grade 9
grade 9
grade 9
What is a volcano?
A volcano is a landform (usually a mountain) where molten rock erupts through the surface of the planet. In simple terms a
volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of a molten rock (magma) below the surface of the earth. It is a hole
in the earth from which the molten rock and gas erupt.
Volcanoes form when parts of the Earth’s solid mantle melts to form pockets of hot liquid rock called magma. This magma
collects in large pools deep underground known as magma chambers. As more and more magma is added to the magma
chamber, the pressure increases and causes the rock around the magma chamber to crack. The hot liquid magma which
is lighter than the surrounding rock, is forced upwards through the cracks in the crust and erupts on land through volcanic
vent.
Volcanoes have distinctive features:
PARTS OF A VOLCANO
Individual volcanoes vary in the volcanic materials they produce and this affects the size, shape and structure of the
volcanoes. There are three types of volcanoes based on structure: cinder cones (also called spatter cones), composite
volcanoes (also called strato volcanoes) and shield volcanoes.
COMPOSITE OR STRATO
Tall, symmetrical shaped and can rise up 8,000 -10,000 feet. Its explosion emits gases, ash pumice, silica lava (called
rhyolite) and deadly mudflows (lahar).
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.
Mt. Fuji in Japan, Mayon Volcano and Mt. St. Helens in the USA are examples of composite volcanoes.
SHIELD VOLCANO
Big that emits basaltic (very fluid) lava has long lasting mudflows, erupts gently and minimal.
They have low slopes and large crater at their summits with flat round shapes around it.
The magma inside a shield volcano is rich in iron, and magnesium and is very fluid.
When shield volcano erupts, the flowing lava gives the volcano the shape of a gently sloping mountain.
Examples: Mauna Loa in Hawaii, Kilauea the youngest and most active Hawaiian Shield volcano.
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.
Cinder cone volcanoes are usually only active for a short time and then becomes dormant (inactive).
Cone – shaped volcano whose steep side are formed by loose fragmented cinders that fall to the earth close to the vent.
There bowl – shaped crater at the top. As the gas filled lava erupts into the air, the lava fragments into pieces and form
a ball cinders.
Mt. Smith and Paricutin in Mexico are examples of cinder cone volcanoes
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ACTIVE AND INACTIVE VOLCANOES AND GIVE EXAMPLES OF EACH
TYPE WHICH ARE FOUND IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7100 islands. Most of these islands are of volcanic origin. The Philippines
lies between the Pacific and Eurasian Plates which makes it highly vulnerable to typhoons, floods, landslides, volcanic
eruptions and earthquakes. The Pacific Ring of Fire that runs at the western rim of the Pacific Ocean is the most seismically
active part of the earth, typified by a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake generators. Around 20 earthquakes are
registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. There are about 300 volcanoes in the Philippines. Twenty-two (22) of
these are active while the larger percentage remains dormant as of the record.
CLASSIFICATION OF VOLCANOES
There are several ways by which volcanoes can be classified. An active, inactive (extinct) and dormant, where
dormant volcanoes are considered as an active volcano that is not erupting, but supposed to erupt again. PHIVOLCS
(Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) have adapted a system where the Philippine volcanoes as active
or inactive. Active volcanoes are those that have a record of eruption within the last 600 years or those that erupted 10, 000
years ago based on analyses of their materials. Active volcano a volcano that has erupted within the last 600 years and are
documented by man or those that erupted 10, 000 years ago based on analyses of datable materials.
Inactive volcanoes, are those that have not erupted for the last 10, 000 years and their physical form is being
changed by agents of weathering and erosion through formation of deep long gullies.
A volcano can change at any time and it is difficult to tell whether a volcano is active or inactive.
Dequey – Batanes
Dequey Volcano, an underwater volcano, is located in the smallest province of the Philippines – Batanes. With an
elevation of -24 meters above sea level, it has been known to have erupted 3 times - 1773, 1850, and 1854. It is considered
as Philippine most active undersea volcano.
If there was an active volcano, there are also not. especially in the Philippines. All-known located in the
Pacific Ring of Fire. Let us know some of the inactive volcanoes in the Philippines.
Alligator Lake
Tadlac Lake, also colloquially known as Alligator Lake, is a freshwater crater lake located in Barangay Tadlac, in the
municipality of Los Baños of Laguna province in the Philippines.
Anilao Hill
Anilao Hill is a mountain and is located in the Province of Batangas, Calabarzon, Philippines. The estimated terrain
elevation above sea level is 248 meters. Variant forms of spelling for Anilao Hill or in other languages: Anilao Hill (fil), Anilao
Hill.
Mount Atimbia
Mount Tagapo, also known as Susong Dalaga mountain, is a conical peak on the lake island of Talim on Laguna de
Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines. The mountain ridge is 438 m (1,437 ft) in elevation and the highest point of Talim
Island.[1] The peak falls under the jurisdiction of the towns of Binangonan and Cardona in Rizal province.
Mount Bagacay
Mount Bagacay is a mountain and is located in the Province of Camarines Norte, Bicol, Philippines. The elevation
above sea level is 787 meters.
Mount Balikabok
Balikabok is next to Mount Dangas and is located in the Province of Zambales, Central Luzon, Philippines.
Volcanoes erupt differently. They are generally classified as wet or dry depending on the magma’s water
content. Volcanoes are described according to the style of eruption as follows:
2. Increased steaming activity; change in color of steam emission from white to gray due to entrained ash.
4. Ground swells (or inflation), ground tilt, and ground fissuring due to magma intrusion.
5. Localized landslides, rockfalls, and landslides from the summit area which not attributable to heavy rains.
6. Noticeable increase in the extent of drying up of vegetation around the volcano’s upper slopes.
7. Increase in the temperature of hot springs, a wells crater lake near the volcano.
8. Noticeable variation in the chemical content of springs, crater lakes within the vicinity of the volcano.
10. Development of new thermal areas and/or reactivation of old ones; the appearance of solfatara. (A solfatara is a
volcanic vent emitting only sulfurous gases and water vapor or sometimes hot mud.)