1.4.9

Volcanic Eruptions

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Volcano Eruption

When a volcano erupts at the Earth's surface it can produce lots of different things, including:

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Lava

  • Lava is magma (molten rock) above the surface of the Earth.
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Gases

  • Volcanoes emit lots of gases like sulfur.
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Ash

  • Ash is tiny pieces of burnt rock fragments that are blown into the atmosphere, usually at some force.
  • These pieces fall on land and can float in the air, causing a volcanic winter (by blocking out the sun).
  • A volcanic winter describes when a volcano erupts, producing lots of ash, which then blocks the sun. Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruption reduced global temperatures for 3 years.
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Pyroclastic flows

  • Pyroclastic flows are currents of hot ash, lava and gas that can move downhill at speeds of up to 500 km/h during an eruption.
  • Pyroclastic flows are impossible to outrun.
  • They can reach temperatures of up to 1000oC and can cover distances of up to 30km from the volcano.
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Jump to other topics

1Physical Geography

1.1River Environments

1.2Coastal Environments

1.3Hazardous Environments - Tropical Cyclones

1.4Hazardous Environments - Earthquakes & Volcanoes

2Human Geography

3Global Issues

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