100 Facts Volcanoes – Bitesized Facts & Awesome Images to Support KS2 Learning

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Answer: Volcanoes relieve pressure inside the earth, similar to when you lift the lid on a pot of simmering food. Soils around old lava fields are often fertile and grow good crops.

The ‘Ring of Fire’ which is in the Pacific Ocean, is a 40,000km horseshoe-shaped area. It is home to 90% of the world’s volcanoes. Wow!Volcanic eruptions, with their associated lightning and ash clouds, can lead to breathtaking atmospheric displays, even in distant regions. Volcanic activity is not limited to Earth. Volcanoes have been observed on other celestial bodies, including Mars, Venus, and even some of Jupiter’s moon. Dormant volcanoes - A dormant volcano is one that has not erupted for a long time; however, it may still erupt in the future. Vent - An opening in the surface of the Earth through which volcanic materials, such as magma, can escape. Venus may have at one time produced more volcanoes than any other planet in our solar system, though they are all now extinct. [1]

Two years after the devastating eruption, Congress turned the area around Mount St. Helens into a 110,000-acre national volcanic monument for research and recreation. Located within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, it’s managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Visitors can hike, camp, fish, and more, though hikers need a special permit to climb up to the summit. (This isn't permitted when the volcano is experiencing unusually high activity, of course.) They can also tour the Johnston Ridge volcanic observatory and Ape Cave, a lava tube formed almost 2000 years ago. 10. Mount St. Helens has been shrinking. Japan is home to a significant number of volcanoes, with many of its islands formed through volcanic activity. Despite its volcanic nature, Mount Vesuvius supports a variety of plant and animal life. The slopes are covered with lush vegetation, including pine forests and Mediterranean shrubs. The area is also home to several bird species and small mammals, adapting to the volcano’s unique ecosystem. The “Ring of Fire” is a horseshoe-shaped zone encircling the Pacific Ocean, known for its high levels of volcanic and seismic activity. It’s home to about 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes.The presence of water or ice within a volcano can lead to explosive eruptions, as water can flash to steam, rapidly increasing pressure within the magma. Imagine a pot of chili bubbling on the stove. If it has a lid on it, steam can’t escape. The chili might just bubble up and erupt over the sides of the pan. Take the lid off, though, and the heat can escape.

The 1912 eruption of Novarupta was the largest volcanic eruption in the 20th century. It was a 6 out of a possible 8 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. [12] Volcanic lightning occurs mostly within the cloud of ash during an eruption, and is created by the friction of There are about 1,900 active volcanoes on the earth. This means they have erupted recently or they might erupt. Answer: Most volcanoes occur where few people live, but when a volcano actively erupts, it can be very dangerous to anyone living nearby. Over 260,000 people have died in volcanoes in the last 300 years. Many people live in the valley beneath Mt. Rainier, the most dangerous volcano in America. The volcano isn’t likely to erupt, but dangerous mudslides called Iahars roar down its peaks. Mount Vesuvius is world-famous for a variety of reasons. Not only is it an active volcano that’s fairly large compared to the mainstream, it’s also been a part of the landscape for centuries, even millennia. How much do you really know about this volcano? Here’s 12 fun facts about Mount Vesuvius to help freshen your memory. 1. Vesuvius is unique on the continent.During some volcanic eruptions, volcanic lightning, or “dirty thunderstorms,” can occur. It results from the buildup of static electricity caused by ash particles. Major volcanic eruptions can release so much ash into the atmosphere that they lead to a “volcanic winter,” disrupting global climates and agriculture. Common volcanic gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen sulfide. There are volcanoes on every continent, even Antarctica. Some 1,500 volcanoes are still considered potentially active around the world today; 161 of those—over 10 percent—sit within the boundaries of the United States.