Name__________________________________Date________

Volcanoes
For this investigation, you will gather information from the following website:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/volcanoes/
1. How many lives will be in danger if Mt. Rainier erupts? ____________________
2. How do volcanoes form?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. How is magma formed and when does it become lava?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. What factors affect the type of magma that is formed?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Go to the Melting Rocks link.
Explain the relationship between temperature, pressure and water in the
melting of rock into magma.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. Complete the table below about the three types of lava.

Rock type

How
common?

Parent
material

Mineral
composition

viscosity

Basaltic
Rhylotic
Andesitic

Dynamic Earth tab:

Click on the Earths Plates link on the left side of
the screen.
For each of the case studies identify the plate or
plates where it is found.
Case Study 1: Volcano Name: __________________________
Plate(s)_____________________________________________
Case Study 2: Volcano Name: __________________________
Plate(s)_____________________________________________
Case Study 3: Volcano Name: __________________________
Plate(s)_____________________________________________
Case Study 4: Volcano Name: __________________________
Plate(s)_____________________________________________
Now click on Back to Dynamic Earth under the map to answer the following
questions:
6. Which plate boundary does NOT experience volcanism?
________________________________________________________________
7. What type of volcano is typically formed at subduction zones? Give examples.
_________________________________
8. What type of volcano is likely to form at a divergent boundary?
_________________________________
9. What type of volcano is likely to form over a hotspot? Give an example.
_________________________________
10. In what two places are basaltic eruptions most likely to occur?
_______________________________________________________________
11. Describe a shield volcano and how it is formed.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
12. Which boundaries are most likely to form less dangerous volcanic eruptions?
Explain your answer.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
13. Which boundaries are most likely to form more explosive eruptions? Explain
your answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
14. Describe a composite volcano and how it is formed. What is another name for a
composite volcano? Near which boundary type are these volcanoes found?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________\
Forecasting:
15. What are clues that scientists use to tell if a volcano is about to erupt? Which gas
is monitored closely?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
16. What are the barriers that stand in the way of predicting a volcanic eruption?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
17. Describe each of the three forms of volcanic seismicity.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
18. How is sulfur dioxide an indicator of activity in a volcano?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
19. How do scientists measure ground deformation that results from swelling near a
volcanos surface?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Coping with Risk
20. Describe the four general approaches to coping with volcanic hazards?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Now click on RELATED RESOURCES in the bottom right-hand corner of the
page.
Go to the MTU Volcano Page( http://www.geo.mtu.edu/volcanoes/ )
Under Earths Volcanoes, click on Which are earths active volcanoes?
On the right side of the screen is a list of New Activity/Unrest.

Click on each volcano and record the information for the table below. To get to
the type of volcano, on the summary page, click on its name (next to its location)
and it will direct you to a screen with more information.
For Last Confirmed Eruption Date, click on Eruption History.
Volcano Name

Location

Whats going
on?

Type of Volcano

Last Confirmed
eruption date;
Month/Year

USGS VOLCANOES HAZARD PROGRAM

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/
1. What do each of the alerts mean (red, green, etc)?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________
2. Where are most of the volcanoes located? Why?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________