Three Types of
Volcanoes
1. List and describe the three types of
volcanoes.
EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS
VISCOUS LAVA (High Viscosity)
Cool temperature
Composition:
silica-rich (granitic)
Thick & gooey → Erupt violently; scattering
ash and fragments
widely
Does not flow very far;
builds steep-sides;
often destroys volcanoes
Ex. rhyolithic & andesitic
lava→ stratovolcanoes
NON-EXPLOSIVE HAZARD
FLUID LAVA (Low viscosity)
Higher temperatures
Composition: Low silica
(basaltic)
Thin → Erupt “quietly”
Great flows of lava that
build mountains
Ex. Basaltic lava→ shield volcanoes
MAGMA/LAVA →ERUPTIONS
Non-Explosive Eruptions:
Fluid lava flows easily
allows gases to bubble away
Explosive Eruptions:
Viscous lava traps the gases until
large pressures build up & the
system explodes
Pyroclastic flow (ash, rock fragments)
flow out of vent
EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS
PYROCLASTIC FLOW
Travels over 200 mph
Tephra = all ash & rock
fragments
– ash: pieces smaller than 2 mm;
travel farthest
– lapelli: small pieces between 2-66
mm
– volcanic bomb: pieces larger than
64 mm
Burns EVERYTHING in its path
ERUPTION HAZARDS
LAHAR
Water, mud &
ash that flow
like a river
Shield Volcanoes
• The magma inside a shield volcano is rich in iron
and magnesium and is very fluid.
• Since the magma is very fluid, the lava coming
out of the volcano tends to flow great distances.
• When shield volcanoes erupt, the flowing lava
gives the volcano the shape of a gently sloping
mountain.
Shield Volcanoes
Eruptions of shield volcanoes are mild and
can occur several times.
Mauna Loa in Hawaii is an example of a
shield volcano.
Shield Volcanoes
Low silica level
Low viscosity Lava
High or low levels of gas
Low to medium explosivity
Flattened mound
Resembles a warrior’s shield
Mauna Loa, Hawaii
Piton de la Fournaise
Surtsey, Finland
Composite Volcanoes
• The magma inside a composite volcano is rich
in silica and much thicker than magma from a
shield volcano.
• Gases get trapped inside this thicker magma.
• Eruptions from composite volcanoes can be
flowing lava or explosions. The explosive
eruptions come from the trapped gases and
produce cinders and ash.
Composite Volcanoes
• These different types of eruptions are what give
composite volcanoes their alternating layers of
lava and cinders.
• Composite volcanoes have much steeper slopes
than shield volcanoes.
• Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount St. Helens in the
USA are examples of composite volcanoes.
Composite Volcanoes
High in silica
High viscosity magma
High levels of gas
Highly explosive
Cone shaped
Formed by layers of lava flow and ash
buildup
Mt. Rainier, Washington
Mt. Fuji, Japan
Mt. St. Helens, Washington
Cinder Cone Volcanoes
• The magma inside a cinder cone volcano has
large amounts of gas trapped in it.
• Eruptions from cinder cone volcanoes are violent
and explosive because of all the gas trapped in
the magma.
• The large amounts of hot ash and lava thrown
out of the vent fall to the ground forming the
cone shape that these volcanoes have.
Cinder Cone Volcanoes
• Cinder cone volcanoes are usually only
active for a short time and then become
dormant (inactive).
• Paricutin in Mexico is an example of a
cinder cone volcano.
Cinder cones
Low silica lava
High levels of gas
“Fire-fountain” eruptions
Commonly found on the flanks of shield
volcanoes
Made from a pile of rock pieces
Structurally weak
Pu'u ka Pele, Hawaii
(on the flanks of Mauna Loa)
Floreana Island, Galapagos
Puu OO, Hawaii
2. Explain how volcanoes relate to plate
tectonics.
WHAT KIND OF LAVA FLOW?
Fluid lava
• thin ; flows far;
• allows gas to escape;
• quiet(non-violent) eruptions
• builds mountain
Fluid lava
Flows great
distances Viscous lava
• thick (granitic – high silica content)
• traps gas
• violent eruptions
• destroys mountains
FORMATION →ERUPTIONS
Volcanoes are formed by
1. SUBDUCTION
explosive eruptions
2. Sea Floor Spreading
quiet eruptions
3. Hot Spots
usually quiet eruptions
VOLCANO FORMATION:
HOT SPOTS
A fixed source of magma
rising beneath a plate
forming volcanic islands
Magma can be basaltic or
granitic –so eruptions
can be explosive or “quiet”
