6.1 and 6.

2 Notes
Volcanoes, plate tectonics and eruptions

Whats a volcano?
A volcano is a weak spot on the crust where molten material or magma come to the surface Magma is molten mixture of rock-forming substances, gases and water from the mantle

When magma reaches the surface, it is called lava. When lava is cooled it become solid rock

Volcanoes and plate boundaries

There are about 600 active volcanoes on land Volcanic belts form along the boundaries of Earths plates On major volcanic belt is called the RING OF FIRE. It is formed by many volcanoes that rim the Pacific Ocean

Chapter 6 Volcanoes

Spreading Boundaries
Volcanoes form along mid-ocean ridges (the underwater mountains that have rift valleys down the center) Lava pours out of the cracks in the ocean floor to create new ocean floor material This also happens on the land

Colliding boundaries
Many volcanoes form along colliding boundaries When subduction occurs, the some of the material (rock) that is above the subduction zone melts and forms magama The magma breaks through the earths surface to create volcanoes

Chapter 6 Volcanoes

Colliding boundaries
The volcanoes create a string of islands called an island arc. Islands are curved, like the shape of the deep ocean trench. Examples include: Japan, New Zealand, Philippines This can also happen where an oceanic plate is subducted beneath a continental plate. This created volcanoes on land (ex: Andes)

Chapter 6 Volcanoes

Hot Spot Volcanoes

A hot spot is an area where material from deep within the material rises and then melts forming magma A volcano forms above a hot spot when magma erupts through the crust and reaches the surface A hot spot in the ocean floor can gradually form a series of volcanic mountains. Hawaiian islands formed one by one over millions of years as the pacific plate drifted over a hot spot

Chapter 6 Volcanoes

Volcanic Eruptions
A volcano is a large, cone shaped mountain. Inside a volcano is a system of passageways through which magma moves

Inside the volcano

All volcanoes have a pocket of magma beneath the surface and one or more cracks through which the magma forces its way 1. Magma is collected in a pocket called a Magma Chamber 2. The magma moves up through a long tube in the ground called a PIPE that connects the magma chamber to Earths surface

Inside the volcano

3. The molten rock and the gas leave the volcano through an opening called the vent. The vent is usually @ the top of the volcano, but some have vents open on the volcanoes sides 4. A lava flow is the area covered by lava as it pours out of a vent 5. A crater is a bowl shaped area that my form at the top of a volcano around the central vent

Chapter 6 Volcanoes

How a volcano erupts

Dissolved gases are trapped in magma The gases are under a lot of pressure The force of the expanding gases pushes magma from the magma chamber through the pipe until it flows or explodes out of the vent Once the magma escapes from the volcano and become lava, the remaining gases bubble out

Kinds of volcanic eruptions

Geologist classify volcanic eruptions as quiet or explosive They use silica to determine if they are quiet or explosive Silica is a material found in magma that is formed from the elements oxygen and silicon Quiet has low silica, explosive has high amounts of silica

Stages of Volcanic Activity

Life cycle of a volcano: 1. Dormant: will awaken and become active in the future 2. Active or live: shows signs of erupting or shows signs that it will erupt soon 3. Extinct: or dead, unlikely to erupt again

Hot springs and geysers: Found in areas of present or past volcanic activity Water deep underground is heated by nearby body of magma or by hot rock Hot spring is hot water rises to the surface and collects in a natural pool Sometimes hot water and stream get stuck and pressure begins to build until the mixture suddenly sprays above the surface A geyser is a fountain of water and steam that erupts from the ground

Monitoring Volcanoes Geologist use tilt meters and other instruments to detect slight surface changes in elevation If magma is going to erupt, there will be a tilt in the surface They use this information to give warnings

Chapter 6 Volcanoes