VolcanoesMiss Holdstein

6th Grade Science

Standards Addressed

• Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and midocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones.

• Students know earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and floods change human and wildlife habitats.

Volcanic EruptionsThere are two types of

volcanic eruptions:

• Non-explosive • Explosive

Non-explosive Eruptions

• Most common type of volcanic eruption.

• Produces lava flows, relatively calm outpourings of lava.

• Many of the largest mountains on Earth have been formed as the result of lava flows from repeated non-explosive eruptions over hundreds of thousands of years.

Non-explosive eruption

Explosive Eruptions

• Clouds of hot debris and gases shoot out from the volcano.

• No lava flow, instead molten rock is blown into millions of pieces that harden in the air.

• An explosive eruption can blast millions of tons of rock from a volcano, demolishing rock formations that took thousands of years to form.

Explosive Eruption

Volcano Video

References

• Text- Holt Earth Science California edition

• Photos & Video: – Explosive eruption (www.ime-usa.com/.../

guagua_eruption_lg.jpg )– Non-explosive eruption (library.thinkquest.org/

J001393/volcanoes/3.htm)– Video (www.volcanolive.com)