SUMMARY NOTES ON VOLCANICITY
Defination of key terms Extrusive Volcanism-refers to DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACID AND
*Magma-is the moltenrock in the when the magma isejected onto the BASIC LAVA
mantle earth surface, the lavathen solidifies
Acid Lava Basic Lava
*Magma Chamber-collection of to form extrusive landforms
magma or a hot bubbling furnance Extrusive landforms refers to -Viscous (Thick -Fluid lava
*Lava-is the molten rock that volcanic features that are formed on and Sticky) -Gentle eruption
reaches the earth surface and loses theearth surface -Violent eruption -Gentle slopes
its gas Intrusive volcanism refersto when -Steep Slopes -Dark in colour
*Vent-The opening or hole on the magma solidifiesbelow the eath -Light in colour -Low melting
ground through which magma is surface within the crust -High melting point
released, it allows magma to escape point -Basic
*Crater-a shallow depression found -Acidic -Low in silica
at the top of the volcano created -Rich in silica -Lava flows fast
after an eruption blows the top of -Lava flows slowly to cover long
the volcano to cover short distance
*Pipe-The channel through which distance -High density
the lava rises -Low density
*Conelets-The small parasitic cones
that build when magma escapes on
the sides of a volcano
Formation of Volcanoes
*Plate Movement-plates move towards each other due to compression force
*Pressure builds up within the crustal rocks
*Faulting occurs on the crustal rocks
*Pressure is then released from the crustal rocks
*Eruption occurs- magma rises through a vent or a fault to reach the earth surface
*When magma reach earth surface it loses its gas and becomes lava
*Lava flow, accumulate, cools and solidify to form a cone shaped mound called a volcano
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SUMMARY NOTES ON VOLCANICITY
FORMATION OF A CRATER Formation of caldera
Violent Eruption Subsidence
*Volcanic Eruption occurs
*Pyroclastic materials (ash, lava, *Pressure builds up and is released *Eruption occurs and depletes the
molten rock) form at the top of a *Magma rises through the vent magma chamber
cone *Lava rises through a pipe *Vacuum or Chasm is then created
*The top of a cone collapse in the *Violent eruption which is explosive *Weight of the cone causes faulting
vent forming a shallow depression at occurs *Top part collapses or subsides to fill
top called a crater *Subsequent eruptions blow the top in the vacuum or chasm forming a
of the crater caldera
*Crater is enlarged forming a caldera
FORMATION OF MID OCEANIC RIDGE
*Plate movement-plates move away from each other at seafloor due to tension force
*Pressure builds up within crustal rocks
*Faulting occurs
*Pressure is released within the crustal rocks
*Eruption occurs-magma rises between fault to reach ocean floor and lose its gases into lava.
*Lava flow, accumulate, cools, and solidify to form new crust as mid oceanic ridge.
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SUMMARY NOTES ON VOLCANICITY
DISTRIBUTION OF VOLCANOES
TYPES OF VOLCANOES
There are three main types of volcanoes.
1. Composite or Intermediate Cone
2. Ash and Cinder Cone
3. Lava Cone (Acid/Viscous lava Cone and Basic/Shield Cone)
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SUMMARY NOTES ON VOLCANICITY
FORMATION OF MAIN TYPES OF VOLCANOES
Composite Ash and Cinder Cone Lava Cone
Basic/Fluid Lava Acid/Viscous Lava Cone
Cone
*Plate movement-plates move towards *Volcanic eruption occurs-lava is *It has gentle slope *It has steep slope because
each other due to compression force blown to great heights when it is because it is made of is made of viscous lava
and collide violently ejected lava which is fluid
*Pressure builds up *Lava breaks into small fragments *It has broad base as *It has narrow base as it is
*Faulting occurs called cinders it is made of fluid lava made of viscous lava that
*Pressure is released *Cinders fall back to earth and build that travels long travels short distance
*Violent eruption occurs as ash is up a steep sided cone distance *It is tall in height as it is
released and form a layer of ash on the *It is short in height as made of acidic lava which
surface it is made of fluid lava erupts violently
*Deposition of lave-violent eruption which erupts gently *It has a conical shape
stops and lava flow to accumulate cool *It has shield shape
and solidify on top of ash layer
*Accumulation of alternating ash and
lava layers
*The process repeats forming
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SUMMARY NOTES ON VOLCANICITY
alternating layers of ash and lava called
a composite volcano.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MAIN TYPES OF VOLCANOES
Composite Ash and Cinder Cone Lava Cone
Acid/Viscous Lava Cone Basic/Fluid Lava Cone
Steep Slopes Steep Slopes Steep slopes because it is Gentle Slopes because it is
formed by acidic lava formed by fluid lava
Small conelets on the Short Tall because is made by Short because is made of fluid
sides acidic lava that erupts lava that erupts gently
violently
Crater form at the top Narrow base as lava Narrow base as it is made by Broad base as it is made by
Covers a small area acidic lava that flows short fluid lava which lava that flows
distance long distance
Caldera may develop Conial Shield
with time
Alternate layers of lava Viscous or acidic lava
and ash
Reasons why some people live in Explain why some volcanoes have few or no settlement or sparsely
places where volcanoes may populated.
erupt. *The volcanoes have steep slopes therefore to settle and practice farming
*Scenic beauty for tourism is difficult
*Availability of minerals for mining *There is rarefied air which makes breathing difficult
*Availability of fertile soil for arable *The volcanoes are active therefore dangerous as it threatens people’s lives
farming to be lost
*Availability of pasture for pastoral *The area has acidic or thin soils which is unsuitable for crop growth
farming *It is cold
*Availability of forests for lumbering *Little rain on leeward side which makes agriculture difficult because of
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SUMMARY NOTES ON VOLCANICITY
*Presence or crater lakes for water limited water supply
supply that can be used for fishing,
irrigation and to generate Hydro
Electric Power
*Presence of hot springs or geysers
for geothermal power
Explain how the eruption may Dangers faced by people living Ways in which effects of volcanic
negatively affect people. around active volcanoes. eruption may be minimized.
-Dust or ash can bury people *People may be burnt by lava *Training of emergency or
-Dust and ash will lead to breathing leading to injuries and death rescue teams such as mobile
problems *Mudflow or landslides clinics, ambulance fire fighters and
-Fire outbreaks kill people and their *Destruction of infrastructure such police to rescue people
property as roads and buildings *The use of efficient warning
-Rock fall or mudslide may kill *Destruction of property such as systems for early warning so that
people and destroy their property houses, farmlands, and cars people prepare on time
-Ash may make water unsafe to *Fire outbreaks *The use of sensitive
drink *Flooding instruments to detect the
-Ash and Dust affect the visibility *Acid rains occurrence of volcanic eruptions.
and disrupts flights *Reduced visibility *Relocate or avoid settling in areas
-Acid rain destroys crops and *Health risks such as respiratory with active or dormant volcanoes
building for people diseases such as eye and skin *Laws or regulations such as land
-Acidic ash destroy crops people diseases policy on land allocation allowing
grow affecting arable farming people to stay away from prone
Effects of volcanic eruption on areas of volcanic eruption
the people *Redirecting lava flow
*Relocation or displacement of *Public Education on safety
people before, during and after volcanic
*Loss of life and injuries on people eruptions
*Inhaling dangerous gases *Research on the frequency and
*People are left homeless pattern of volcanic eruptions to
*Destruction of people’s property predict when a volcanic eruption is
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SUMMARY NOTES ON VOLCANICITY
and their buildings likely to occur
*Daily lives are disturbed such as not
being able to attend schools and
going for work
