Volcanoes

Volcanoes

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to explain the geological processes that lead to the formation of volcanoes. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to identify the different types of plate boundaries and their role in volcanic activity. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to describe the various types of volcanoes and their characteristics. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to discuss the environmental impact of volcanic eruptions, including the concept of a volcanic winter. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to recognize the occurrence of volcanism on other planetary bodies beyond Earth.

What do you already know about volcanoes?

The basic definition and mechanism of volcanoes

Volcano: A rupture in a planetary crust allowing the escape of lava, ash, and gases from a magma chamber below the surface. Magma chamber: A large underground pool of liquid rock found beneath the surface of the Earth.

Tectonic plates and their movement

Tectonic plates: Massive slabs of solid rock composing the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at different types of plate boundaries.

Divergent and convergent plate boundaries

Divergent boundary: A tectonic boundary where two plates are moving away from each other, often resulting in volcanic activity. Convergent boundary: A tectonic boundary where two plates are moving toward each other, potentially causing one plate to subduct beneath the other and leading to volcanic activity.

Hotspots and mantle plumes

Hotspot: A location on the Earth's surface that has experienced volcanism for a long period due to a plume of hot material that rises from deep within the mantle. Mantle plume: An upwelling of abnormally hot rock within the Earth's mantle that carries heat upward from the core-mantle boundary.

Continental rifting and its effects on volcanism

Continental rifts: Locations where a continent is being pulled apart, potentially leading to volcanic activity.

Various types of volcanoes and their features

Lava dome: A roughly circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano. Stratovolcano: A volcano built up of alternate layers of lava and ash, known for its steep profile and periodic explosive eruptions. Supervolcano: A volcano that has had an eruption with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 8, the largest recorded value on the index.

The environmental impact of volcanic eruptions

Volcanic eruptions can impact climate, sometimes leading to volcanic winters.

Volcanism on other planets

Volcanism is not exclusive to Earth and occurs on other planets in the Solar System.

Definitions

Volcano: A rupture in a planetary crust allowing the escape of lava, ash, and gases from a magma chamber below the surface. Magma chamber: A large underground pool of liquid rock found beneath the surface of the Earth. Tectonic plates: Massive slabs of solid rock composing the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at different types of plate boundaries. Divergent boundary: A tectonic boundary where two plates are moving away from each other, often resulting in volcanic activity. Convergent boundary: A tectonic boundary where two plates are moving toward each other, potentially causing one plate to subduct beneath the other and leading to volcanic activity. Hotspot: A location on the Earth's surface that has experienced volcanism for a long period due to a plume of hot material that rises from deep within the mantle. Mantle plume: An upwelling of abnormally hot rock within the Earth's mantle that carries heat upward from the core-mantle boundary. Lava dome: A roughly circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano. Stratovolcano: A volcano built up of alternate layers of lava and ash, known for its steep profile and periodic explosive eruptions. Supervolcano: A volcano that has had an eruption with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 8, the largest recorded value on the index.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

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Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

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Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.