Fire. The different parts of a Volcano The image below shows the different parts of a volcano.

Definitions Magma - Molten rock beneath Earth's surface. Parasitic Cone - A small cone-shaped volcano formed by an accumulation of volcanic debris. Sill - A flat piece of rock formed when magma hardens in a crack in a volcano. Vent - An opening in Earth's surface through which volcanic materials escape. Flank - The side of a volcano. Lava - Molten rock that erupts from a volcano that solidifies as it cools. Crater - Mouth of a volcano - surrounds a volcanic vent. Conduit - An underground passage magma travels through. Summit - Highest point; apex

Throat - Entrance of a volcano. The part of the conduit that ejects lava and volcanic ash. Ash - Fragments of lava or rock smaller than 2 mm in size that are blasted into the air by volcanic explosions. Ash Cloud - A cloud of ash formed by volcanic explosions.

Polymers are made up of many many molecules all strung together to form really long chains (and sometimes more complicated structures, too). What makes polymers so fun is that how they act depends on what kinds of molecules they're made up of and how they're put together. The properties of anything made out of polymers really reflect what's going on at the ultra-tiny (molecular) level. So, things that are made of polymers look, feel, and act depending on how their atoms and molecules are connected, as well as which ones we use to begin with! Some are rubbery, like a bouncy ball, some are sticky and gooey, and some are hard and tough, like a skateboard.

This is a polymer. It's a very large molecule.

...many many monomers merge, murmuring -mer -mer -mer -mer -mer... Poly- means "many" and -mer means "part" or "segment". Mono means "one". So, monomers are those itty bitty molecules that can join together to make a long polymer chain.

This is a simple diagram of a chain of monomers.

This is MONOMER. He's a small mouse lemur. He's holding a monomer, a small molecule

Many many many MONOmers make a POLYmer! You got it!