Volcanos Lecture Notes

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts and terminology related to volcanos.

Volcano

A mountain or hill with a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, and gas are erupted.

Magma

Molten rock formed from the partial melting of rocks in the Earth's mantle and crust.

Shield Volcano

Largest type of volcano with low viscosity magma, producing gentle lava flows resembling a warrior's shield.

Composite Volcano

Volcano characterized by intermediate magma, producing both lava flows and pyroclastic material, and is the most dangerous type.

Cinder Cone Volcano

The smallest type of volcano formed quickly, with explosive eruptions of material high in silica and gas content.

Tephra

Any material erupted from a volcano, including ash, lapilli, and volcanic bombs.

Lava Flow

Movement of molten rock from a volcanic vent.

Pyroclastic Flow

A fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter.

Lahar

A violent type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of pyroclastic material and water, flowing down from a volcano.

Geothermal Gradient

The rate of increasing temperature with increasing depth in the Earth's interior.

Pillow Lava

Lava formations typically formed when lava emerges underwater, gaining a solid crust that breaks apart.

Viscosity

The resistance to flow of a liquid, important in determining the nature of volcanic eruptions.

Ring of Fire

A seismically active belt of earthquakes and volcanoes around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

Flood Basalts

High-volume eruptions that flood vast areas with basaltic lava.

Columnar Joints

Fractures that form in cooling igneous rocks, producing elongated, pillar-like columns.