Volcano Quiz

Magma is molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface. When it reaches the surface, it is called lava.

The crater is the bowl-shaped opening at the top of a volcano where lava and gases escape.

Shield volcanoes have broad, sloping sides and produce runny lava that spreads over large areas.

Cinder cone volcanoes are small, steep-sided volcanoes made of volcanic ash and debris.

Tuff is a type of volcanic rock formed when volcanic ash compacts and solidifies after an eruption.

Methane is not a common gas in magma. Water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide are the primary gases released during volcanic eruptions.

Plate tectonics is the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates, which causes volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain formation at plate boundaries.

There is no specific type of volcano called a Ridge volcano. The major types of volcanoes include Shield volcanoes, Composite volcanoes, Calderas, and Fissure eruptions.

Plinian eruptions are the most explosive, producing massive ash clouds, pyroclastic flows, and high-altitude eruption columns. Famous examples include the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and Mount St. Helens in 1980.

Obsidian is a type of volcanic glass that forms when lava cools rapidly, preventing crystal formation and resulting in a smooth, glassy texture.