What is a volcano?
Hi, my name is Christopher!
Look everyone! What is that?
Why,that is a VOLCANO!
A VOL-CA-NO? What’s a volcano?
Well,let me see. First of all,we live on the earth.This globe shows what the earth looks like.
Let’s pretend we can look inside.
Then we can see what makes a volcano.
My,isn’t that red!
Deep inside the earth it is very,very hot-hotter than you or I can imagine.
The heat makes some of the rock melt. The hot melted rock is called MAGMA! Say it with me-MAG-MA
Interesting!
MAG-MA!
The magma works its way out of the earth.
It makes a path through the cracks in the earth.
Sometimes the magma stops and makes a big pocket. Other times it works its way to the outside of the earth.
I knew that!
And when it comes out of the earth,we say it ERUPTS.
The ground is shaking!
Feels warm!
The hot magma that erupts is called LAVA. Rock parts like ash and dust and gasses also come out of the volcano.
And that’s what makes a volcano. But,volcanos are not all alike.
People who study volcanos say there are three main kind.
Did you know that?
Let’s look at eych kind. In this kind,the lava comes out of many places.It builds a low,broad mountain.
Oh,that’s like the one in Hawaii called Mauna Loa.
What’s he doing up here?
Another kind looks like this.This volcano has a wide top and is made by a big blast of magma coming out of the earth.
That’s like the new volcano in Mexico called Paricutin.
The third kind of volcano builds into a big mountain.
That’s like the old one in Japan,called Mount Fuji.
In each one,yhe magma from deep inside the earth works its way out of the earth.when the magma erupts,a volcano is made.
Lots of ash up here!
Watch out for rocks!
So do we.
Now l know what a volcano is!
Me too!